For the past few years, the conversion of broadcast AV and ProAV has been clear, and Ross Video has been leading the way, creating products and solutions scaled for corporate enterprise, higher education, and other non-traditional broadcast environments.

Today, executive town halls, investor events, hybrid product launches, and corporate control rooms must operate with the visibility and pressure once reserved for live broadcast. Reliability is no longer optional; workflow and the operator experience matter.

We’re spotlighting eight of Ross Video’s North American team members who are focused on helping integrators, consultants, and end-users understand the benefits and opportunities of applying broadcast-proven standards to corporate production environments.

This team combines broadcast engineering heritage with deep ProAV and integration experience, built around partnership, workflow validation, and long-term performance.

They understand broadcast-grade reliability, corporate operational realities, consultant workflow requirements, and enterprise scalability needs. They work alongside consultants and enterprise buyers to ensure systems are not only specified correctly but also engineered to perform under real conditions.

By applying broadcast standards to corporate AV environments, the team helps organizations build production ecosystems that deliver consistently and confidently.

Matt Morgan, Market Development Manager, Corporate AV

Morgan’s career spans live audio, multi-site church production, and corporate AV integration. As a certified CTS with hands-on integration experience, he understands both the broadcast mindset and the practical realities of corporate AV deployments.

“I’ve worked on both sides of the broadcast and AV worlds,” Morgan said. "I've seen installations where the solution didn't deliver the outcome the customer wanted. That’s why this convergence between broadcast and AV makes sense. All my experiences connect here. As those environments continue to converge, the goal is to help customers design systems that perform reliably, without unnecessary complexity.”

For consultants, Morgan focuses on defining operational intent early. "It all starts with the outcome," he said. "Our first job is to ask the right questions to understand the client’s goal. They're usually talking to us because they have a goal in mind that they don't quite know how to reach, or a previous attempt has failed."

Customers may not know they need a broadcast-ready solution, but they know the quality they expect. “They know what a great presentation looks like, in part because they see that level of production value on television every day. They want that same quality when communicating with their internal teams or external audiences. Our job is to show how the right infrastructure and tools can make that possible. In corporate environments, that often means building control rooms and live production systems that deliver consistent, reliable, broadcast-level results, without unnecessary complexity.”

For Morgan, a successful project is defined by a long-term partnership. “Our strength is that we don't just deliver a system and move on,” he explained. “From design and integration to training and long-term support, we stay engaged. The real win is when a client knows they can pick up the phone and get support whenever they need it. That’s what builds trust.”

Josh Garcia, Sales Manager, Corporate, Western U.S.

Garcia's path into the industry began with live sound and recording. When he moved into video production, he found a new focus and noticed a common thread. "It's funny how many of us in this industry are former audio engineers," he said. "We all share that same fundamental passion for the craft."

Garcia approaches corporate AV with a strong appreciation for operator workflow. “We don’t lead with technology,” he explained. “We start with what the client needs to accomplish. The solution has to support the real-world workflow.”

Broadcast AV represents the convergence of broadcast-grade production tools with professional AV environments, such as corporate studios, control rooms, and event venues.

Garcia works closely with consultants to ensure solutions fit the application, not just the specification sheet. "I’m excited that Ross is investing in the corporate market as a specialized vertical," he added. "Every corporation and its AV team is different. Our role is to bring broadcast-quality solutions into environments that are rapidly evolving, from event spaces to internal broadcasts to public-facing presentations."

At the heart of Garcia’s client partnership philosophy is a simple promise: "You can always expect to feel seen and heard. We will always listen first, then help brainstorm ideas based on what is important to the customer."

Garcia credits Ross’ Solution Architects for turning that listening into practical system designs. "They do a great job of tailoring a design to what the customer actually needs. We won’t recommend a solution if it’s not right for them."

Daniel Benjamin, Strategic Account Manager

Benjamin supports large-scale enterprise partnerships where long-term planning and roadmap alignment are critical. He works with organizations building multi-room environments, global communication platforms, and scalable production ecosystems.

“My role is aligning technology decisions with long-term goals,” Benjamin said. “Enterprise environments evolve. Systems need to evolve with them.” For consultants and enterprise stakeholders, that means structured growth planning, not isolated product decisions.

For global enterprises, scalability is critical. Infrastructure decisions made today need to support future growth without requiring a full system replacement. "Our systems integrate easily and grow with the customer. Whether it’s a small corporate studio or a 2,000-seat event center, the goal is the same: consistent performance, flexible infrastructure, and long-term support."

Despite managing global, multi-million-dollar accounts, Benjamin’s philosophy remains grounded in communication. "It really comes down to understanding your customer," he advises. "Don’t talk at your customer. Understand what outcomes they're looking for."

He puts this into practice through a structured, consistent approach to partnership. "Communication is key before, during, and long after deployment. I believe in clearing roadblocks, keeping communication open, and delivering on every promise," he said. His goal is to make every project smooth and predictable from start to finish.”

Jeremy Dolby, Regional Sales Director, Corporate U.S.

Having spent 25 years working with major Pro AV companies like Samsung and LG, Dolby brings strong channel understanding and enterprise market insight. Dolby joined Ross to strengthen the connection between the corporate AV and broadcast worlds.

“Corporate environments move differently than traditional broadcast,” Dolby said. “We don’t start with technology, we start with the outcome,” he explains. “That helps cut through complexity and focus on what the business is trying to accomplish. Whether it’s a polished quarterly earnings call or a global town hall, once we understand the goal, the right solution becomes clear.”

For the integration of broadcast-grade production systems into corporate studios, control rooms, and live event spaces, the expectation today is consistent, high production value. “The challenge is delivering that quality in environments that aren’t traditional TV studios,” he said.

Dolby noted that one of Ross’s biggest differentiators is support. “Ross Tech Support is something we’re proud of,” he said. “Our customers know they’ll reach a real person who understands the system and can help solve the problem. We focus on resolving issues quickly and keeping operations running.”

His focus is on helping corporate clients transition from traditional AV setups to environments that support high-visibility executive broadcasts, hybrid global events, integrated control rooms, consistent, and broadcast-quality production.

Kelly Lackey, Sales Manager, Corporate Northeast U.S.

With more than 20 years at Ross, Lackey brings deep knowledge of broadcast workflows and long-term customer relationships.

“What excites me is applying proven broadcast reliability to new environments,” Lackey said. “Corporate teams are demanding higher production standards, and they deserve systems built to meet that expectation.” Lackey helps guide consultants and enterprise teams through complex technology decisions while maintaining focus on reliability and operator confidence.

“I’m excited about building our presence in the broadcast AV market because of the opportunity,” she said. “We’re bringing Ross’ proven broadcast-quality technology and reliability into environments that are demanding higher production value.”

Having witnessed production technology evolve over two decades, Lackey understands how to translate Ross’ broadcast experience into practical applications for corporate communication teams and event producers. “It’s rewarding to help customers realize they can achieve broadcast-level results with solutions that are scalable and flexible, without unnecessary complexity,” she said.

“The biggest lesson from my years at Ross is that listening is just as important as selling,” she added. “When you understand a customer's real challenges and goals, you can provide solutions that truly add value.”

“I’m excited about helping customers with remote and IP-based production, unified control and automation, and advanced graphics,” Lackey said. “These tools improve production quality while simplifying workflows.” Her focus remains on scalable infrastructure, which enables organizations to grow, evolve, and modernize without having to replace everything they have in place in response to technological advancements.

Through two decades of change, Lackey’s core belief has remained constant: technology alone isn’t enough. “It’s about building trust, being reliable, and guiding customers through complexity,” she added. “The relationships you build along the way are what make the work meaningful.”

Peter Fitton, Solutions Architect

Fitton spent nearly a decade as a systems integrator before joining Ross. He understands the pressures consultants face, protecting system integrity, managing risk, and delivering on performance expectations.

“I’ve been on the integration side,” Fitton explained. “I know how important it is that systems work exactly as designed.” As a solutions architect, Fitton works with consultants to validate, signal flow and routing architecture, redundancy strategy, control layer design, operator experience, and scalability planning.

His involvement often begins early in the design phase and continues through deployment and beyond, preserving design intent and reducing integration risk. "The most exciting thing is that this market is still developing," Fitton said. "We work directly with customers to determine what works best for their needs. There isn’t a single template. Each environment is different."

Fitton added that corporate customers are typically less focused on individual products and more focused on outcomes. “A client will come to us and say, ‘I need this to happen, but I don't know how.’ The focus isn’t on a specific piece of equipment. It’s on the entire system and the result they need to achieve.”

A user-focused mindset drives Fitton’s design philosophy. "A good solution is complex under the hood but simple for the user," he explained. "That’s good design. The system may involve routing, switching, graphics, automation, and control, but the person running it shouldn’t feel that complexity. Keep it simple and user-focused. Build systems that make it easy to create high-quality, engaging content. If a solution isn’t intuitive, it won’t be used to its full potential.”

Nathan Dubin, Regional Sales Manager for Corporate South

Nathan Dubin has spent nine years at Ross Video, but his current role is his most exciting challenge yet. As the regional sales manager for Corporate South, covering North Carolina to Oklahoma and south to Puerto Rico, he's on the front lines of a larger mission of helping customers understand the value of broadcast AV.

"Taking Ross' amazing reputation in broadcast and introducing it to a market and seeing that vision come together is what excites me," Dubin said.

"AV captures what's happening in the room," he explained. "Broadcast allows you to tell the story the way you want to tell it. When we're talking to C-suite individuals with large shareholder bases or employee groups navigating difficult conversations, context matters. Reliability matters," he added. "That's where broadcast AV comes in."

"We have so many options at Ross," he added. "We can be a part of the solution, or we could be the whole solution. We can meet you where you're at today with a path forward to tomorrow." For some, it's a basic broadcast setup. For others, it's a fully integrated production ecosystem.

This customer-first mindset extends to how Dubin approaches every conversation. "Whether we're a piece of it or the whole solution, we're invested in your outcome. We will show up. We'll do our part."

Nathan Peters, Inside Sales, Corporate Vertical, North America

Located in Ontario, Nathan Peters will be celebrating his fifth-year anniversary with Ross in July, and during that time, he has supported many markets. Peters jumped into his sales early in his career and was a face-off winner from the start. A true Canuck (but more likely aligned with either the Maple Leafs or Senators), Peters said, “In the winters you will find me on some frozen water with a puck!”

When it comes to helping new customers who have never purchased "broadcast" equipment and are comfortable with knowing they can handle it, Peter said, “Ross brings broadcast-level power in a way that’s easy to use. Our systems are designed to be intuitive, and we provide the training and support to make sure your team feels confident from day one, regardless of the content you are looking to produce.”

When Peters is talking to corporate customers about products, Ross' benefits are clear. “Ross often speaks to our resiliency and scalability,” he said. “Rooted in demanding 24/7 broadcast and newsroom operations, Ross solutions are designed to perform when it matters most, backed by world-class customer support and proven hardware reliability.” With a broad and integrated product portfolio, Ross can scale to meet a wide range of needs, from simple podcast and lecture capture spaces to complex live event and production environments. “This scalability allows customers to build solutions that fit their workflows today while remaining ready for the future.”

Every year, the editorial team at SCN celebrates some of our industry's younger contributors. This year's collection of overachievers is no different. We've got folks who get their hands dirty in the field, create new tools for Pro AV workflows, develop new processes and procedures, provide marketing and educational support, and sell, sell, sell. No matter their niche, all of them are staying on course to improve Pro AV.

Ben Dandola-Grubb

Title: Vice President of Technical Integration

Company: Verrex

Location: Mountainside, NJ

Overtime: Dandola-Grubb plays trumpet in the 70-piece Raritan Valley Symphonic Band, and his Wednesday night practices give him a chance to escape and just focus on music. Apart from music, he enjoys playing with LEGO with his kids or on his own, recreating castles that have always fascinated him.

Why You Need to Know Him: He has spent the past two decades at Verrex, completing more than $80 million in projects as a project engineer. He has utilized this experience to influence internal strategy and operations.

Learn more about Ben here.

Jonathan Goris

Title: Service and Field Support Technician

Company: Metinteractive

Location: Connecticut

Overtime: Goris is a self-proclaimed TV junkie who also likes to solve puzzles to decompress from the Pro AV grind.

Why You Need to Know Him: In his early 30s, he started all over from scratch, and in a short time has become successful in the field and beloved by his colleagues.

Learn more about Jonathan here.

Andrew Harris

Title: Senior Manager of Business Operations

Company: TRITECH Communications

Location: Woburn, MA

Overtime: He loves anything outdoorsy or related to art and music, including attending concerts, playing disc golf, and going on various outdoor adventures with his girlfriend and their dog. But he also spent an entire year taking professional wrestling classes to help prepare for local wrestling shows.

Why You Need to Know Him: He focuses on streamlining operations to achieve greater business efficiencies. He credits his experience in project management and the support of mentors for shaping the professional he is today.

Learn more about Andrew here.

Kiel Hillier

Title: Director of Global Marketing

Company: Zones

Location: U.K.

Overtime: When Hillier isn't working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, as well as supporting Manchester United club.

Why You Need to Know Him: Hillier has more than 20 years of experience with sales, distribution, integrators, and manufacturers … and hasn't even turned 39 yet.

Learn more about Kiel here.

Noah Johnson

Title: VP of Video Applications

Company: Audinate

Location: New York City

Overtime: While he loves the museums and live music New York City has to offer, Johnson and his wife are adventurers who have a love of travel. He also is a car-driving enthusiast.

Why You Need to Know Him: Johnson founded Iris, a cloud-native platform for professional camera control. Since Audinate acquired the company, he now leads the Iris business unit and helps shape video product strategy across the Dante platform.

Learn more about Noah here.

Matt McClain

Title: VP of Marketing

Company: Key Code Media

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Overtime: When not living and breathing his digital marketing campaigns, he is an extremely active outdoorsman who scales walls in Yosemite Valley and hikes long alpine routes like Mount Whitney.

Why You Need to Know Him: As the VP of marketing for Key Code Media, McClain is redefining how the Pro AV industry connects with its clients.

Learn more about Matt here.

Sara Landkammer

Title: Senior Account Manager

Company: FORTÉ

Location: Austin, TX

Overtime: As a mother of three very young children, her free time is limited. But when she does get a break from a full-time career and parenthood, she takes to Lake Austin for kayaking and paddleboarding.

Why You Need to Know Her: As a senior account manager for Forté, Landkammer recently helped win a multimillion dollar contract for her company. But she doesn't take all the credit: “I think the win boiled down to relationships, trust, and really a team effort of selling,” she said.

Learn more about Sara here.

Gisela Ramirez

Title: Southeast Territory Sales Manager

Company: Almo Pro AV

Location: Coral Springs, FL

Overtime: She’s happiest when she’s outdoors with her family. When not working, she’s most likely cooking, listening to worship music (or jazz or bossa nova), looking for birds (a new passion), or trying to start a new hobby.

Why You Need to Know Her: Why wouldn’t you want to know somebody who says helping others is one of their biggest sources of inspiration? “I’ve grown into a season where mentoring others matters deeply to me,” she said. “This industry gave me room to grow, and I feel a responsibility to create that same space for others coming up behind me.”

Learn more about Gisela here.

Haley Lind Tuohy

Title: AV Sales Strategist/Account Manager

Company: Solutionz

Location: New York, NY

Overtime: She practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu anywhere between four and eight hours a week. She also assists with a kids’ class on weekends.

Why You Need to Know Her: Because she’s got guts! She took a two-month career break to do a solo backpacking trip across Asia (think Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Borneo, Bali, and Taiwan).

Learn more about Haley here.

Title: AV Sales Strategist/Account Manager

Company: Solutionz

Location: New York, NY

Overtime: She practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu anywhere between four and eight hours a week. She also assists with a kids’ class on weekends.

Why You Need to Know Her: Because she’s got guts! She took a two-month career break to do a solo backpacking trip across Asia.

Haley Lind Tuohy had the courage to include her backpacking trip under the “experience” section of her LinkedIn profile—a bold move in a country whose culture, while obsessed with personal development, can be wary of those who take extended breaks from work to travel the world. “In my job, I was used to being a leader—I was very proactive,” she explained. “In this case, I was intentional about how I behaved and how I acted, but I got to be like a passenger and a witness to the beautiful people and things around me.”

While she may have been a passenger, Tuohy wasn’t passive. She gained new perspective on audio on her trip. “Audio is different around the world," she offered. "What people prefer and what they want to hear is different."

She noticed that the restaurants sounded different to the ones back home. She learned about loudspeaker brands she’d never come across before. And she observed how work culture changes from region to region.

“The differences between Taiwan and Vietnam, from what I witnessed, is drastic,” Tuohy said. “You can see how different work cultures impact people, and as different as these cultures are, you can learn something from each of them.”

As Tuohy puts it, she somewhat fell into Pro AV and somewhat didn’t. She started playing drums when she was 10 years old and stuck with it throughout her teens and 20s. She went to SUNY Oneonta to study business and discovered the school also offered a minor in audio production. “The audio production side of things opened my mind to a whole new world,” she recalled.

After college, Tuohy went to work at Sennheiser, where she started out serving clients that oversaw audio production on Broadway. After a couple of years, the manufacturer offered her a national role in Pro AV sales. While she thought she’d spend her entire career in live sound, she couldn’t turn down the opportunity.

“I was in my early 20s at that time, and I had seen very little of the United States or the world,” Tuohy said. “I was so excited that I could have a national job.”

At HARMAN International, Tuohy moved into sales management, also in Pro AV. She spent almost four years managing teams, a role she loved, but at some point began to miss frontline sales. She was also curious about what it would be like to work in Pro AV integration. When a position became available at Solutionz, Tuohy grabbed it.

“Integration is so exciting and fast-paced,” Tuohy said. “I get to serve so many different people from different backgrounds, and that’s exciting for me.”

At the industry level, Tuohy is co-lead (with Maura Fitzgerald, regional account manager at display technology manufacturer Planar) of the North Jersey/NYC chapter of the AVIXA Women’s Council. The group holds networking events and focuses on connecting women of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds with employment opportunities.

For those who are considering a career in Pro AV, Tuohy said that if you're interested, there's a job for you in this industry. "If you like working with your hands, there are a lot of jobs for you. If you like traveling and talking to people, you could be in sales," she offered. "If you have an MBA and you want to be a VP of an organization, there’s a role for that, whether it be in manufacturing, integration, or consulting. If you’re interested, there’s something for you, I promise.”

Title: Southeast Territory Sales Manager

Company: Almo Pro AV

Location: Coral Springs, FL

Overtime: She’s happiest when she’s outdoors with her family. When not working, she’s most likely cooking, listening to worship music (or jazz or bossa nova), looking for birds (a new passion), or trying to start a new hobby.

Why You Need to Know Her: Why wouldn’t you want to know somebody who says helping others is one of their biggest sources of inspiration? “I’ve grown into a season where mentoring others matters deeply to me,” she said. “This industry gave me room to grow, and I feel a responsibility to create that same space for others coming up behind me.”

Like many members of this industry, Gisela Ramirez didn’t dream about becoming an AV professional when she grew up. Instead, she’d envisioned a career in criminal justice.

“I was always a crime junkie, and so growing up I wanted to be Olivia Benson,” Ramirez explained, referring to the character played by Mariska Hargitay on the long-running television series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. However, as life would have it, Ramirez was introduced to Pro AV early in her career and, 14 years later, she’s still at it.

What drove her into the industry, she said, was the "opportunity to build something real.”

At Almo Pro AV, Ramirez was charged with developing the company’s Latin American division from the ground up. (She is fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.) She says the experience shaped her.

“There’s something incredibly powerful about creating structure where there wasn’t one before, building relationships across countries, and seeing it grow into something sustainable,” Ramirez said. “Pro AV sits at the intersection of technology and people. I love that. It’s strategic, it’s relational, and it constantly evolves.”

As does Ramirez. Currently, she’s overseeing the development of Almo Pro AV’s new territory in the Southeastern United States.

One of the biggest lessons Ramirez has learned, thanks to these experiences, is that you can be confident while practicing humility. “You can know your value and still stay open to growth,” she explained. Ramirez cautions people against drawing motivation from job titles and encourages them to examine how they can make a difference instead.

Teaching—and continuing to remain teachable, no matter how experienced one may be—is what Ramirez believes will keep pushing this industry forward. “We need to focus on developing people as much as we focus on technology,” she advised. “Innovation is critical, but if we don’t invest in mentorship, education, and building clear paths for the next generation, we limit our own future.”

Clients can also benefit from education, and AV pros should be conscious of how they communicate about technology. “We need to simplify the conversation," Ramirez said. "Clients are overwhelmed. The companies that will win long term are the ones that can translate complexity into clarity."

Word has it that Ramirez, known for her outgoing personality, hugs and kisses every customer. Without a doubt, people are her favorite part of this job. “This industry is filled with smart, driven, and genuinely good humans,” she said. “I love walking into events and feeling like I’m seeing extended family.”

Ramirez also enjoys immense satisfaction from all the behind-the-scenes work involved in realizing a successful project, such as resolving complicated supply chain issues or helping an integrator through a challenge. “[I like] being an extension of my customers’ success,” she added. “Anytime they have a win, it’s a win for me.”

Title: VP of Marketing

Company: Key Code Media

Location: Los Angeles

Overtime: When not living and breathing his digital marketing campaigns, he is an extremely active outdoorsman who scales walls in Yosemite Valley and hikes long alpine routes like Mount Whitney.

Why You Need to Know Him: As the VP of marketing for Key Code Media, McClain is redefining how the Pro AV industry connects with its clients.

Having deduced that traditional trade shows are becoming more expensive while drawing fewer qualified attendees, Matt McClain has successfully shifted his company's promotional focus toward digital-first, educational marketing. “We're at this point where we need to educate and we need to come to you in a convenient manner,” he said.

The results speak for themselves: By launching early-to-market initiatives like the Broadcast2Post podcast and the original PostNAB Roadshow, he has helped Key Code Media grow from a $30 million post-production integrator into a $100 million AV and broadcast powerhouse with around 200 employees.

McClain’s Pro AV career began shortly after college when he became executive assistant to Key Code Media's founder, Mike Cavanagh. Even in that entry-level position, he was immersed in the company's marketing efforts. “From Day One, I was involved in the grunt work of operating marketing events and trade shows for the company,” he recalled.

That early exposure to marketing fueled McClain’s passion for AV technology and the high-profile manufacturers behind it. “I got to be honest, I am a sucker for brands,” he said. “I kind of geeked out at the chance to work with these brands that I'd grown up with and known—and actually throw successful business-to-business events with.”

This enthusiasm motivated McClain to co-found the industry's first PostNAB Roadshow. Now in its 12th year, the successful roadshow takes about 40 manufacturers on a multi-city tour immediately following the massive NAB Show in Las Vegas.

To boost his skills in marketing and learn more about metrics, analysis, and messaging, McClain earned an MBA at Pepperdine University. He also left Key Code Media for a time to work as a marketing manager for the former production rental giant VER. While there, he executed a rebrand that drove a 30% increase in business.

Matt McClain’s work ethic and integrity are legendary. Consider this: On his final day at Key Code, he was still recording videos and running a pre-NAB panel discussion past 10:00 p.m.

“I am one of those crazy people that just works long days, late hours,” McClain said. “I feel really passionate about my company, about this industry, and trying to hopefully do good work that doesn't come off as salesy or marketing—but really is a leadership position where we're helping the community just better understand technology.”

Lured back to Key Code Media in 2018 as director of marketing, McClain got into digital outreach. “I very quickly launched the Broadcast2Post podcast in 2018, when everyone else got into podcasts in 2020,” he said. Today, the channel boasts 6,000 YouTube subscribers and draws thousands of live attendees each year.

Looking ahead, McClain remains fascinated by Pro AV’s ongoing evolution. He loves the fact that it's "constantly changing and that I'm always having to constantly learn.”

As for the rest of his career? McClain recently completed the buildout of a dedicated podcast studio at Key Code's headquarters, and he is exploring ways to expand the Broadcast2Post podcast to weekly programming, bringing even more industry leaders into the conversation.

He is also focused on staying at the forefront of AI in media and marketing, developing educational resources for the industry—while building internal workflows that leverage AI tools to drive efficiency, scale content production, and enhance team performance.

Title: Senior Account Manager

Company: FORTÉ

Location: Austin, TX

Overtime: As a mother of three very young children, her free time is limited. But when she does get a break from a full-time career and parenthood, she takes to Lake Austin for kayaking and paddleboarding.

Why You Need to Know Her: As a senior account manager for Forté, Landkammer recently helped win a multimillion dollar contract for her company. But she doesn't take all the credit: “I think the win boiled down to relationships, trust, and really a team effort of selling,” she said.

Today, the Pro AV industry is evolving, and Sara Landkammer is keeping pace with this change. This is why she is helping with Forté’s push into IT convergence, Microsoft solutions, and managed services.

According to Landkammer, being fired from her first post-college job led to her highly successful sales career in Pro AV. "I can thank the partner at a firm in Dallas I worked for as an admin assistant for about a year for firing me from that position, because I would not be where I am today," she joked. "I quickly learned that sitting behind a desk was not the life I wanted to live.”

A wise family friend suggested that her outgoing personality would be a natural fit for sales. Landkammer took that advice to heart, applying it the hard way by beginning her sales career cold-selling T1 internet lines.

"I was out pounding the street, hitting doors of small businesses, collecting business cards, turning around and calling on those folks the next day to try and sell them a T1 for their dentist office on the corner," she recalled. "I did that for a few years and learned how to sell the hard way with a rotating ZIP code of an unlimited number of doors to hit every day from eight to five."

Surviving and thriving through such a grueling grassroots experience prepared Landkammer for selling a portfolio of IT services including phone systems, contact centers, and, finally, Pro AV products. It also gave her a deep appreciation for the fundamentals of sales, which remains a human-based profession.

"I'm very old-fashioned when it comes to my own selling technique," she said. "I still believe a handshake goes a long way. I think that the tools being developed through the usage of AI are going to be instrumental in our industry for those that learn how to embrace it and utilize it, but I also still think that looking someone in the eye and doing business across the table from another person goes a long way."

Today, Landkammer applies her sales expertise to generating new business for FORTÉ. But her focus has largely shifted to supporting clients after the initial sale while mentoring the next generation of AV professionals.

"There's not any point in climbing to the top if you don't bring others with you, right?" she said. "Bringing others with you along your journey is just prepping the way for the next future of AV sellers to become even better at what they do."

Looking ahead, Landkammer remains ambitious. "I'm hopeful that I will continue to climb the ladder here," she said. "Those that have guided me along my path today, hopefully, will be the ones that promote me in the future."

Title: VP of Video Applications

Company: Audinate

Location: New York City

Overtime: While he loves the museums and live music New York City has to offer, Johnson and his wife are adventurers who have a love of travel. He also is a car-driving enthusiast.

Why You Need to Know Him: Johnson founded Iris, a cloud-native platform for professional camera control. Since Audinate acquired the company, he now leads the Iris business unit and helps shape video product strategy across the Dante platform.

Noah Johnson has had quite a ride up the Pro AV ladder in a short time. From his earliest business venture with LiveControl to Iris and to its eventual acquisition by Audinate, Johnson has been helping to build cloud-native software that is revolutionizing camera control in remote and live production.

From a young age, Johnson was always an entrepreneur. He started companies as soon as he was able, with a little company in high school and then creating a SaaS business in college that aggregated events for campuses.

He transitioned into the Pro AV world with LiveControl, which still operates today. LiveControl installed PTZ cameras into different venues like live music, education, and worship environments; instead of bringing a full crew in each time, a remote operator and Johnson's LiveControl team would handle full camera control, as well as live switching and production.

Which led to Iris. Johnson was just 29 when he started Iris, which he said was enabling a consumer-facing version of camera control that was rebuilt from the ground up. “It’s essentially an operating system for cameras," said Johnson. "Think about getting into a car with CarPlay, it takes over the screen and lets you use apps like Spotify or Apple Maps in a really intuitive way. Iris works the same way for cameras.”

Johnson first met with Audinate at IBC, shortly after his honeymoon began (which he joked did not go over well with his new bride at the time). “At first we were talking about how we might integrate,” Johnson said. “It turned out there were a few areas where our products fit together quite naturally. It wasn’t something I expected, but the partnership evolved organically from there.”

The rest, as they say, is history. Well, perhaps not yet, but with Iris and Audinate as one, the AV world is getting a taste of what the two are capable of doing together. Now, Johnson has transitioned from CEO to VP of video applications. His day-to-day has changed a bit, but he keeps him very busy.

"On one side, I think about products holistically across various different verticals that we're working on at Audinate," Johnson explained. "But my main day-to-day is GM of the Iris business unit. So, I'm thinking about a lot of the same things that I was before: How do we drive OEM growth? How do we drive revenue? How do we improve the product and our strategy? But it's different in that I have access to resources and knowledge and deep insights into the industry that I simply did not have before."

It didn't take long for Johnson to experience what many aspire to call an entire career. That is not lost on him, and he imparts this wisdom to the future of Pro AV.

"Start by solving the first problem," Johnson advised. "It's just about starting. I think that's really important. I also wouldn't be afraid to be different. If you have an idea—that usually stems from some type of problem or insight that you have, and that means more people have it. Pull on that thread, voice your opinion, and follow that, because being different is actually good."

Title: Director of Global Marketing

Company: Zones

Location: U.K.

Overtime: When Hillier isn't working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, as well as supporting Manchester United club.

Why You Need to Know Him: Hillier has more than 20 years of experience with sales, distribution, integrators, and manufacturers … and hasn't even turned 39 yet.

Been there, done that.

If there is a slogan for the career of Kiel Hillier, it's just that. In his more than two-decade journey, he has worked in distribution, with integrators, in vendor roles, and now as a director. "I've literally done every area of AV," he said laughing.

In his youth, he tried to keep up with all the latest technology that any child of the 90s would love, including a Nintendo 64 and a DJ deck. However, growing up in the U.K., at 16 he had a choice to make: more school or start his career. “At 17, I walked through the door of a technology distributor and decided I wanted to sell technology instead," he said.

And the AV industry has been his home for 21 years and counting.

He began in tech sales, working for companies like Computer 2000 (which later became TD SYNNEX) and then TD Maverick, where his focus shifted from IT sales to AV. From there, he joined a local technology integrator before moving to Hitachi to try the manufacturer side of the business. Then, he joined Stampede, where he entered management.

There were several other roles in between, even a return to sales with ViewSonic, but he realized that was no longer his passion. Luckily, Zones came calling, and he's been aligning his experience to build the EMEA team since September.

Hillier has had his hands in every area of Pro AV and spent meaningful time in each. "I've spent six or seven years with an integrator, three or four years with manufacturers, around 10 years in distribution," he recalled. "That’s enough time to actually learn and understand how each part of the ecosystem works."

With his hands on so much so quickly, his favorite experience is developing something. "I like taking something and having the ability to put my own stamp on it," he said.

That's exactly what he is doing now at Zones. He's helping develop the EMEA channel, supporting the growth across the region, while also contributing globally through social media platforms, video content, and customer engagement messaging. "I want to be part of something, rather than just keeping the engine running," he added.

What has kept Hillier from contemplating a career switch? In short, relationships, trade shows, and a "whole mess of cool stuff. A lot of the time, it's been the people. There's also the opportunity to be part of something genuinely exciting," he reflected.

A self-confessed AV geek, Hillier believes the Pro AV industry thrives on experience and demonstration. "Audiovisual needs to be seen and heard," he said. "We need to show people what's possible."

Hillier has plenty of advice for the next generation of Pro AV. In fact, he feels the industry can do more to nurture young talent, starting with mentorship.

"Find a good mentor," he advised. "When I first started, there were people who genuinely wanted me to succeed. I wouldn't be where I am today without that support. Personal ambition can take you so far, but if there are barriers at every step, it's easy to lose momentum. Find someone who will go to battle for you, who wants to see you do well."

Title: Senior Manager of Business Operations

Company: TRITECH Communications

Location: Woburn, MA

Overtime: He loves anything outdoorsy or related to art and music, including attending concerts, playing disc golf, and going on various outdoor adventures with his girlfriend and their dog. But he also spent an entire year taking professional wrestling classes to help prepare for local wrestling shows.

Why You Need to Know Him: He focuses on streamlining operations to achieve greater business efficiencies. He credits his experience in project management and the support of mentors for shaping the professional he is today.

Andrew Harris has always been fascinated by how all the pieces come together to help an organization function properly. Starting as an intern and now leading a team focused on enterprise systems and process innovation, Harris discovered a drive to improve how organizations operate—and then got the opportunity to do just that.

“I believe that my passion for learning, gravitation toward problem solving, and ability to see the big picture make me a strong leader in the AV industry,” he added.

He began his career after graduating from UMass Lowell in 2015 by securing an operations internship at HB Communications, where he gained hands-on experience in field support, warehousing, and administration. “I attribute my success today to exposure to different areas of the field as an intern,” Harris said.

He quickly excelled and moved into a project management role the same year. Within three years, he was promoted to senior project manager, overseeing a large portfolio of construction projects. In 2019, he took on a new position with Diversified, offering him the chance to lead large-scale projects across the country.

In 2021, he joined TRITECH Communications and shifted his career from project management to operations improvement. As the AV operations manager for its Boston location, Harris supervised engineers, project managers, warehouse staff, and interns, and focused on process improvements and client management.

Later, Harris implemented a new ERP system to manage TRITECH’s core business processes, which ultimately shaped his current role and provided insights and process improvement recommendations to streamline service offerings for clients and improve efficiency across the business. His current role as senior manager of business operations within TRITECH’s Business Operations and Systems Technology (BOST) group allows him to oversee and enhance the ERP system, as well as develop custom workflows and reporting tools. It positions him at the crossroads of operations and IT, enabling him to promote data-driven decision-making across the organization.

“After several successful years as a project manager, Andrew’s process-oriented thinking has enabled him to successfully lead a team of developers and business analysts,” said William Ehlinger, SVP at TRITECH Communications. “Together, they have developed a business operations system designed to help TRITECH achieve optimal scalability for the future. This work highlights Andrew’s ability to combine technical expertise with strategic leadership, ensuring continued growth and success for the organization."

Looking to the future, Harris aims to stay ahead of technological change, especially AI, and to better support business operations by leveraging it to increase employee productivity and help TRITECH remain competitive in a rapidly changing landscape. “I take great pride in seeing the beneficial impact of new process implementation,” he said. “My favorite part about the AV industry is that it is ever-changing and each day presents new challenges and opportunities."

Title: Service and Field Support Technician

Company: Metinteractive

Location: Connecticut

Overtime: Goris is a self-proclaimed TV junkie who also likes to solve puzzles to decompress from the Pro AV grind.

Why You Need to Know Him: In his early 30s, he started all over from scratch, and in a short time has become successful in the field and beloved by his colleagues.

"I didn't want to live in fear."

Meet Jonathan Goris, whose story is quite unlike many in the Pro AV universe. While it is not shocking he wound up in the industry, how he got here is a story of chance taking, resilience, and elasticity … and never living in fear of going for it.

Goris was a curious kid, a curiosity he maintains to this day. "One of the things my mother hates about me is I do not quit researching something," Goris said laughing. "She'll ask me a question, and then say, 'All right, that's it.' No, I [keep going] and need to know the right answer."

He was a tinkerer from a young age, always pulling things apart to figure out how they worked. As he got older, technology was something he truly enjoyed, although he admits he never thought of it as a career path. "If we got a new soundbar or something for the house, I'd be the one setting it up," Goris said. "It was just something that I naturally took hold of."

He didn't really have a direction as to where his life was going to take him. Goris had steady work, driving for his family's heating oil business in New York City (which his father still owns and operates), until that renowned New York traffic finally caught up with him. "One day I decided I couldn't stomach this anymore," he recalled. "I told my dad I was going back to school. I needed to finish."

Even that was an adventure with several twists and turns for the curious Goris. He started by working on an accounting degree and switched to cybersecurity. He moved to Connecticut and was working for a telecommunications company when Metinteractive came calling. It was an opportunity to get out from behind the desk and get back out there. Two weeks later, he started with Metinteractive, and three-and-a-half years later, he's a trusted technician.

Goris embodies the spirit of what Metinteractive stands for: a real "figure-outer" who combines technical depth, composure under pressure, and strong client stewardship. He's now NovaStar and LED certified, and has worked on some of Metinteractive's biggest projects including the Brooklyn Public Library, the University of Connecticut, and People's Bank Arena—partly because of his skills, and partly because he values the relationship with the customers so highly.

So, when did it click? "I can't pinpoint any one project; I mean, this company, we're always doing something insane," Goris said laughing. "I went from a person that didn't know a single thing about AV technology, and I've progressed over the years. When I decided to make this move, I decided to tell myself that I had nowhere to go back to. So, I made sure that I pushed myself every day to do better, be better."

Goris' climb up the Pro AV ladder was not your typical path. He turned no knowledge of the industry into something very successful and a personal passion.

When he thinks of the future of Pro AV, he has advice for those that maybe don't know where they are headed just yet. "Never quit," he said. "There is a world beyond the four walls that you live in. Out of everything in my story, fear is only a construct of your own insecurities. You have to overcome it; just don't let it control what you do."

Title: Vice President of Technical Integration

Company: Verrex

Location: Mountainside, NJ

Overtime: Dandola-Grubb plays trumpet in the 70-piece Raritan Valley Symphonic Band, and his Wednesday night practices give him a chance to escape and just focus on music. Apart from music, he enjoys playing with LEGO with his kids or on his own, recreating castles that have always fascinated him.

Why You Need to Know Him: He has spent the past two decades at Verrex, completing more than $80 million in projects as a project engineer. He has utilized this experience to influence internal strategy and operations.

Ben Dandola-Grubb never thought he'd make a career in the AV industry, but like many others, his curiosity and eagerness to learn led him to discover something unexpected. “My college degree is in electrical engineering, and while I figured I'd do something engineering related as a career, I didn't know it would be AV,” he said.

During college, he borrowed a projector weekly for big-screen movie nights—that was pretty much the extent of his AV experience. But after graduation, as he explored different job options, he developed an interest in the systems and technologies that shape modern communication environments.

In 2005, his interest motivated him to proactively reach out to Verrex, even though they were advertising a receptionist position, and he secured the role of assistant project engineer, beginning his two-decade career with the company. Dandola-Grubb has grown alongside Verrex, earning his CTS certification within his first year with the company, and began taking on more complex projects.

“I was assigned my first $1 million-plus design-build project as a solo project engineer in 2007,” he recalled. “The main architect on that construction project gave me a run for my money the entire time, since I was the 25-year-old kid handling a complex project.”

As the company expanded globally, Dandola-Grubb supported their growth by helping them complete $25 million in international projects, and he continued his leadership role as director of global engineering services and assistant VP of engineering, where he fostered collaboration between sales and operations. Now, as VP of technical integration, Dandola-Grubb focuses on shaping Verrex's future rather than managing individual projects.

“While I still interface with clients regularly, I'm focusing on the evolution of internal processes to improve efficiency, both pre and post-sales, and on creating workflows for potential new business lines, as technologies are advancing faster than ever,” he said.

Dandola-Grubb has a unique ability to blend extensive technical expertise with strong interpersonal skills, describing himself as the nerdy backroom engineer and the most polished salesperson. He also maintains a calm, solutions-oriented mindset and values listening and collaboration. No matter the pressure, he finds solutions to every problem.

“Ben is the kind of leader every organization hopes to develop—technically sharp, collaborative, and deeply passionate in delivering results for clients and internal teams alike,” said Bill Chamberlin, president of Verrex. “As he continues to take on larger initiatives, what stands out most is his ability to bring people together to solve complex challenges.”

One of the things Dandola-Grubb is most proud of is his role in shaping Verrex's culture and mentoring the next generation of AV professionals. His leadership philosophy emphasizes empowerment by providing team members with the tools and confidence to succeed, while also fostering collaboration within the team.

“I encourage every employee to customize their workflow because we're all different,” he said. “I show people exactly how I do everything, then instruct them to experiment to determine what makes them most efficient.”

Throughout 2026, Biamp is celebrating its 50th anniversary. With the launch of several new products and a new booth design, the excitement was clear at the ISE Show in Barcelona in February. The celebration continued in March with the 2026 Biamp Portland Jazz Festival, which the company has sponsored for a decade. “Our history is about music and still is,” said Rashid Skaf, President, CEO, and Co-Chairman, Biamp.

The Biamp history is now on permanent display in the newly opened Biamp History Museum located at its global headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. On April 23, 1976, Biamp was incorporated, and a ribbon-cutting and anniversary celebration was held on April 23, 2026, at the museum, showcasing 50 years of innovation from Biamp.

“We're a big employer here in Portland,” Skaf said. “One of our taglines is, ‘Born in Portland, Built for the World.’ I really love that kind of humble beginning on the planes in the Northwest, and now from here to Australia.”

Biamp has tripled in size since its 2017 acquisition by Highlander Partners and now employs nearly 800 worldwide, with nearly 400 in the Beaverton office.

Bigger, In Every Way

Skaf is thinking bigger in every way: bigger spaces, bigger environments, and the whole ecosystem. “We now have that in place,” he said.

“We do most of the courtrooms and corporations and education facilities in the world,” Skaf said. “With the history of ClearOne under our belt as well as companies like Community, Apart, HRT out of Italy, and Neets out of Denmark, we have a very global footprint.”

[Biamp, ClearOne Execs Offer Further Clarity on Acquisition]

Skaf has a long history of acquiring companies. “The cool thing is that in my past life, I've had to buy four video companies in order to distribute content in classrooms and auditoriums. They would spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in order to do this. This is all done digitally now.

Most people think of us as an audio company first. And certainly, we are. But as you look at what we're doing, it's audio through the Presenter Lift, it's video distribution through MAX Connect to 200 people at the same time, plus six displays,” Skaf explained. Previously, the wiring and the switching infrastructure needed would have been huge. “Ours is a little box that is all digital, and then of course, control in that same room,” he added.

“Now we're delivering audio, video, and control in bigger environments. So that's why we're talking about thinking bigger, it isn't just about the spaces, it's about thinking bigger about how Biamp works in this space. It's pretty exciting.”

“Workplace” is Where You Work

Traditionally, when we talk about “workplace,” it’s related to the enterprise, but Skaf thinks beyond that construct. “Your workplace may be a church, your workplace may be in an auditoria, or a class or school, and that is your workplace,” he said. “Biamp Workplace is a lifecycle management solution that can help you in those environments. We will work in those environments to ensure you have the same solution sets and the same tools and capabilities as if you were in the conference room.”

Skaf started his venue-based vision eight years ago, when he purchased Biamp as a foundation with DSPs. You can see it illustrated in Biamp City. “Biamp City has been my vision of what I want us to be focused on, and it is a simple concept that encapsulates that venue-based strategy."

“A meeting space, a meeting room, maybe called different things in different verticals, but it's a meeting space where people interact with each other. A classroom, a restaurant, a hotel room, or a hospital bedroom, or is also a side employee lounge, whatever you want to call it. If we're going to go into the classroom or we're going to go into the courtroom or into the stadium or into the restaurant, and we want to own that space,” Skaf added.

Since the 2017 acquisition, Biamp has acquired businesses and built product lines tailored to the needs of different venues. “We either build it or buy it,” Skaf said. “Using the same building blocks that we have now, it’s basically the same.”

Table Stakes, and Fish

Skaf likens the similarities of audio, video, control, and management to “restaurants, fish, chicken, meat, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, onions, lettuce, and tomatoes. Those things can be done with an Italian restaurant, a French restaurant, a Chinese restaurant, and so on.”

Through acquisitions and building products, Biamp gathered the basic ingredients. Skaf explained, “We brought them into overall solutions, which are our applications that go into venues, and those venues go into verticals. It has taken us eight years to get here, and I think that the next eight years will also take that same kind of trajectory by saying, ‘How do we refine these recipes? How do we go from a five-star restaurant to offering five-star menus at three-star prices in certain areas of our brand?

Ten-Year Journey

Skaf credits the launch of Biamp Workplace in 2024 with combining all of Biamp’s businesses. “It's different from a standpoint of growing a company organically, which takes a lot longer. When you grow as we have, which has been quick acquisitions, quick development, and quick understanding of our market segment. Now we're bringing it all together into these solutions with Workplace,” he said. “That is super exciting from a company perspective because what we've been able to do in the last five years has taken most companies 25 years to be able to grow into that segment. I'm proud of the team for being able to incorporate all those different segments together.

For Biamp, 2026 is about expanding its footprint into larger spaces. “We started in smaller spaces, and conferencing being a big part of that,” Skaf added. “But think bigger in ‘26 with bigger environments, bigger solutions, bigger capabilities than we've had before. And that will be the start of the next 10-year journey.” Biamp is not abandoning its capabilities in traditional spaces. “We are evolving in those spaces, and leapfrogging into new spaces that we may or may not have been in.”

Skaf keeps his eye on the prize, which he defines as “Innovation and satisfying our customers with solutions that are extraordinary.”

Always Grateful

At the end of our interview, I asked Skaf if he had anything to add. “I will say that the one thing that we're celebrating this year as well is our friends and partners around the world.

Biamp is the company it is today because of the partners and friends in the industry who've taken care of us. I knew that when we bought the company, we could build on that foundation, and it's been rock-solid ever since. I just want to thank you, and all the partners, whether they're our integrators, our consultants, our end users, and our friends in general in the industry.”

On a personal note. I have been chatting with and interviewing Rashid Skaf for more than 20 years. He shared a story that I feel speaks to the core of the person I have come to know. “My father is 85 years old, and this past October, he showed up every day at a trade show to support the team.” It’s clear that Skaf’s work ethic is inherited. This inspires me to look forward to the next 20 years.

Sara Murray, Executive Vice President & Chief Product Officer at SMART Technologies

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I’ve worked in technology for many years, but I first joined SMART Technologies in 2010 as part of the strategy team. During my time there, I spent six years across M&A, business operations, and services before leaving to explore other opportunities. After a 10-year break, I returned as EVP and Chief Product Officer, a “SMART boomerang,” if you will. While my path hasn’t been linear, it’s given me a broad perspective on the AV/IT industry and prepared me to drive meaningful product impact at SMART.

What is your role at your company? As Chief Product Officer, I oversee SMART’s products end-to-end, from vision through to execution. Being new to the role, I’m spending a lot of time with our products, teams, customers, and resellers to deeply understand how our solutions deliver value. My focus is on building products that customers love and that drive meaningful business growth.

What do you most like about your role in the industry? I love the products and seeing the real value they bring to our customers. Every day, I get to tackle complex problems, find solutions, and work alongside a talented, driven team. One of the most rewarding parts is seeing customers experience our products firsthand, especially in classrooms where students are actively engaging with SMART Boards or using Lumio.

You've got a technical background. Please share a bit about this and what inspired you. I’ve always been drawn to solving problems, and my engineering background taught me how to approach them with structure and clarity. I’ve also always had a strong interest in technology and its potential to make an impact.

Do you have any advice for young women entering our industry? Be curious and always ask the next question, and keep learning. Be bold, take risks, try new things, and get comfortable being uncomfortable. Every experience adds to your toolkit and shapes your perspective. I’ve learned the most by exploring different paths rather than following a straight line, and that’s been incredibly rewarding.

Please share something about yourself that would help our audience better understand you. I love to travel and experience new people and places. It really ties back to curiosity and a desire to keep learning.

And yes—I’m a “SMART boomerang,” having returned after 10 years away, ready to apply everything I’ve learned to help drive growth and innovation.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Dr. Bonnie Schnitta, FASA, Founder and CEO of SoundSense

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? Please describe the unique area you serve. I began my acoustic engineering business in the 80s after leaving the classified world of signal processing for clients such as DARPA. My focus was high-end residential homes in the Hamptons. I engineered everything from road and mechanical noise reduction and mechanical noise isolation to STC/IIC calculations and reverberation time analysis for large-volume great rooms and home theaters. I was fortunate to have worked with Robert A.M. Stern Architects and other great architects. I loved the challenge of being given a room's design and told to "make it sound as good as it looked." As a young woman, I was often grilled about my capabilities before being allowed to take on a job.

My association with CEDIA began when an architect hired me to engineer walls for a small cottage being converted into a home theater. Because the cottage was near a boundary line, the walls needed to contain the home theater sounds to avoid violating any noise code. At that job, I met with the AV engineer to discuss sound levels and commented that the room's acoustics could and should be improved. He smiled and said, "Thank you, now please convince them." It was a famous designer, so the surface's appearance couldn't change, but I had some acoustic tricks to solve the problem. After that job, I became his go-to for acoustic needs, and he said I should join CEDIA. I did and even taught a couple of classes.

What is your role at your organization? I start my day by reviewing engineering deadlines and talking to my engineers to see if they need any help or if I can assist them by sharing how I solved a similar problem in the past. Sometimes it allows me to explain how and why I invented something (I have over 20 patents). My engineers are smart and experienced, so more often than not, the discussion becomes nothing more than a fun chat. Those are my favorite mornings, since I like to start my day with a laugh.

When I started my company, I only did engineering. When I was told that something did not work as well as I had indicated in my report, I went into the field to understand why it underperformed. I found that sometimes materials were swapped for something of little acoustic value, because "it looked just like it," or it was not installed properly. That was when I expanded my company to include a material and installation division. Although my engineers typically do the site inspections, my day can include going into the field to inspect and test an installation.

Although we have a technical editor, I do the final review of outgoing reports. My day can include doing some math to confirm our answer. I always explain this to my engineers, so the longer they are with SoundSense, the rarer it is for me to suggest a possible alternative solution that might be easier to install.

You are a strong mentor to both young women and men. Why is this important to you? I enjoy mentoring, so each year I sponsor a senior engineering (electrical, mechanical, or computer engineering) capstone project. In the past few years, I have sponsored at Tufts University. My day might include looking at their progress and making suggestions. The most recent group of senior engineers is working on further development with a colleague at Harvard Medical to detect bioelectric signal changes when a certain sound signature is played into their headset. This, in turn, can identify certain health conditions, such as cancer or thyroid conditions. Recently, we also noticed a reaction to a sound signature for someone with celiac disease, and we will include that pattern recognition in our next phase.

Each year, I either present a paper at the Acoustical Society's conference or chair a session. I encourage my engineers to think of something that they engineered that was unique or a new approach to solving an acoustic project, and submit a paper to be presented at the conference. One of my recent papers, later published in Acoustics Today, addressed solving noise problems in tall needle buildings. Part of the presentation discussed working with the AV company to coordinate with a sound-making company so that, on very windy days, the speaker system could be used to raise the ambient level. This made the small residual noise often inaudible.

Then, of course, there is client follow-up. By asking questions about noise sensitivity, I have found that certain structure-borne sounds—beyond being an indication of a health condition—are essential to eliminate before the client can truly enjoy the sound from their system.

What do you most like about your role in the industry? Making people's lives better and happier through properly engineered sound and the elimination of unwanted noise. SoundSense has a trademark on this: "The Paradise Effect."

You've got a technical background. Please share a bit about this and what inspired you. My father taught me how to love math, so my first degree was a BS in Math from Purdue. At the end, I realized that my passion for solving math problems was best served as an engineer, so I went back for a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering. I loved vibrations, and after viewing a video on the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, I wanted to understand and engineer that vibration so it would not have collapsed. Later, I wanted to better understand signal modeling and noise, and pursued my PhD in signal processing. I did everything from geophysical signal processing to underwater acoustics. It was exciting, but when my children were born, I needed better control over my projects and schedule, so I started my own company.

Do you have advice for mothers and fathers of girls to help inspire their daughters in STEM? Yes, help them to understand the basics enough, so they find STEM fun.

You are a strong mentor to both young women and men. Why is this important to you? First and foremost, it is to help them learn how to solve problems by more than one way, so they do not get "stuck" trying to find the answer. Then, I help them stay on schedule. But the most important part is learning about some of the latest technologies with them. It keeps my brain young.

Please share something about yourself that would help our audience better understand you. I had an urge to travel when I was at Purdue, so I did a "Semester at Sea." Purdue said it would not accept the grades but would accept the credits as pass/fail. That allowed me to take courses that had nothing to do with my major, so I took a religion course. We were taught to meditate as we traveled through India and Asia, visiting several places for meditation. That helps me in so many ways, from staying calm amidst chaos to removing the noise in my mind before I solve a math problem.

My son had several ear infections at an early age, and the ENT doctor suggested he learn ballet or karate to help him regain his balance. I did Taekwondo with him. Together, we got our black belts. While learning not to punch back at an opponent but instead to divert that energy, I discovered how to use this concept when men made hurtful comments about me because they either did not understand my mathematical approach or felt threatened.

Three years ago, I was in a car accident. I was stopped at a light in New York City, and a big truck smashed into me from behind, and I got a concussion. After that point, I had severe pain, level-eight headaches that started around 10 o'clock every day. To make a long story short, it was when I started to read that caused the problem. I then used my AV/IT background to develop a system that could read to me, including, of course, the meta-eyeglasses, as well as projections onto the television, which helped me significantly.

Then I started to think about the reason for the disconnect between my right eye and the nerve bundle when I was reading, and perceived it as a problem with the waves arriving out of alignment between my optic nerve and the nerve bundle. I then worked with NYU Langone on their transcranial DC stimulation system to retrain the waves, and that has significantly improved my ability to read. Then, I thought about it further, and now I am getting special glasses to help with that misalignment.

If it weren't for my knowledge base in AV/IT and signal processing, I wouldn't be able to read as I do now.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Brittney Antonelli, Sales Engineer, FORTÉ

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I have been in the AV industry for approximately seven years. My passion for AV began in high school, where I helped transform daily announcements into live video broadcasts. That early spark led me to pursue degrees in Broadcasting and Electronic Media Studies, gaining hands-on experience in production, editing, and audio engineering. After college, I entered the professional AV world, advancing from customer service to engineering roles, where I discovered my love for system design.

What is your role at your company? At FORTÉ, I thrived as a design engineer, creating intelligent AV solutions that solved real business challenges. In 2025, I transitioned to a sales engineer role, where I now engage directly with clients to demonstrate the value of AV technology. I work hand in hand with account managers and clients to bridge any technology gaps and identify the true functionality.

You're a co-chair for the AVIXA Women's Council. Why is this important to you? I have been actively involved with the AVIXA Women’s Council for nearly five years, and I am currently in my second year serving as Co-Chair. Throughout my involvement, I’ve seen firsthand the impact that intentional inclusion, mentorship, and community can have on individuals and the industry as a whole. This role is important to me because I am deeply passionate about fostering inclusive environments where diverse voices are heard, supported, and empowered. Being able to help create spaces that encourage growth, connection, and leadership—especially for women in AV—is both personally fulfilling and professionally meaningful.

Do you have any advice for young women entering our industry? My advice to young women entering the AV industry is to believe in your value early and don’t be afraid to take up space. Ask questions, stay curious, and say yes to opportunities—even when they feel uncomfortable at first. Seek mentors and communities that support you but also trust your own perspective; diversity of thought is one of our industry’s greatest strengths. Most importantly, remember that you belong here—your skills, voice, and experiences matter, and they help move our industry forward.

Please share something about yourself that would help our audience better understand you. My mom has had—and continues to have—a profound impact on my career and the person I strive to be. She was my number one supporter, always encouraging me to be bold, confident, and unapologetic in pursuing my goals. She embodied strength and perseverance, never afraid to chase what she wanted, and she inspired me to approach life and my career with that same fearless determination. Although my mom passed away from cancer in March of 2025, her presence is still deeply felt. Her voice, values, and unwavering belief in me guide my day-to-day decisions, and her memory continues to fuel my drive to lead with courage, purpose, and heart.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Linda Jerrett, Executive Director, Learning & Event Technology Services + Strategic Initiatives at Boston University

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I’ve been in AV/IT for about 15 years, after spending the previous 15 years in IT client services. I moved into AV as it converged with IT and helped re‑establish, mature, and grow the AV/IT organization at Boston University. Today, our operation spans design engineering, field engineering (installation and repair), live event support for internal and external clients, and direct classroom support for faculty and students.

What is your role at your organization? I serve as the Executive Director of Learning & Event Technology Services (LETS) + Strategic Initiatives. LETS functions as Boston University’s internal AV integrator, but is also so much more. We advocate for technology refreshes, represent clients in discussions they don’t have access to, and consider serviceability and event requirements a primary space user may not consider. I support strategic initiatives for the division LETS, a part of Technology Experience & Community, and get to help move large projects forward. At the core, my role is supporting the exceptional team we’ve built and making sure they have what they need to deliver their expertise at the highest level.

I oversee our operations and continuous improvement efforts, working closely with our leadership team to guide strategy and execution. Together, the LETS group acts as the escalation point for AV/IT issues across the university and serves as advocates for our clients, always focused on creating the best possible user experience.

How has your role evolved, and how did AV become a part of your domain? My role evolved during a period of major transformation in IT. I had managed several different areas, often stepping in to stabilize operations, implement improvements, and then move on to the next challenge. When Classroom Support and Media Support Services were brought into the IT Help Center, I took on oversight of both groups and began assessing their strengths and opportunities for growth in partnership with the staff.

From there, we launched a service improvement plan that ultimately led to the creation of LETS, a unified team supporting both classrooms and events. It was a significant shift, and it paid off. Later, the AV Engineering team joined LETS as well, expanding our scope to include design and field engineering and rounding out our comprehensive AV/IT services.

What have been some of the biggest challenges, and how did you overcome them? One of the biggest early challenges was navigating the understandable concerns from staff who were facing significant foundational change. I believed in the direction we were heading, so I focused on showing up as myself, bringing my strengths to the table, and staying steady. Over time, the work, and the results, spoke for themselves. It wasn’t always easy, but it was absolutely worth it.

The group had also been predominantly male before LETS was formed. I’m extremely proud of how far we’ve come. We’ve invested in the team and built a more gender diverse, inclusive environment where everyone can be themselves. The team we have today is sharp, talented, collaborative, and deeply committed to taking care of people, not just technology.

Do you have any advice for young women entering our industry? Invest in your own professional development. Seek out networks that connect you with women in this field and be intentional about building real relationships. Move through your career one step at a time, making sure each role teaches you something meaningful. And if something isn’t a good fit, trust yourself. Learning what you don’t want is just as valuable as discovering what you do. The process of elimination is a powerful tool.

Please share something about yourself that would help our audience understand a bit more about you. I get bored easily, which is why my early IT career suited me so well. I moved through training, consulting, evaluating new technologies, launching our first service desk, overseeing student services, supporting a major ERP post go‑live, and helping launch an identity & access management project. I love stepping into complex situations, finding the cleanest path forward, and building something new.

When I shifted into AV, I assumed it would be another “fix it and move on” chapter. Fifteen years later, I’m still here and still not bored. Every day brings an evolution, a new space, a new challenge, a new technology solution or a new person to support. It’s also a role where I feel deeply invested, as a steward of our classrooms, our environments, and the people who rely on them. Higher education is a fulfilling place to do this work. I feel lucky, and I’m grateful for the winding path that brought me here.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Kelly Bousman, Senior Vice President, ESG and Sustainability at AVI-SPL

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I’ve been part of the AV/IT industry for 29 years. I joined AVI-SPL, then Audio Visual Innovations, in July 1997, hired by founder Marty Schaffel with a loose charter to support marketing and build a creative services capability for an emerging customer base that was beginning to adopt projectors for corporate use.

Within a year, we launched the Creative Services department and brought in leadership to drive business development and creative delivery. After that foundation was established, I returned to a broader vision I had been advocating for: using the internet to expand the business. With leadership support, I was given the opportunity to build our first e-commerce business, ProjectorPeople.com, which went on to have a long and successful run before being integrated into AVI-SPL’s broader e-commerce operations a few years ago.

E-commerce evolved into internet marketing, then digital marketing and marketing communications, ultimately leading to my role heading global marketing for AVI-SPL. About three years ago, I recognized another important market shift—ESG and sustainability—and began focusing on how we could position the business to respond strategically to that change as well.

What is your role at your organization? Now, I lead AVI-SPL’s global sustainability strategy as Senior Vice President of ESG and sustainability. ESG stands for environmental, social, and governance, and it reflects how a company identifies and responds to the risks and opportunities that will shape its future. View ESG as more than a reporting framework; it is fundamentally a growth strategy.

In this role, I work across our organization to identify ESG-related risks and opportunities, establish goals and targets, develop strategic approaches with key stakeholders, track progress, and communicate results to a broad range of audiences, including our board, employees, customers, and suppliers.

How did ESG and sustainability become a focus for you, and are there specific takeaways for the AV industry? As customer demand increased, we began looking more closely at how ESG and sustainability practices and criteria were affecting our business. What excited me most was seeing companies translate my long-standing passion for environmental and social issues into clear business value. A senior analyst on our finance team and I spent months collaborating on discovery and building the business case.

At the same time, I worked closely with our sales team on the communications needed to respond to growing customer inquiries. The swell of customer interest grew to what our CRO described as a “fork in the road” where I’d either lead ESG or continue leading global marketing. I think we both knew I’d follow the ESG path. A few months later, we hired a new global marketing executive, and I formally transitioned into my current role.

For the AV industry, the key lesson is to collaborate closely with customers to understand which ESG practices and metrics matter most to them, while also working with suppliers to share that market intelligence and jointly develop ways to meet customer expectations. Collaboration is essential. Standardization is equally important for transparency and trust. Stay open and stay true.

I see that you completed the MIT program, "Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy." Did you learn anything that can be applied specifically to the AV industry?

Whew, I took that MIT Sloan course seven years ago. What I enjoyed more were the deep dives into how machine learning was transforming customer experience and product development. It’s amazing how much of what I saw then is now playing out in real time.

For the AV industry, I think the key is to recognize that the technology we deploy can become the eyes and ears of an environment. That sensory input is rich data for AI to analyze, whether through large or small learning models. With AI insights, we can tune environments to be more responsive to human needs and experiences. AV is no longer just enhancing the workplace environment; it can help create it.

Do you have any advice for young women entering our industry? Stay open and stay true. When you first enter our industry, you’ll be exposed to so many technologies, applications, and innovations. Say yes to all of it at first and then pay attention to what feels most energizing and meaningful to you. That’s how you begin to discover your own creative or generative force—the thing that will allow you to make a unique contribution and help propel our industry forward. Stay true to that.

Please share something about yourself that would help our audience understand a bit more about you. I love to explore and am always looking for new experiences and ideas. I have degrees in philosophy and art history, but nature is still my happy place. My ideal vacation is anywhere I can hike beautiful trails, wander through great museums, and enjoy the local food.

I’m also pretty mindful of the impact travel can have, so I try to make more sustainable choices where I can—choosing lower-impact routes, walking a ton when I’m exploring, and being thoughtful about waste and consumption.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Charmaine Torruella, Senior Account Manager, Media Solutions B2B at LG Electronics USA

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I’ve been in the AV and IT industry since 1998, beginning my career in telecommunications and Internet services. Early on, I supported clients with a range of network and IT solutions, including Microsoft OCS/Lync, Adobe Connect, Webex, SIP enablement, and LAN services.

As the market shifted during the 2008 to 2010 financial crisis—and business travel declined—organizations began investing heavily in video conferencing and collaborative meeting spaces. Recognizing this industry transformation, I pivoted into the AV integration space in 2010. I quickly upskilled in AV technologies, system design, and integration workflows to help my clients modernize their meeting environments and deploy reliable conferencing solutions across their workplaces.

This combination of IT, networking, unified communications, and AV expertise has shaped my career and positioned me to guide clients through evolving workplace technology trends for more than two decades.

What is your role at your organization? Fast forward to today—my role at LG Electronics is focused on supporting Fortune 500 organizations with their enterprise‑wide commercial display strategies. As a Senior Account Manager, I work closely with corporate end users to deliver integrated visual communication solutions that enhance how their employees, visitors, and partners engage with their environment.

My scope extends well beyond traditional conference room displays. I help organizations design and implement comprehensive visual ecosystems—from the parking lot and exterior signage all the way into lobbies, collaboration spaces, boardrooms, command centers, and experiential environments. In the post‑pandemic workplace, these solutions play a critical role in attracting employees back onsite, improving information flow, and strengthening company culture.

Today’s enterprise customers are looking to create more engaging, intuitive, and informative spaces. Digital signage, interactive displays, DVLED video walls, and immersive experience technologies allow them to communicate organizational history, capabilities, goals, and philanthropic initiatives—without relying on outdated pamphlets or static materials. My role is to guide clients through these transformations and help them leverage LG’s technology portfolio to enhance collaboration, storytelling, and operational efficiency across every level of the business.

What do you most like about your role in the industry? What I enjoy most about my career in the AV and IT industry is the ability to stay deeply connected with the end‑user clients I’ve supported over the past 25+ years. Whether they are long‑standing relationships or new partnerships, these conversations allow us to share insights, exchange ideas, and discuss emerging trends across the evolving technology landscape. It’s rewarding to collaborate with people who truly understand the complexity of this industry, something that isn’t always recognized in my personal circles, where AV is often misunderstood, and IT feels more familiar.

I take pride in being part of a community where continuous knowledge‑sharing is the norm, and where my experience across hundreds of corporations and environments has real value. These relationships—and the trust built over nearly three decades—motivate me to keep growing and contributing.

I also enjoy the opportunities my role provides to engage with industry publications and thought‑leaders, contributing perspectives that help shape conversations around technology, collaboration, and workplace transformation.

Beyond the corporate world, I am particularly proud of the volunteer work I do with school systems in the New York City and tri‑state area. Being able to give back, share my knowledge, and help inspire the next generation of technical talent is deeply fulfilling. Guiding students who are interested in dynamic, creative, and impactful career paths reminds me why this field continues to energize me.

At its core, what I love most about my role is the dynamic nature of the AV/IT industry—every day brings new challenges, new technologies, and new opportunities to make an impact.

You've been a strong advocate for women and diversity. Why is this important to you? I’ve been a strong advocate for women and diversity in the AV and IT industry because it’s essential that the next generation of talent sees not only a path into this field, but a future within it. I want women and diverse professionals to recognize the extraordinary opportunities available to them, and to understand that this industry is full of innovation, creativity, and impact.

Our field has produced some of the most remarkable digital experiences in the world—from immersive environments to groundbreaking installations like The Sphere in Las Vegas—and these accomplishments show what’s possible when diverse perspectives come together. We have the power to shape how people communicate, collaborate, and experience technology on a global scale, and I want emerging talent to see that power in themselves.

My message is simple: you belong here, and you can achieve more than you imagine. The pathway does not require an expensive education; it requires curiosity, connection, and access to the right mentors. I make it a priority to help those entering the field connect with supportive networks and leaders who can guide them, because mentorship and representation are critical to building a more inclusive and innovative industry.

Do you have any advice for young women entering our industry? My advice to young women entering this industry is simple: do not let the technical side intimidate you. Don’t limit yourself to surface‑level knowledge or stay only within the “safe” areas of the business. Take the initiative to learn the technology in depth. Ask questions. Sit with the engineers. Ask them to break things down and guide you through the concepts—most of them are more than willing to help when you show genuine curiosity.

It’s important that women in this field are not viewed as figureheads or just the “face” of the industry. We belong here as strategic thinkers, creative contributors, and technical experts. We need more women who understand system architecture, networks, AV workflows, UC platforms, DVLED technology, and the engineering behind these solutions—not because they must become engineers, but because deep understanding creates influence, credibility, and career mobility.

I want young women to see themselves as:

Technology consultants

Solutions strategists

Technical liaisons

Systems thinkers

Creators and innovators

Engineers, if that’s the path they choose—because we need more of that too

You don’t have to code or design circuits to have a powerful voice in this industry—but you do need to understand the technology well enough to guide clients, shape solutions, and contribute to the conversation.

This industry thrives on innovation, creativity, and diverse perspectives. Women belong in every part of that evolution—and the more technical knowledge you build, the more doors will open for you.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Althea Ricketts, Vice President, Corporate Initiatives, Shure

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I’ve been in the AV industry for over 40 years. I started my career in what we old-timers used to call the MI industry. I was living in Jamaica, managing artists, and was propelled into the ProAV business via artist management.

What is your role at your organization? I just celebrated my 34-year anniversary with Shure. Time truly flies when you’re having fun—and it’s been a really fun ride.

For the majority of my time at Shure (about 25 of those 34 years), I worked in Global Marketing & Sales. I’ve been responsible for everything from customer service, service repair, business analytics, corporate strategy, process optimization, and program management.

About nine years ago, my focus shifted to enterprise-wide initiatives, like working directly with our CEO to create our sustainability strategy and our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access strategy. I’m also responsible for our Program Management Office, which governs our enterprise-wide projects.

What do you most like about your role in the industry? Paying it forward. Mentoring is a big part of what I love. I enjoy sharing the knowledge I’ve gained—and continue to gain—with new entrants in the industry. I regularly mentor five or six AV associates, and I learn something new every day!

You have been at Shure for a long time! How has your role there evolved? I can speak of my 34-year evolution at Shure for hours, but for me, my evolution starts with being able to show up at Shure as my authentic self.

Over the years, I’ve been able to gain skills across a broad spectrum of the organization. This has allowed me to have a ‘global” perspective—before “global” became a buzzword—and to bring a different perspective to the table.

As a woman in this male-dominated industry, Shure has allowed me to not only grow in my career but also share my journey with other women and be an example of the possible. I now sit on the Executive Staff of Shure, and I’m proud to be an example of “the possible” for women in this industry.

You're a strong advocate for women in AV/IT. Why is this important to you? As I think about transitioning toward retirement, my joy and value come from paying it forward. WAVIT encapsulates my passion to do this.

When I joined as a board member four years ago, I wanted to help build a place where women in our industry could find community and resources to aid their journey.

As President for the last year, my goal is to continue to craft this place for women and our allies, where we can all grow and learn.

Do you have any advice for young women entering our industry? Find a mentor and an ally! There are so many incredible women and allies to learn from—find one, learn, and grow. We are a strong force in the ProAV world, and our impact will keep growing.

Please share something about yourself that would help our audience understand a bit more about you. I am Jamaican, and a hockey mom. My son was an all-state hockey player—imagine that combo.

I show up with diversity of thought and a loud voice. Sometimes that’s intimidating to some, but my mantra is: “I’m not intimidating…you’re intimidated.”

I was taught by some fierce women and some awesome mentors that the key to this journey in life is finding a path to protecting your peace—whatever that means to you. I honor those teachings and protect my peace every day.

For me, as it relates to what I do, that means protecting the path for women in this industry.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Gina Sansivero, Vice President Marketing & Corporate Communications at AtlasIED

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? My first InfoComm was two months after I started my first job in the industry in 2005. It was my decision to grow my career in marketing that led me to the opportunity in technology. I interviewed for a marketing position in a small start-up tech company (the first interview was over two hours!!!), and the rest is history. But it is the community and network, fast-paced evolution, and professional growth and challenges that keep me here.

What is your role at your organization? As the Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications, my favorite part of the job is being able to make connections and help support individuals’ growth both on my team and in the industry in general. Marketing is a fantastic career; as a marketing strategist, my days are never dull, and working for an energetic and evolving company keeps me on my game, but the ability to help others achieve their professional goals is ultimately what I will take away from my career in marketing.

Do you have any advice for young women entering our industry? I do have a few pieces of advice!

1: Constantly and consistently make connections with others (not just ladies) in the industry. Maintain relationships. Networking is great, but having deep relationships will support you long term.

2: Use your voice. Just because you are new to the industry doesn’t mean you don’t have a perspective that is valuable. Otherwise, you likely would not have been hired. Believe in your knowledge, but keep an open mind and keep learning. Growth is not simply about moving up; it’s about expansion in all directions. 3) Volunteer- it’s a great way to make connections and to learn about new facets of the industry you may not be regularly exposed to! 4) Trust yourself, but don’t make hasty decisions. What I mean by that is- you know what’s right and wrong for you. All professionals face roadblocks or hurdles. Take the time to find out what your professional non-negotiables are (priorities, morals, etc) and hold true to them. Don’t, however, mistake general professional hurdles with something you cannot navigate (unless they are a non-negotiable). Hurdles can be opportunities to think differently, learn something new, develop patience, or get stronger.

What would you like to share to help people get to know your personal side? In 2023, my cousin and I lived on a sailboat for 4 days to get our ASA101 (American Sailing Association) certification. I have always loved the water (I mean, I live on an island 😊), but this experience allowed me to experience the water differently, learn a new language (seriously), not take myself too seriously, and challenge myself physically and mentally in new ways. My cousin and I grew closer, made new friends, and had a great time being [mostly] disconnected. And I acquired new skills that I use daily. Also, I can say I am a sailor!!!

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Christina Cruzeiro, Regional Sales Manager for Sharp at Sharp Electronics of Canada, and Co-Chair of the AVIXA Women’s Council

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I’ve been part of the AV/IT industry for over 16 years. I actually started my career in another male-dominated field, selling industrial manufacturing equipment, before transitioning into conferencing software and hardware, back when it wasn’t as widely adopted as it is today. Back then, it was mostly used by the government and the banks.

From there, I joined an integrator, where I really learned the ins and outs of commercial AV environments. What stood out to me was how impactful AV can be in helping people make their spaces more functional, collaborative, and engaging. That’s what drew me in and ultimately what made me stay.

In Canada, the AV industry can feel quite close-knit. Over the years, I’ve built strong relationships, and it’s truly the people, along with the constant evolution of technology, that continue to keep me passionate about this space.

What is your role at your company? As regional sales manager for Ontario, no two days are ever the same, and that’s something I genuinely love about my role. A large part of my time is spent meeting with clients and showcasing our latest technologies, whether that’s dvLED solutions or new projection systems.

I’m fortunate to be located close to our beautiful showroom, which allows me to host clients regularly. It’s a great space to provide hands-on experiences with our technology, and I’ve also had the opportunity to host industry events there.

What I enjoy most is being able to demonstrate that while we are a large global organization, we operate with agility and strong local support here in Canada. Whether it’s addressing a service issue or accommodating special project requirements, we take pride in being responsive and client-focused.

At the core of it all, I’m a relationship builder. Being face-to-face with clients, understanding their needs, and helping them find the right solutions is the most rewarding part of my job.

Please tell us about your role as co-chair for the AVIXA Women's Council and why this is important to you. I’ve been involved with AVIXA for nearly eight years. I spent five years co-leading the Toronto AVIXA Women’s Council, which gave me a strong foundation in supporting and growing a local community.

Now, as Co-Chair, I have the privilege of working with leaders around the world to help establish and grow their local groups. This includes supporting them with programming ideas, sponsorship opportunities, and overall strategy.

What makes this role especially meaningful is the people. The women leading these councils are some of the most dedicated and inspiring professionals in our industry. They volunteer their time to create more inclusive environments and to support the next generation of talent. Being able to support them in that mission is something I value deeply.

Do you have any advice for young women entering our industry? Build your personal brand early and make an effort to show up, especially at industry events. The connections you make can open doors in ways you might not expect.

Don’t shy away from challenges. Say yes to opportunities that push you outside of your comfort zone; that’s where the most growth happens. The more you take on difficult things, the more confident and capable you become.

Be intentional about networking. Relationships matter; connect with peers, leaders, and organizations like AVIXA.

Set both short-term and long-term goals and revisit them often. And most importantly, don’t wait to be asked, step forward, show initiative, and create your own opportunities.

What would you like to share to help people get to know your personal side? While I’m very passionate about my work, my family is what matters most to me. Raising my daughter has been the greatest joy in my life. She’s almost 20 now and pursuing an engineering degree, which makes me incredibly proud. I like to think that by watching me work hard over the years, she’s been inspired to take on her own challenges and pursue something demanding and rewarding.

My husband has also been a constant source of support, and I truly believe it’s important to show up for your family first.

When we’re not working, we love to travel together. We’re not the type to sit on a beach; we prefer to fully experience the places we visit. Exploring museums, trying local food, and immersing ourselves in different cultures is what excites us most.

Tammy Fuqua, Developer Partner and Community Manager, Alliances & Ecosystem at Q-SYS

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I started in the AV industry in 2000 and can totally date myself by the first product I sold, a DVD/CD duplicator. I suppose that is more "AV adjacent" than fully AV? Like many women in AV, I fell into it completely by accident. It was the best-paying position at the time I was looking for a job. Since then, I have grown to love the AV industry, geeking out with each tradeshow over new technology and in awe of the growth over the years. Throughout my career, I worked for integrators and then switched my focus to manufacturers, having worked with powerhouses such as Christie, Epson, and now QSC.

What is your role at your company? When I came to QSC four years ago, my focus was on developing a program of 3rd-party developers to help build our ecosystem by developing plugins for our manufacturer partners. As I continue these efforts, I also help promote our Q-SYS Communities for Developers forum. We have some amazingly talented programmers on this forum who share some impressive talents. If you are interested in seeing what these programmers are creating, check it out!

You've been a strong advocate for women in AV. Please talk about the organizations you have been part of and why they're important to you. I'll start with the why. When I entered the AV industry, there was no talk of DEI, and I had very few female role models to look up to. I rarely saw a woman above director level, and spent many meetings as the only woman in the room. I needed to see change.

And then I was invited to one of the first AVIXA Women's Council meetings in Southern California in 2016. I met two incredible women, Brandy Alvardo-Miranda and Cory Schaeffer. I could not believe there were other like-minded women in the industry with whom I could network and learn. Missing a meeting was not an option for me. Each one was a learning experience.

Four years later, I was asked to become a leader of the SoCal group with Brandy, Cory, and Susan Wilhite. I consider them not only my AV besties, but real-life friends. They became my "tribe". Through good and bad, we are here for each other.

We saw tremendous growth in the group over the years. Mentoring, networking, and learning were key topics that drew interest from women in the industry. At its peak, we were having a meeting nearly every month and had manufacturers lined up wanting to sponsor.

Then COVID hit…

In 2022, I became the council co-chair. It was a very difficult period of rebuilding after the pandemic. The workplace model was different. The council suffered, losing many of its 50 groups worldwide. During my term, there were also changes with the AVIXA staff and the loss of my co-chair that first year, which increased the challenges. It felt like an uphill battle.

Then we onboarded Christina Cruzeiro as the new co-chair. She was amazing! She hopped right in, and the two of us worked on things together. We onboarded new groups and rejuvenated defunct groups, and came up with new ideas like virtual quarterly meetings and the state-of-the-council yearly meeting. It was a time of growth again.

I am proud of my time as the co-chair. I took the role very seriously because I wanted to be a voice for all the women we were touching through the council. I wanted to give back what I had been given throughout my career.

Do you have any advice for young women entering our industry? Join a women's group! There is strength in numbers. The networking I was privy to by attending events was invaluable. I wholeheartedly believe that I would not be where I am with my career today if it were not for my involvement in the council. Every connection was important. Every story I heard from women as the co-chair touched me. Find a group that speaks to you and get involved! This industry needs to hear from strong females, and you cannot be heard without action.

Please share something about yourself that would help our audience understand a bit more about you. In 2024, I was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. What a (expletive) blow that was! I have been through a hip replacement when the cancer settled into my femur and landed me in a wheelchair, opted for a double mastectomy and hysterectomy when I found out I was BRCA 2 positive, thirty rounds of radiation, and reconstruction surgery. None of my sharing is for sympathy; it's a cautionary tale. As women, we often put ourselves last, behind demands like family, caregiving, and work. When it comes to your health, please, put yourself first. Without your health, you have nothing, and none of these other things will matter. It is like an oxygen mask on a plane. You must take care of yourself before you care for others.

Through this diagnosis, I have become an advocate for women with breast cancer. I have been doing speaking engagements with Susan G. Komen, including last year's "More Than Pink" walk, where I told my story to 10,000 walkers, and I have started a course in cancer life coaching. I have a story that needs to be told to help save lives and inspire others.

This diagnosis is not curable, but through treatment, I am elated to say I am currently NED (No evidence of disease), and I hope I am here for a while. I am getting back to life as "normal," whatever that means now. But the reality is, the cancer will return at some point. Tomorrow? Next year? 20 years? I don't know, but it has taught me not to take a single day or thing for granted. My advice to the reader is to live life to its fullest while you can. You have no idea what tomorrow brings.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Brandy Alvarado-Miranda (aka BAM!), CEO/Owner & Founder of BAM! Marketing & PR Agency, and WAVIT

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I entered the AV industry in 2014 after spending more than 13 years in the insurance sector, where I served as director of Sales & Marketing. Fortunately, many of the strategic, operational, and relationship-building skills I developed there integrated seamlessly into the AV world.

I was really fortunate to begin my journey at RP Visuals, a company deeply involved with a variety of technologies- from displays and projection screens to the many ancillary components integrated into complex projects. That experience provided a very broad education in how AV systems come together in the real world.

Today, as an agency owner serving clients across the industry, that foundation continues to serve me well. Having worked alongside manufacturers, integrators, designers, and rep firms on projects over the years, I bring a practical understanding of each segment's priorities, challenges, and workflows. This perspective makes it easier to onboard new clients quickly and add value from day one, regardless of where they sit within the AV ecosystem.

What is your role at your company/organization? Maybe what don't I do is more appropriate! Kidding, sort of…

I kind of wear a lot of hats, and sometimes, multiple at the same time.

First, I own and operate BAM! Marketing & PR Agency with an awesome team of five. We work with clients on a bevy of marketing and PR elements, including (but not limited to) website creation/design/development, content creation (blogs, eBooks, case studies, whitepapers). We also create and manage social media for our clients, as well as their PR—everything from product launches to events and staffing announcements. Another big part of what we do is SEO/SEM/and AEO. This is really becoming a huge part of our service offerings as digital marketing, and search is heavily AI-centric now. Getting our clients searched and ranked for keywords, as well as running ads on Google and such, is a big piece of the puzzle and strategy.

Our mission at BAM is to be hands-on with developing a strategy and execution plan for our clients' marketing. In many cases, we are our clients' entire marketing department, and in other cases, we're the extra bandwidth needed. In either case, we collaborate and run marketing campaigns set forth to drive traffic and leads for our clients. We are considered part of the team and often use the term "we/our" versus "you." What I mean by that is, instead of "You should do this marketing thingy," it's more like "our website could use some help, let's fix…". We're teammates and active collaborators first and foremost. Someone they can count on.

My second hat is that of founder/director for WAVIT (Women in AV/IT). This role is equally important for more personal and selfish reasons. Yes, selfish! I co-founded WAVIT in 2023 after serving as chair of the AVIXA Women's Council for 3 years. It was after the pandemic, and women in particular were really hit hard in the workplace with layoffs and juggling WFH, homeschooling, etc. I love this industry and want to see more women in it. Selfishly, I wanted to continue to be a resource and affect a change in the industry by offering women a safe space, a place to gain career growth, and resources. Over the last three years, WAVIT has grown its members and offerings. I'm most proud of our mentorship, internship, and the Mary Cook Scholarship programs we've established. We've got a lot of amazing volunteers and Board members who have really been instrumental in creating those programs and making them a dream come true.

You've been a strong advocate for women in AV. Please share why the various organizations you are involved with are important to you. I remember my first InfoComm, standing in my booth on opening day, asking a male colleague, "Why are there so many men here? Where are all the women?" I had no clue when I got into the industry just how few women there were, and even less so in executive and technical roles.

COVID really didn't do us any favors, and I've been hellbent on increasing our strength since. For me, at BAM! I've intentionally hired staff members from outside of AV and mentored them about the AV industry. Another way I've gone about helping increase our numbers is through WAVIT and partnering with other sister organizations like the AVIXA Women's Council to create pathways into AV. It's crucial to reach out to young women and help nurture their career growth and opportunities. It's important to give back, and for me, this is how I can impact this community best.

Do you have any advice for young women entering our industry? Network! Do it as often as you can. Building authentic connections helps women expand their influence, gain confidence, exchange knowledge, and open doors to roles, partnerships, and leadership paths that may not be publicly advertised. Having a strong network also provides community, confidence, and support. It's made it easier to navigate challenges, negotiate effectively, and accelerate my career.

I think one of the best parts of attending Women's Council meetings, WAVIT events, InfoComm, and other industry events is the networking opportunities. I used to find it awkward to introduce myself, but over time, it's gotten a lot easier. And now, I love nothing more than introducing clients to other parts of what I fondly refer to as my #BAMily. I've also really come to love being a mentor and introducing my mentees to everyone I know, hoping they will spark a conversation that leads to their next connection, project, or career opportunity.

Please share something about yourself that would help our readers better understand you. I'm going to do a little creative writing assignment and write 10 FUN FAQ's about me.

1: I come from a military family where we moved A LOT. I think that as a result, I can easily make friends and talk to just about anyone.

2: I have a few super spoiled fur babies, a Pug and a Corgi. They could not be more opposite in terms of their demeanor.

3: I am a huge sports nut. Big fan of the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, LA Lakers, and WNBA Sparks. I often get to games with my daughter and AVBesties. My youngest is also an avid basketball player, and Mom is her biggest cheerleader (minus the pom poms).

4: I am a bona fide super nerd and speak it fluently. Star Wars, Game of Thrones, and Stranger Things, among other nerd genres, are just some of my favorite things.

5: I love to travel and take road trips often. And even though I was a military brat, we stayed stateside. I've never been outside the US except for Canada. Maybe I'll make it to ISE one day.

6: My two daughters are my pride and joy, and like my fur babies, my baby girls could not be more different. One is very outgoing, while the other is reserved. One loves the spotlight, and the other would like to melt into the wallpaper. I'd love for them to perpetuate BAM! Marketing. That's still TBD.

7: I laugh in horror movies. Yup! My older daughter will not go with me to watch them anymore, because I make such a scene. Fact!

8: I run on coffee and cuss words. LOL Just kidding, maybe…. I'm a morning person and am up most mornings with coffee in hand around 4:30 a.m. Works well for my East Coast and global clients, as I have no problem getting on calls at 6:00 a.m.

9: My creative side was sparked in high school when I took a job at a local florist. I continued as a florist for many years, doing a ton of weddings and event work. Even now, I still arrange flowers and have a bunch of plants and flowers in/around my house.

10: I am very goal-oriented and regularly write in my journal. Ever since I can remember, I've always kept a journal. Setting goals and manifesting are something I do often. I believe setting short-term as well as long-term goals has been a big part of my success.

I could go on and on; after all, I am a writer by nature.

If you've read all of this and are thinking, "she's cool, I'd love to connect with her," please reach out on LinkedIn. Or if you see me in person, please come up and say "hi." I'm super accessible and would love to connect. Cheers!

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Maile Keone, President and CEO of Ampetronic | Listen Technologies

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I’ve been part of the AV and audio technology industry for over a decade. Like a lot of people in this field, I didn’t follow a straight path into it. What pulled me in was Russ Gentner, founder of Listen Technologies, who wouldn’t take no for an answer when he said he wanted to hire me.

What is your role at the organization? As president and CEO of Ampetronic | Listen Technologies, my role is to guide the long-term vision of the company while working closely with each team to make sure our customers are happy. My job is to make sure we’re building products that solve meaningful problems for the people using them. I also spend a lot of time building and supporting the team. Great technology doesn’t come from one person—it comes from a group of thoughtful people who care about solving difficult problems well.

To what do you owe your rise from marketing to president and CEO within your company? My path to CEO wasn’t linear, and it certainly wasn’t something I mapped out early in my career, but in hindsight, it makes a lot of sense. Marketing, when practiced well, covers so much of the business, customer insight, strategy, product, and growth. I started in marketing because I loved understanding people, what they need, how they make decisions, and how companies can serve them. Over time, I realized that great marketing is about understanding the entire business: the customer, the product, the market, and the strategy. My role as VP of Marketing gave me the opportunity to deeply understand our customers, the markets we serve, and the broader mission of the company. That perspective helped me think beyond campaigns and branding to the larger question of how we create value and impact.

I also had leaders who gave me opportunities to contribute beyond my formal role. When those opportunities came up, I always said yes, even when they pushed me outside my comfort zone. Those experiences helped me develop a broader view of leadership and ultimately prepared me to step into the CEO role.

I also owe a lot to curiosity and a willingness to step outside the traditional boundaries of a marketing role. I asked questions about how the business worked, how decisions were made, and where we could improve. Over time, that curiosity turned into opportunities to contribute in new ways and eventually to lead. One of the things that has driven my career since college is volunteering to do things, whether they are in my current job. Volunteering to do things outside your scope is one of the greatest ways to grow.

Please talk about how you mentor women within your organization. Mentorship is something I care deeply about because I benefited from leaders who believed in me and encouraged me to grow beyond the roles I initially held. Within the organization, I try to mentor women in two key ways. The first is through access and exposure. I invite emerging leaders into conversations and projects that allow them to see how decisions are made and how the business operates beyond their immediate role. Often, the biggest barrier for women isn’t capability, it’s visibility and opportunity.

The second way is encouraging confidence and ownership. Many talented women don’t know the value of their voice in leadership discussions. I try to help them see the strategic perspective they bring and encourage them to speak up, take on challenges, and pursue leadership opportunities even before they feel completely ready.

I also believe mentorship is most powerful when it’s combined with sponsorship. When I see someone with strong potential, I advocate for them, whether that’s recommending them for new responsibilities, leadership roles, development opportunities, or sending them to additional training or mentors. Ultimately, my goal is to help create an environment where women can see a clear path to leadership and feel supported in pursuing it. When organizations invest in developing diverse leaders, the entire company becomes stronger.

What do you most like about your role in the industry? What I enjoy most about my role is building both solutions to real problems and seeing the people who make those solutions possible grow. I love taking ideas or challenges and working with a team to figure out how to make it real. Just as important to me is creating an environment where good people can grow and do work they’re proud of. When you have the right team, the right culture, and people who genuinely care about getting better together, great things tend to follow. Being able to contribute to that is incredibly rewarding.

Do you have advice for young women starting in our industry? Be intentional about the people you learn from. Surround yourself with people who challenge you and respect your ideas. The right mentors and collaborators can shape not just your career, but how you think about problems. And don’t wait for permission. Ask questions, build things, and make your ideas visible. Also, don’t underestimate curiosity as a career strategy. The people who do the most interesting work in this industry tend to be the ones who keep asking why things behave the way they do.

What would you like readers to know from a personal side? I’ve had a varied career with plenty of challenges along the way—and I’m okay with that. My curiosity has been both a gift and, at times, a bit of trouble. I was once asked to leave a Sunday School class for asking too many questions. My father pulled me aside afterward and said, “You’re driving all the adults crazy. But the way you think, and your curiosity will serve you well as an adult—don’t ever lose that.” It’s some of the best advice I’ve ever been given. My dad was a genius. Curiosity for the win.

Rapid-fire list of favorite things: Sushi, chocolate, travel, movies, my family, hard problems to solve, reading. And tennis shoes.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Kameesha Jones, Audio Visual Project Manager for the Student Center at Florida International University at the Biscayne Bay Campus

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I have been part of the AV industry for approximately 12 years. I entered the field while completing my master’s degree and interning at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, FL. During my internship, I frequently connected with the production crew, learning from their experiences and learning that I can make money doing Audio Visual for live events.

What is your role at your organization? I serve as the Audio Visual Project Manager for the Student Center at Florida International University, at the Biscayne Bay Campus. In this role, I act as the primary AV liaison for clients, ensuring their events are executed seamlessly and supported with the appropriate audiovisual solutions. While I provide oversight for select classroom support needs, my main focus is managing and coordinating AV operations for events within the Student Center. I also work closely with our IT department and campus AV engineers to help design and implement audiovisual systems for new and renovated spaces across the campus.

What do you most like about your role? What I appreciate most about my role is the opportunity to train and mentor my student employees. Many of them initially view audiovisual work as something outside of a traditional major, so it is rewarding to help them recognize the value and professionalism of the skills they are developing. I also take great pride in seeing events come together, especially those that are technically complex or involve challenging client expectations. Watching a client’s vision come to life and seeing their excitement when we successfully execute a demanding, technology‑heavy event is truly gratifying.

Do you have advice for young women starting in our industry? My advice for young women entering the industry is to never diminish yourself to make others comfortable. Be bold, and remember that every room you walk into is a room where you belong. Lead with authenticity, because authenticity cannot be taught or replicated. The AV industry does not define who you are; instead, you shape and elevate the industry through your individuality and unique strengths.

What would you like to share to help people get to know your personal side? I grew up in an environment shaped by poverty and food insecurity, and for a long time, my dreams felt small because the only success stories I saw around me were rappers or athletes. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to attend college on a music scholarship and an academic scholarship, an opportunity many of my childhood friends never had, with some not even making it to adulthood or choosing very different paths in life. Because I lacked the resources and advantages many of my peers had, I had to work significantly harder to create opportunities for myself.

Now that I am older, mentorship has become incredibly important to me. I often think about how much further along I might have been, professionally and personally, if I had someone like me to guide and support me when I was younger. That is why I make it a priority to show up in spaces where I can represent where I come from, while also demonstrating that my environment did not determine my future. My journey is a reminder that your beginnings do not define your destination.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Each year, Systems Contractor News recognizes women and men in two different ways.

In January, SCN announces its Hall of Fame inductees. They are industry leaders, integrators, manufacturers, visionaries, and engineers. These individuals represent Pro AV excellence, and each has left an indelible mark on our industry.

SCN announces The Nine each year in May. They are a select group of younger professionals who are setting the tone for the industry's next generation.

AV Technology is giving an extra shoutout to the women who have been recognized in SCN's Hall of Fame and The Nine during the past few years.

Celebrating Women in AV/IT 2026: Dawn Cagliano

SCN Hall of Fame 2026: Over Dawn Cagliano's 20-year career, she worked her way up to become IVCi's first female president.

Cagliano is a trailblazer in the industry. She has spent 20 years at SCN Top 50 systems integrator IVCi, working her way up the proverbial ladder to become the first female president in the company's history. Over that two-decade span, her focus has never changed: to create spaces that connect people and create great experiences for people.

Cagliano wasn't Pro AV-bound from the start. She began her career managing call centers. It wasn't so much the centers she was focused on, but the experience for the customers.

"I was very focused back then on how to make the telephone conversation a more seamless interaction," Cagliano reflected. "I love connecting people, and I have always tried to improve the telephonic experience. That's what drew me to the AV world, the video component of the people connection."

Read the full article here.

Celebrating Women in AV/IT 2026: Sarah Cox

SCN Hall of Fame 2026: Meet Sarah Cox, a mastermind in the "experience economy." Currently the chief commercial officer at Stage Precision, Cox is also the founder of Neutral Human—and while she loves to immerse herself in technology, she is driven by helping move creative storytelling forward.

Young Sarah Cox was always a tinkerer. With a neurodivergent brain, she had to learn by figuring out the puzzle of all things. "I think that's what drew me to technology," she said. "To try and pick it apart, put it back together, and make something so I understood the process."

Cox grew up loving to sing, so she never shied from the stage and spotlight. As she moved up the high school ladder, something else grabbed her attention: lights.

"There was a guy up in the booth, and he was playing with the lights," Cox recollected. "I went up to have a look, and it was literally love at first sight. He was pressing these buttons on this little board and color changing the school stage. I was just drawn to the power that this guy had with this little tech board."

Those lights led Cox, who enjoyed DJing in her spare time (she had a regular gig on New Year's Eve at the Comedy Store for years), to the world of video at the inflection point of 2D video playback. Then, she was off to Disguise, immediately immersing herself in the 3D and real-time visual experiences aspect of the industry.

Read the full article here.

Celebrating Women in AV/IT 2026: Kirsten Nelson

SCN Hall of Fame 2025: Since her early days at SCN, Kirsten Nelson has been a champion for the Pro AV industry.

It seemed that Kirsten Nelson was destined for great things in the world of Pro AV. A journalism student and daughter of an electrical engineer saw her worlds collide in her first job out of college—assistant editor of Systems Contractor News.

Nelson's earliest influence came from her father—an electrical engineer with a passion for sound—learning all about sound and radio, where to sit to be in the sweet spot, how to get the best stereo imaging, and how to be careful around a turntable. In fact, her father designed his own lighting rig that connected to a stereo called the Nelson Technilite, which lit up according to the frequency range of music that was playing.

"I grew up in a household where not only was I exposed to a bunch of audio technology, but curiosity about technology in general," Nelson said.

At Boston University, Nelson met a bunch of computer scientists who moonlighted as DJs, and her love for music (and the technology behind it) grew. After connecting with David McGee (now content manager, AVTech Group, Future B2B) via an internship, Nelson interviewed with SCN—and the rest, as they say, is history. Nelson embarked on a career at SCN that spanned nearly two decades.

Read the full article here.

Celebrating Women in AV/IT 2026: Heather Sidorowicz

SCN Hall of Fame 2025: The Southtown Audio Video owner, Heather Sidorowicz, applies a different approach to commercial integration—to great success.

Southtown Audio Video, located in Hamburg, New York, near Buffalo, celebrated two major milestones in 2024—its 40th year in business and its 10th year under ownership by Heather Sidorowicz. Though she has owned the firm for a decade, her time with the company goes much further than that. Southtown was started as a hi-fi store by Sidorowicz’s father and, after years in the residential space, has become one of Western New York's biggest commercial AV companies.

Despite having AV in her blood, running an AV integration shop was not necessarily a fait acompli for Sidorowicz. “I was a theater major,” she confessed. “While that doesn't always seem like a direct connection, I think that I still deliver pieces of entertainment to people. I think there is a thread between being an actress on stage and doing a training for 25 people and making sure that they're able to connect the best way that they can.

Read the full article here.

Celebrating Women in AV/IT 2026: Nancy Knowlton

SCN Hall of Fame 2024: Since her days with SMART Technologies and now with Nureva, Nancy Knowlton is changing the nature of education around the world.

If you have been in a classroom, whether as an educator or student, there's a good chance you've seen Nancy Knowlton's contributions to the Pro AV world. She has been helping to transform education since she and her husband, David Martin, founded SMART Technologies in 1987.

When Knowlton isn't running Nureva—the company she and Martin started in 2014 where she is currently both president and CEO—you may find her in the kitchen as a self-proclaimed foodie. While she stays focused cooking up new (and healthy) recipes, perhaps it is the basketball courts where you can trace the beginnings of a work ethic that got her to where she is today. Knowlton played basketball for Bishop University in Quebec, Canada, and was one of Canada's top scorers. While others were out and about on the weekends, she was perfecting her craft.

"Every day I shot 200 free throws," Knowlton recollected. "And if the ball went through the net and it didn't come back to me, that didn't count. It had to go through the hoop, two bounces, and back in my hands to count as a made shot. I'm just a worker. I was a worker in sports as well. That's the ethic that got me where I was in basketball and then onward in life."

Read the full article here.

Celebrating Women in AV/IT 2026: Holly Clausen

SCN: The Nine 2025

Title: Senior Design Engineer

Company: AVI-SPL

Location: Seattle, WA

Overtime: She spent significant time collaging during the pandemic, and creating art has become a source of stress relief for her. She has also dedicated more time to running and recently trained for and completed her first half-marathon.

Why You Need to Know Her: As a senior design engineer at AVI-SPL within its Product and Solutions Group (PSG), Holly Clausen is responsible for creating and managing all AVI-SPL reference designs. However, she notes that a large team collaborates to bring these designs to life.

Learn more about Holly here.

Celebrating Women in AV/IT 2026: Catherine Koutsaris

SCN: The Nine 2025

Title: Product Marketing Manager

Company: Matrox Video

Location: Montreal

Overtime: A dual citizen of Canada and the United States, she grew up in Montreal and embraces the area’s multi-cultural offerings. You can find Catherine trying new recipes, watching musicals, playing video games, or admiring her salt and pepper shaker and rubber duck collections.

Why You Need to Know Her: Always in style, she loves finding new ways of combining her engineering background with market knowledge to present innovative solutions for her clients' complex control room environments.

Learn more about Catherine here.

Celebrating Women in AV/IT 2026: Melis Vardar

SCN: The Nine 2025

Title: Manager, AV/IT Operations

Company: UCLA

Location: Los Angeles

Overtime: Vardar doesn’t just work in education, she's engulfed by it. She’s passionate about learning and is currently going for her master's degree.

Why You Need to Know Her: Basically, Vardar is what you get when you mix a bookworm who loves to learn with a whole bunch of Pro AV gadgets and solutions.

Learn more about Melis here.

Celebrating Women in AV/IT 2026: Nicole Corbin

SCN: The Nine 2024

Title: VP of Business Operations

Company: Utelogy

Location: Central Massachusetts

Overtime: Newly engaged, she’s planning a wedding for next spring. She also loves nature photography as a hobby and has a black belt in Krav Maga.

Why You Need to Know Her: Utelogy’s human Swiss Army Knife has a background in UX design, but now she’s tasked with launching new initiatives and optimizing day-to-day operations at Utelogy.

Learn more about Nicole here.

Celebrating Women in AV/IT 2026: Karen Castaño

SCN: The Nine 2023

Title: Vice President, Hospitality

Company: Exertis Almo

Location: Dallas, TX

Overtime: While she enjoys photography and writing, you’ll most likely find her chasing around her two-year-old triplets in her spare time (which she photographs and writes about in her blog).

Why You Need to Know Her: Her own ambitions are secondary to her team’s where she is a strong advocate for promoting the future talent of Pro AV. “My joy is seeing other people succeed,” Castaño said. “It's far more important than my personal glory.”

Learn more about Karen here.

Celebrating Women in AV/IT 2026: Adrienne Knick

SCN: The Nine 2023

Title: Senior Director, Certification

Company: AVIXA

Location: Fairfax, VA

Overtime: If you don’t see Knick working, chances are she’s in the air working on her pilot’s license.

Why You Need to Know Her: Adrienne Knick has long worked on improving the AVIXA testing and assessment space, and was a driving force behind making the CTS exam available through online exam proctoring.

Learn more about Adrienne here.

Celebrating Women in AV/IT 2026: Katie Murphy Khulusi

SCN: The Nine 2023

Title: Engineering Director, Acoustical and Mechanical

Company: Meyer Sound

Location: Berkeley, CA

Overtime: What doesn’t she do in her free time? Along with snowboarding and backpacking the Sierras with her dad, she is the neighborhood coordinator for the Berkeley Food Pantry, makes candles, and moonlights as a bar trivia host.

Why You Need to Know Her: You would think that being the driving force behind Meyer Sound’s PANTHER loudspeaker system would top the list, but that is just part of Katie Murphy Khulusi’s story. She’s not just part of the youth revolution in Pro AV, she is likely your strongest ally and advocate, using “every platform that is available to me to do that.”

Learn more about Katie here.

Celebrating Women in AV/IT 2026: Brittany DiCesare

SCN: The Nine 2022

Title: Director of Sales and Operations

Company: Control Concepts, Inc.

Location: Amissville, VA

Why You Need to Know Her: Brittany DiCesare has a keen understanding of business, workflows, and relationships—and never shies away from a challenge, especially when it comes to learning something new or developing additional skills. “I’m able to easily switch between big picture and granular levels, when necessary, which allows me to be involved in both vision and operational conversations,” she explained. “Above all those things, I strive to be an equal member of a team that encourages, challenges, and helps inspire people to greatness.”

Learn more about Brittany here.

Celebrating Women in AV/IT 2026: Shameka Dunbar

SCN: The Nine 2022

Title: Director of Audio-Visual Services

Location: Houston, TX

Why You Need to Know Her: Shameka Dunbar has an eye for targeting potential problems and her experience in AV sales, engineering, design, and marketing allows her to develop innovative solutions, no matter the situation.

Learn more about Shameka here.

Celebrating Women in AV/IT 2026: Jennifer Goodyer

SCN: The Nine 2022

Title: Sales Manager

Company: RTSales

Location: Boca Raton, FL

Why You Need to Know Her: Through her involvement with the AVIXA Women’s Council, Jennifer Goodyer, CTS is working to make the Pro AV industry more welcoming for women.

Learn more about Jennifer here.

Read all the AV Technology Women in AV/IT 2026 articles Here

Britt Yenser, CTS, AV Manager at Northampton Community College

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I've been a part of the AV/IT industry for about [redacted]. Just kidding, it's been about ten years. If you include my time as a work-study student, it's been fourteen years. I got into the industry by working for my College's "Media Center" all four years of my undergraduate career. While I initially didn't see myself as turning AV into a career, I found myself circling back to the technology and environment I had come to love. When I'd pivoted from my first career to AV, a lot of people asked me, "Do you think you'll ever go back to teaching?" No one asks me that anymore!

My primary role is to design, configure, build (either in-house or through local integrators), and maintain AV for over 200 spaces across three campuses. I also make sure events that need AV are supported. I accomplish this work with the help of a small, hardworking team that I oversee.

What do you most like about your role? I like that I find a lot of meaning and fulfillment in my role. I am privileged to be a part of the teaching and learning experience at an institution that prides itself on serving our community. We are living through a time when it is essential to know and care for each other. When I've made a room align with the College's mission of providing excellent, accessible, and comprehensive learning experiences, it makes me feel like an active, helpful member of my community.

Do you have advice for young women starting in our industry? A lot of people will give you a lot of advice. As a general rule, I don't take advice from people whose lives I wouldn't want. So, get to know people and strategically build your network. This isn't about climbing the metaphorical corporate ladder, but about aligning yourself with the people who can inspire and uplift you. I think (and hope) you'll find that there are people who will see you as your whole self, and those people can mentor you through not just your career, but what you want out of your life as well.

What would you like readers to know on a personal side? I think my overall philosophy on life is, "It's short." I recognize that time is my most precious, nonrenewable resource. I find myself asking guiding questions like, "If I say no to this opportunity, will I regret it?" and "Is this how I want to spend my time?" As a recovering people-pleaser, I've had to learn that "No" is an acceptable answer to those questions.

While I find joy in my work, my favorite way to spend time is with my family. I live with my husband (Chase), my son (Cooper, 4 months old), a dog (Swayze, a Boxer), and an anxiety-riddled cat (Mona). My home life is exhausting and full of wonder and joy, and I believe I am living "the good old days" right now.

Rapid-fire list of favorite things: reading, going on walks, gardening, Animal Crossing, Sweatin' to the Oldies with Richard Simmons, drive-in movies, and Disney parks.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Effi Goldstein, HDBaseT Alliance President, HDBaseT Alliance / Valens Semiconductor

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I have been in the industry for 10 years. I got into the AV/IT industry when a former boss called me up and gave me the challenge of joining this then-unfamiliar industry to me. He knew me from my product management days in the telecom industry and believed I would find joy in this fascinating world of tech that combines both deep technical knowledge and a load of creativity... and he was right!

What is your role at your organization? As the HDBaseT Alliance President, I have two main drivers: First, ‘Spreading the word out’, making sure that system integrators, installers, and consultants are aware of this powerful, reliable technology that is available for them. Educate them on the technology evolutions and how to make use of them. The Alliance has several education programs, online and in person, including an authorized trainer program that helps us amplify the message through HDBaseT evangelists. Second: Advancing the technology to address the AV/IT industry's most pressing challenges. We do this by working closely with our Alliance members, helping them go to market with innovative products.

What do you most like about your role? I have been a “techie” my whole life, and I love the pace of innovation and how the industry we are in really touches our everyday lives. The fact that everywhere I go, my mind starts thinking about how HDBaseT can help in this space/situation is fun. When I grew up, I was always told that the dream job is to work at your hobby, so that you don’t feel like you are working. So, I am either a workaholic or working at my hobby; I prefer to believe it is the latter.

Do you have advice for young women starting in our industry? Think big; you are part of an industry that makes a difference. You never know what your next project is, but you can be sure it has an impact on people’s lives. It doesn’t only sound dramatic, it really is.

No matter the vertical, from mission-critical to entertainment-related, AV/IT is the foundation upon which it is all built upon.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Ellie Clement, Video Director at XYZ Video Ltd

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I’ve been working in the AV industry since 2008. I started out at a small club venue running sound and lighting for local bands and the occasional chart act on promo tours. It was a great place to begin because we were given a lot of freedom to experiment with the equipment available.

Shortly afterwards, I moved into a local theatre where we produced an annual Shakespeare at the Castle installation. That project involved everything from lighting design to building an outdoor venue and constructing elaborate sets from scratch. It was an amazing environment to develop a broad range of production skills.

I later spent some time working in television with Done and Dusted under the Executive Producer, now CEO, Melanie Fletcher, contributing to major events including the UAE National Day celebrations and the London Olympic Ceremonies. Around that time, I met Richard Turner, who later offered me a role as his assistant on a European tour. That opportunity allowed me to bring together my previous experiences and apply them to programming media servers, real-time tracking, and complex 3D projection and LED screen mapping. Since 2013, I’ve contributed to major films such as The Flash and Back in Action, as well as arena and stadium tours for artists including Roger Waters, One Direction, Genesis, Mariah Carey, AC/DC, and Radiohead.

You've got a technical background. What inspired you? I’ve always been keen on drawing and fascinated by using technology as a tool for visual creativity. I didn’t know exactly what role I wanted, but I knew I wanted to work creatively with images, computers and cameras. I was always curious about how things worked technically, because to me, understanding the technology meant I could push it further creatively.

Since I can remember, music has had a big influence on me. Working in clubs meant I could experiment with lighting—placing fixtures, programming looks and responding to the energy of the room. I loved the live buzz and reacting to the music. This is where I first understood how systems fit together. I really enjoyed being practical, working with my hands problem solving and building and reconfiguring systems. I guess it's the ‘here's a problem, how do you fix it’ that gets me going.

It wasn't until I saw the Super Bowl halftime show broadcast in 2010 featuring The Who that I was like, that's what I want to do. The striking LED floor and the bold, punchy graphics are in time with the performance. It was such a simple, strong look, and I wanted to know everything about how it was done, the technology, the logistics. I wrote on my pin board, "do cool things like the Super Bowl", and then started seeking out the companies involved in the shows that excited me with the hope of being able to work with them.

What is your role at your organization? I work as a Video Screens Director and Disguise Media Server Specialist for concerts and large-scale live events. On some projects, I’m directly involved in the creative composition, but mostly I collaborate closely with creative directors and artists, translating their concepts into reliable technical solutions.

With the speed at which technology evolves, I have to keep up with ever-changing workflows. I'm excited about how we are starting to use AI to program plugins and applications to speed up processes, leaving more time to concentrate on creative direction.

When developing a video workflow, I'm increasingly aware that media servers are becoming the central hub between departments, often integrating with lighting, automation and sound. It’s important to have a robust and reliable system architecture that sits seamlessly in the wider production, so I often lean on Disguise media servers; they have been a core part of my workflow for the last 10 years. I usually begin each project by previsualizing the complete show in Disguise Designer to assist with any advanced decisions and test any complex elements before we hit the rehearsal studio. I am able to lay out content on a keyframeable timeline or hook up a control surface, such as a lighting desk or midi control panel, to manipulate camera effects and adjust content in real time. During events, I’ll run the servers either by manually triggered cues or by locking the timeline to time code.

In basic terms, essentially, it's making sure the right pixels reach the right surface in the right place at the right time.

What do you most like about your role? The variety. I love the combination of creativity and technology; every show is different, and each production has its own challenges.

Some of my favourite projects are the real-time generative or tracking shows. They bring a unique set of technical and creative challenges, which can at times be frustrating, but when everything comes together, and the visuals appear effortless to the audience, that moment still blows my mind.

Equally, I’m in awe of projects where the technology is simple, but the content is really well-made. The job then becomes more about maintaining the quality and colours of the media. In this case, a simple, well-executed visual can have more of an impact without the bells and whistles. It’s incredibly rewarding to take a project from concept to completion and then see the audience engaged and enjoying themselves.

Do you have advice for young women starting in our industry? With programming media servers, there’s very little you’ll break that can’t be fixed. Don’t be afraid to experiment and get hands-on with the technology. Try to position yourself where the opportunities will be, so when it’s the right time, you’ll be in the right place.

Please share something about yourself that would help our audience understand a bit more about you. When I'm not working, I love to be around nature —hike up mountains or sit by water.

I’m a big fan of supporting small venues by heading to a blues bar or rock band pub gig with cheesy sound to light fixtures. I also make a pretty mean margarita.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Hope Roth, Founder and Chief Technologist at Corvid AVL

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I’ve been in the industry for over 15 years now. Which is wild, because I swear it was just yesterday that I graduated from college with no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. I have a BS in Computer Science, but we were in a mini-recession, and I couldn’t find a job. I ended up doing desktop support at a university, and they asked me to help out with the classrooms. It was love at first service call. In other words, like so many folks in AV, I pretty much fell into it.

You've got a technical background. What inspired you? I’ve always loved to tinker. I played with blocks and LEGO as a child. We also had a home computer when they were still called “word processors.” For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to know “why?” Computer science came easily to me because I already knew how to recognize patterns and think logically.

Studies have shown that the computer science gap starts when children are still very young. We learn by playing. Video games are a great way to learn how to think in terms of “if this, then that.” I am very much the auntie who gives blocks as presents to the little girls in my life.

What is your role at your organization? I’m a solo entrepreneur these days. I do it all! My primary service is to provide freelance control programming. I also write articles, host webinars, and offer technical consulting. I have some projects in the pipeline that I’m super excited about. They combine technical knowledge with creativity, which is my favorite kind of work. When you start your own business, the administrative tasks can be a real shock. Sometimes I work all afternoon and wonder exactly what I accomplished. It’s such a relief to open a code editor and create something tangible.

I love the flexibility of being my own boss. I use my flexibility to spend quality time with my daughter, attend French lessons, and practice lyra (aerial hoop).

Do you have advice for young women starting in our industry? Ask lots of questions... but never undercut yourself. There is power in acknowledging that you don’t know everything (literally, nobody can). At the same time, I see so many women say things like, “Well, I’m no expert but…” and “I don’t know much but…” People will try to underestimate you, so don’t do their dirty work for them. Instead, be curious. Smart questions will help you learn and will show that you know enough about a subject to formulate smart questions!

What would you like readers to know on a personal side? My family moved to France last fall! That’s a pretty big one. It’s been quite the ride, but I’m so grateful for the opportunity. I’ve been documenting some of our adventures at hoperoth.com/blog.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Lainie Mataras, General Manager, Consultant, Architect, Design Group at Planar

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? What is your role at your organization? I have proudly been in the AV Industry for 35 years.

In the early 1990s, I was folding baby clothes in retail. Driven by the weight of student loans to find something more, I had no idea that answering a newspaper ad in our local county paper, The Bergen Record, would change the trajectory of literally my entire life.

The posting was for an administrative assistant and customer service position at Crestron Electronics. I interviewed with Randy Klein and toured the Crestron factory—my first time ever setting foot in a manufacturing environment. Everything felt foreign, intimidating, and completely outside my comfort zone. When Randy called me back the next day, asking me to meet George Feldstein for a second interview, I had no idea I was sitting across from AV industry legends. I just knew I was nervous.

I became one of the first voices in customer service for Crestron Electronics at a time when "customer service" meant so much more than answering phones. We were the technical support team. We were the programming team. We wore so many hats and worked long hours in very close quarters.

I kept thinking I would return to retail, and that this was just a "pause" in that career dream. The people I worked with, Fred Bargetzi, Rosanne Lang, and Ray Coneys, made it feel less like work and more like AV Day Camp with great friends, at a similar age. The technology was fascinating and evolving so quickly, and the combination of the two kept me there. Then I met Randy Klein's wife, Marla Suttenberg, and everything started to fall into place quickly.

Marla owned Sapphire Marketing, a tremendously successful East Coast rep firm, and she became my mentor in every sense of the word. She demonstrated how to build relationships, how to advocate for products we represented, and how to navigate an industry, at the time, where very few women had visible roles.

At Sapphire, I had the privilege of representing some incredible products, but one really stood out: Planar. I was really excited about the creativity of the displays, the visual impact, and the possibilities that the displays opened up to the customer base I had been calling on for most of my career, consultants and architects. When the opportunity came to try something new, I took the leap. I was hired as Planar's first Consultant Business Development Manager. Six years later, I am now managing a team of Consultant Business Development managers and Sr. Sales Engineers. Together, we are responsible for the national support of consultants and architects for Planar.

What do you most like about your role in the industry? I've had the luxury of growing up in this industry- watching technology evolve, products transform, and being in the middle of major shifts that have redefined what's possible in AV. This journey has given me something invaluable: a continually growing network built over decades of genuine relationships and shared experiences. That network has opened doors I never expected. Most recently, I've had the honor of serving on the Leadership Search Committee for AVIXA, where we identify the next generation of Board Members who will shape the trajectory of our industry. It is truly humbling to play a role in ensuring the voices guiding AVIXA forward represent the best of what we can be as an Industry. But what also truly keeps me energized is the consistency of my career focus. I've stayed calling on the same community- consultants and architects- for years. That continuity has allowed me to deeply understand what makes their world easier, what challenges they face when designing products like Planar into their RFP packages, and drives me to continually refine our processes and procedures to serve them better. This community of consultants has become a part of my work story and career.

Do you have advice for young women starting in our industry? Talk to people, don't just attend networking events, but truly take the time to understand where you might fit in this SMALL BIG Community of AV. Ask questions. What makes you excited to wake up in the am—figure that out. Ask people what they love about their careers in AV, and really listen to their answers. Ask them what they would have done differently. The answers may unlock your next opportunity, reveal your strengths, and help you really understand what you're passionate about.

Be present in your life- not just your career. Show up for your family. Prioritize self-care. It's not selfish. It's not going to set your career back- it's the behavior that will keep your momentum sustainable. You must find balance. The industry will always demand more, but you need to define your balance. I've learned the hard way that the most effective leaders are not the ones wearing the Burnout badge, but the ones who fully show up because they have taken care of themselves first.

And finally, give back continually—whether it's to the industry that's given you opportunities or the community you live in. Mentor someone who is starting. Volunteer your expertise. Share your knowledge. Every day should be an opportunity to enrich your own life and the life of someone around you.

And always know, not every day will be sunshine and roses, but know that this industry has room for you—your perspective matters. Your voice matters. So lean in, authentically show up, and just grow. All the pieces will fall into place.

What would you like to share on a personal side? Outside of AV, I'm a wife and the proud mother of identical twin boys who are currently attending The University of South Carolina—Go Gamecocks!! I am also the "mom" of two rescue fur babies at home, Derby and Pongo.

Throughout my life, I have tried to live by a simple principle: make a difference where you can, so someone else's day doesn't feel quite so dark.

A few years ago, I started a community Facebook group that began as a simple free-cycle initiative, neighbors helping neighbors pass along items they no longer need. But it evolved into something so much more. Today, that group has grown to over 7,000 members, and it's a lifeline for people in the community facing food insecurity, housing challenges, job loss, and other hardships.

Watching the community rally around someone in need brings me joy that's hard to put into words. It's giving without expectations. It's about showing up for people, and these small acts of empathy and kindness can change someone's entire trajectory. It's a really magical feeling.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

Sam Phenix, Strategy Consultant & Advisor at Phenix Consulting LLC

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I’ve been in the display and AV industry for over 25 years. I started on the engineering side of display technology and gradually moved into product strategy and business leadership. I didn’t set out specifically to work in AV—I was drawn to complex systems and visual technology. What kept me here is the combination of hardware, software, human factors, and real-world impact. When displays work well, they change how people see, decide, and interact.

You’ve got a technical background. Please share a bit about this and what inspired you. My background is in engineering, focused on display systems and visual technologies. I’ve always been interested in how things actually work—not just conceptually, but physically and commercially. Early on, I realized that technical expertise gives you credibility and leverage. It allows you to sit at any table—engineering, sales, executive—and translate across disciplines. That ability to connect dots is what inspired me to expand beyond pure engineering into strategy.

What is your role in your organization? I advise display and AV technology companies on product strategy, positioning, and go-to-market direction. That can mean pressure-testing a new product concept, aligning engineering and commercial priorities, shaping go-to-market strategy ahead of a major launch, or helping leadership teams evaluate where to focus next.

In short, I help technical companies think more strategically—and help strategic ideas become commercially viable products.

I like being at the intersection of technology and decision-making. “I get to work with founders, engineers, marketers, and operators—often when they’re at an inflection point. There’s real satisfaction in bringing clarity where things feel fragmented, especially in an industry that moves quickly and can get distracted by the next shiny innovation.”

Do you have advice for young women starting in our industry? Build technical confidence early. Even if you don’t plan to stay in engineering, understand how systems work. Technical fluency changes how you’re perceived—and how you perceive yourself.

Also: don’t wait to be “ready.” Our industry rewards initiative. Volunteer for the hard project. Ask the uncomfortable question. Take a seat at the table.

Finally, cultivate relationships intentionally. Careers are built on trust and reputation as much as skill.

What would you like to share to help people get to know your personal side? I split my time between international industry work and deep involvement in my local community. I sit on boards, help curate industry events, and also support village-level initiatives at home here in Northern Ireland. I’ve found that leadership principles scale—whether you’re advising a global display manufacturer or organising a local festival. My overall philosophy is simple: contribute meaningfully, build things that last, and invest in communities—professional and local—that create opportunity for others.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips Professional Displays, has remained a strong advocate for promoting equality and gender diversity in the workplace and has a proud record in supporting individuals—regardless of background, preferences, beliefs, or indeed gender—for the betterment of the business and people's careers.

As in previous years, PPDS continues to see positive trends in the number of women seeking to begin or advance their careers in the AV industry, while also seeing key team members excel in local, international, and global management positions. As of IWD 2026, the ratio of women in its teams stands at 29 percent.

Suzanne Racz, Global Product Marketing Manager at PPDS

Suzanne Racz is celebrating over three years in her role as Global Product Marketing Manager at PPDS. With a career spanning more than 20 years, devoted almost exclusively to audiovisual and imaging solutions technologies, Racz is regarded among her peers as a force for success. She plays a central role in bringing together product managers, engineers, technology partners, and solutions partners, as well as operations, marketing, and more, to bring the portfolio of Philips Professional Displays to market.

With a CV that has seen her thrive at some of the world’s best-known brands, such as Cisco, among others, Racz is also a qualified life coach, which has seen her help the next wave of talent find their path and succeed in their careers. She shares insights into her journey and offers career advice for young women.

What first attracted you to pursue a career in AV? The AV industry drew me in because it sits at the intersection of technology, communication, and human experience. It’s a dynamic and quickly evolving space where innovation directly shapes how people connect, collaborate, and learn.

How would you describe the representation of women in the industry when you started in the industry, and how has that changed today? When I started in the imaging industry, female representation was rather low. It wasn’t unusual to be the only woman in the room. Today in tech, the numbers are still not balanced, but the shift is real. Companies like PPDS now have close to 30% female representation, and more women are entering technical, commercial, and marketing roles than ever before. Progress is steady, even if the industry still has work to do.

Before joining PPDS, did you experience any obstacles or adversity in your career that you would attribute to gender? Not at all. Visibility and encouragement make a difference. All companies where I worked in the past were working to create an inclusive culture.

At PPDS specifically, how would you describe the representation of women, and how has this changed in the time you have been there? PPDS has made meaningful progress. At 29% female representation globally, the company is ahead of some peers in the AV sector. In my time here, I’ve seen more women join across departments and be promoted into manager roles. The culture genuinely supports equality—not as a slogan, but as a practice. Indeed, for sales, there has been a shift in some countries in particular, and certainly in our DACH region, with 45% females, in France, with 50% females, and the UK, which is now at 55% females. In our headquarters, the ratio is even more, for instance, in our marketing team, we have over 80% females.

What do you enjoy most about being a leading member of PPDS and the AV industry as a whole? AV technology shapes how people work and communicate, and being part of that evolution is energising. At PPDS, I do extremely value the openness—the ability to collaborate, share ideas, and help shape global product strategy. It’s not about who or what you are; we work as one team.

There have been a growing number of events and initiatives focused on women’s empowerment, such as those held at ISE and InfoComm. How do you feel about those? They’re incredibly important. In an industry where women are still quite underrepresented, these events create visibility, community, and momentum. They give women a platform, help build networks, and signal to the wider industry that inclusion isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Likewise, events such as the Hackathon at ISE inspire the next generations into the industry. As sponsors of the Sustainability Track, we have been genuinely enthused by the number of young women taking part. And watching the engineering pathways in many industries inspiring many more females to enter, the trend looks set to continue.

What would your advice be to women looking to advance their careers in the AV industry? Be confident in your expertise, stay curious, and don’t hesitate to take up space. Build relationships, seek mentors, and keep developing your skills. Don’t hide in the shadows. Bring your perspective; it’s valuable.

Do you think more should be done to encourage or at least help younger women understand the career opportunities available via the AV industry? Many young women simply don’t realise how diverse the career paths can be. Indeed, talking to many peers—male or female—people fall into this industry by chance, rather than setting out in that direction. Outreach to schools, universities, and early career programs would make a real difference. The earlier we show what’s possible, the more balanced the industry’s future will be. We at PPDS are focusing on these activities within the framework of activities such as the annual hackathon at ISE, as well as offering opportunities for students and interns to gain experience with us around the world.

If you could speak to a classroom of young women today, what would your message to them be? Technology needs your voice. Don’t let the current gender balance discourage you—let it motivate you. The AV industry is full of opportunity, creativity, and innovation, and there is space for you to thrive and shape the future.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

March 8, 2026, was International Women's Day. This got me thinking that recognition on just one day isn't enough, because there are so many stories to share. Throughout March, I will be sharing the stories of women I have met over my more than 25 years in the AV/IT industry. I have reached out to some whom I haven't met before but whom I've always wanted to be introduced to.

To the amazing women and men I have had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing, you know that my interviews often get personal. I'm always interested in how people find their way into this cool industry and what excites them.

While the number of women entering engineering or other technical disciplines from a young age is increasing, it is still rare. I'm sharing several in this series.

AV Technology’s sister publication, Systems Contractor News, has featured many women and men in the SCN Hall of Fame and The SCN Nine through the years. I will be highlighting some of these women again.

I hope you enjoy meeting these women as much as I have. And if you would like to share your story or suggest someone we should feature, please reach out to me at cindy.davis@futurenet.com.

Check back here to read more stories as they're posted.

Meg Golz, MarComm Manager, Business Solutions at Yamaha

How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I’ve been a part of the AV/IT industry for about 15 years.

During my senior year of high school, I started my own DJ business and began teaching myself how to run sound for my gigs. Being a DJ blended my love of music and performance and opened a new opportunity to explore the technical side of audio.

It was shortly after I began my DJ business that I learned about audio engineering as a career. I enrolled at Madison Media Institute in Madison, Wisconsin, and earned my associate’s degree in audio engineering.

While I was in school, I immersed myself in the music scene – attending tons of live music shows and sitting in on a lot of engineering sessions, working to better understand how this industry functions and how I could be a part of it long-term.

As I continued my education, I realized how broad the pro audio business could be, so I went on to earn my bachelor’s degree in marketing for entertainment and media business.

That combination of technical and marketing experience helped me land my first marketing role at a pro AVL dealer, which really kick-started my career in the AV industry.

Tell us about your music and technical background, and how you got into this as a young woman. What inspired you? Music has always been a central part of my life. I grew up in a very musical family and have played instruments for as long as I can remember - starting with piano in 2^nd grade, then cello in middle school, singing in choir, and playing drums in drumline during high school. I also taught myself guitar and the art of the synth in college, while learning audio engineering.

While I was attending school in Madison, I also started my indie rock band, Seasaw, with my best friend Eve. We’ve been making music together for about 15 years. Through Seasaw, I’ve had the opportunity to release four studio albums and tour across the country - from New York to Nebraska, even Texas for South by Southwest.

It’s been especially rewarding to apply both sides of my education to the band. My audio engineering background helps with the technical aspects of recording and performing, while my media business degree helps with all the marketing that’s required as a DIY band.

As for what inspires me: I’ve always been really inspired by women in music who blend creativity with technical vision.

One of my biggest inspirations is Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. She has always stood out to me as someone who is not only an incredible performer but also very intentional about the creative and technical direction of her work. From music to visuals to developing entire film soundtracks—she’s done it all. She’s also a down-to-earth person with good human values, and that’s inspiring, too.

Seeing women like her succeed helped show me that there are many ways to contribute to this industry, both on stage and behind the scenes.

What is your role at Yamaha? I’m currently the MarComm Manager for Business Solutions at Yamaha. In this role, I lead marketing communications for Yamaha’s Unified Communications and Commercial Installation Solutions product lines in the US.

I work on campaigns that help explain how our technology solves real-world AV and IT challenges - particularly in integrated environments like corporate spaces, retail, hospitality, and other commercial installations.

What do you most like about your role? What I love most about my role at Yamaha is the people I get to work with. I joined the team recently, and everyone I’ve connected with so far has been incredibly welcoming, creative, and passionate about what they do.

It’s been exciting to join a team where people care deeply about both the technology and the customers we support. I’m learning a lot already and feel very fortunate to be part of an organization that values collaboration.

Do you have advice for young women starting in our industry? Don’t be afraid to explore different opportunities. When I first started, I thought my career would look very specific—I imagined myself becoming a live sound engineer and DJ full-time. By staying curious, asking questions, and being open to new opportunities, I discovered other areas where I could grow and make an impact.

It’s also worth noting that the AV and IT fields can sometimes feel overwhelming because they’re traditionally male-dominated, but there are far more incredible women in this industry than people realize. In my experience, connecting with other women in this field has been endlessly rewarding. Many of my now closest friends and mentors are women I’ve met through this industry, and we continue to support and learn from each other.

Please share something about yourself that would help our audience understand a bit more about you. I currently live in Madison, Wisconsin, and I’m a huge Badger/NCAA basketball fan. March is always one of my favorite times of year—not only because of International Women’s Day, but also because it’s the start of March Madness—my personal Christmas.

Music is still a huge part of my life outside of work. My band, Seasaw, is currently gearing up to release a new single this March as we work toward releasing our next album. When I’m not making music, I’m probably listening to it. I’m an avid vinyl collector and spend many of my weekends digging through used indie bins at my favorite local shops.

Check out more Women in AV/IT stories here.

For Gene Zimmerman, a lifelong career in broadcast engineering started on a farm in northern Illinois, with a broken radio and a curious kid.

“I took the tubes out, walked them down to the gas station to test them, and came back with three new ones," he recalled. "The radio worked. I looked at that sucker, going, how does this work?"

That simple moment sparked a lifelong fascination that's still with Zimmerman today. By high school, his teachers found it hard to challenge him, so he trained on the same systems the military used on tubes and transistors and learned to fix TVs at the vocational center. “After that, they didn’t know what to do with me," he said, "so I helped them build a new TV studio.”

His first job after college was as a design engineer at Odetics Broadcast, where he developed automated tape and master control systems. Simultaneously, he was consulting for National Teleconsultants, working on major projects for Warner Brothers and Fox, and immersing himself in the engineering community by joining organizations such as SMPTE, STE, AES, SBE, and SCTE. This opened doors for him to work on the 1996 Olympics, which later led to his involvement in the 2000 and 2002 games.

After the 1996 Olympics, Zimmerman was asked by his former employer to help Fox News for a couple of days, which turned into a three-year engineering role during its formative years. But these experiences and milestones were just the lead-up to his biggest career achievement.

When production shifted from analog to digital, Zimmerman noticed a crucial gap. “Every camera had a monitor," he explained. "There were no multiviewers. Trucks were changing to SDI and needed an affordable way to convert digital to analog for their monitors.”

At the time, the solution was replacing every monitor, each costing $4,000 to $5,000. With 340 monitors in a truck, that could cost $ 1.5 million.

NEP Group wanted to see if Zimmerman could create something better; he proved he could, and they liked it, which led to Zimmerman founding Cobalt Digital, where he now serves as president and CEO. “I was surprised when the first order came in for 1,400 units. That’s really what launched Cobalt, solving customer problems," he said.

Since then, Cobalt has become essential across trucks, networks, and streaming platforms. Zimmerman describes Cobalt as “a very advanced Swiss Army knife.” The company has garnered widespread industry acclaim, including an Emmy, in addition to what Zimmerman has personally won, which includes two Emmys from his work on the Olympics.

Zimmerman champions open standards—Cobalt strongly supports them and believes customers should have options. This approach led to the creation of openGear, developed with Ross Video, which has become the industry standard for modular signal processing. This same philosophy also guided Cobalt’s involvement in IPMX for AV over IP and RIST for reliable internet transport.

As the industry moves more toward IP and open interoperability, Zimmerman sees only opportunity. “The future of the AV industry is incredible," he said. "IP brings total flexibility, as long as we stay committed to open standards. That’s where we want to be.”

Joe Way, Ph.D., CTS, executive director of Digital Spaces at UCLA, has helped to change the way higher education students learn and teachers teach—and along the way, he created one of the livelier atmospheres on the InfoComm show floor.

Way was not necessarily destined to make this kind of impact. He was a dual major in philosophy and Greek archeology and earned his master’s in biblical studies. So, how did someone who studied all that become one of our industry's leaders in higher education?

Way entered USC in 1991 for recording engineering, but it wasn't quite what he expected. "This is back in the days when you learned how to run a soundboard by standing behind some old guy with a ponytail smoking off four cigarettes an hour," Way explained. "When I went to college, I didn't want to do theory classes. I wanted to get on the board. I wanted to do stuff."

Despite switching majors, Way still got to do … stuff. USC hired him as a student worker to run the sound and technology at the various venues on campus, like the large auditoriums where live events occurred. "I did that as my job rather than as my major. And when I graduated, I went into the entertainment industry like everyone in L.A.," Way explained with a laugh.

For 10 years, it was a little bit of TV, a little bit of film, and a little bit of live stage events. He owned his own production company, sold it, and then began working for his church in 2011. "That's where I drifted into the commercial side," Way said. "I fell in love with having a purpose with AV."

As it turned out, one of those volunteers was a professor that pointed Way to California Baptist University, an institution that was looking to standardize the way things were done on campus. In 2016, Way started with Cal Baptist, and the rest is history.

He returned to his alma mater in 2019. Still a relatively new face in the field, Way settled in at USC when the pandemic happened. Seemingly always one step ahead, he was as ready as anyone could have been.

As USC was going through its digital transformation, Way asked one simple question: What if we turn every classroom into a Zoom? USC quickly became hybrid ready, so in 2020, they were learning ready. "I remember our provost asked, 'Joe, what are we going to do?'" Way recalled. "And I said, 'We've already solved it.'"

Along the way, the Higher Education Technology Managers Alliance (HETMA) was born, co-founded by Way and his friend, BC Hatchett. After doing an education track at InfoComm circa 2016, Way realized after being in the industry for so many years, he was now an outsider.

"I started the Higher Ed AV Podcast, which later spun off into HETMA, because I didn't really know anybody," Way recalled. Add a global pandemic, a growing presence at InfoComm, an educational summit trip to Japan, and a partnership with AVIXA, and suddenly, HETMA is one of the most influential groups in Pro AV.

It was the AVIXA virtual conference during the pandemic, with no InfoComm, that HEMTA blew up. "That's where it was lightning in a bottle," Way recalled. "Next thing we know, we had 250 people on that call, which was amazing. Now we have 20-some initiatives and our signature Prysm Scholarship, which is probably one of the things I'm most proud of."

Now, HETMA has roughly 6,000 global members and the road has led Way to UCLA. There, along with standardizing AV/IT systems, he's leading the future of higher ed. "Joe embodies what it means to lead with vision and trust," said Melis Vardar, who works with Way at UCLA and became part of SCN's The Nine in 2025. "He challenges us to think beyond boundaries and gives us freedom, confidence, and tools to make it happen."

Way has risen to the top of the Pro AV world because he's never been afraid to stop asking questions, and as he admits, has benefitted from being in the right place at the right time. As he recalled from one of his first mentors in the industry, "Be the first to the bar at a conference and be the last to leave. That's where we start meeting people, so just be there. Don't be afraid to have that conversation. We all might be competitors in some form, but the fact is we're all family. We all have something in common in our humanity."

One of the striking things about Dave Van Hoy is how unhurried he seems. As president of Advanced Systems Group (ASG), based in Emeryville, CA, he oversees a team of 500 employees. His firm comprises multiple locations across the United States and Canada, and most recently an office in London. Some of the world’s most famous companies rely on ASG’s services—brands like NFL, Spotify, and Google. In short, he’s got a lot going on.

Still, Van Hoy is always up for a conversation. He’s naturally curious and eager to share. After nearly 30 years in business and almost 50 years in Pro AV, he continues to wear his genuine enthusiasm for this industry on his sleeve.

“I come from [a spirit of] being very passionate about the industry, and I think that is different from a lot of people that end up leading companies,” Van Hoy said. “You may not be the very best at something personally, but if you’re passionate about it, it carries you a long way.”

Founded in 1997, ASG began by servicing the DVD authoring market. Not long after, it expanded into full-service production and post-production systems integration. Today, as one of the country’s biggest AV firms, it offers consulting, engineering, integration, managed services, and training and support to broadcasters, corporate media teams, houses of worship, and media and entertainment companies (including live sports broadcasting houses).

While Van Hoy may be a techie at heart, he also enjoys the human aspect of Pro AV. The reward comes from working through the issues, whatever they are. “I love the puzzle, whether it’s a technical problem, whether it’s a human problem,” he said.

In its recruiting activities, ASG’s message is clear: “If you don’t like to learn something new every day, please do not come work here,” Van Hoy explained. “I have a basic philosophy that has never changed: Hire smart people, pay them the best you can afford, and let them do their jobs. Where I can help, I want to help. The rest of the time, I want to get out of their way.”

It was his father—an electronics research engineer at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego—who introduced a teenaged Van Hoy to live sound. “His passion was audio and recording, and I was out doing live recording jobs with him on the weekends and evenings, probably starting around 12 or 13,” he recalled.

The pair would record choirs, orchestras, and jazz ensembles. A few years later, Van Hoy would become a professional audio engineer before moving into live television and then live TV production.

It’s these early experiences that Van Hoy attributes to another one of his striking qualities: The guy always seems so even-keeled. He says that live production helped him develop the ability to stay focused on what needs to be done in the moment. After all, panicking has never helped anyone eliminate the 120-cycle buzz in the PA while 40,000 screaming (and possibly drunk, high, or both) fans wait for their favorite band to hit the stage.

“When you’re on the technical side of that, let’s just say it’s a high-pressure job,” Van Hoy said. “If you’re going to succeed, you learn to be very calm in high-pressure situations.”

Looking to the future, Van Hoy underlines the need for Pro AV to develop new talent. While many may be creating content, he highlights a dearth in production and tech deployment skills that support creatives. “The biggest thing the industry needs to do now is focus on growing the next generation of audio and video people,” he said. “The most important thing the industry can do now is make sure there’s a new generation, and we’re trying to be very active in that.”

For John Minnick, audio wasn’t just a career choice; it was a calling. Long before streaming platforms and wireless ecosystems, he was soldering circuits in his parents’ basement, chasing fidelity, and learning signal paths by hand.

“AV has been part of my life forever. I got into audio when I was in high school," he said. "I built my own power amps.”

This passion led him to engineering school, preparing him for roles in developing consumer imaging equipment, commercial electronics, wireless and wired networking solutions, and digital audio, long before these fields integrated across the industry. His professional career kicked off at Eastman Kodak.

“It was an amazing company at the time," Minnick recalled. "Some of the best engineers and people I'd ever worked with in my entire life worked there.”

From there, he worked on one of the earliest digital jukebox and music server platforms at Gibson Audio, a precursor to personal streaming libraries, then went on to shape wireless innovation at NuVo Technologies, where he led the development of the company’s wireless player system. All this led to Minnick's most pivotal chapter: joining Bogen Communications in 2013. It was an unexpected opportunity and came with something rare. “It was kind of a clean slate," he explained. "They gave me a lot of latitude, which you don’t get very often in your career.”

Minnick hit the ground running with Bogen by establishing a new development center in Orlando, FL, building a multidisciplinary engineering team, and leading the development of Nyquist, Bogen’s first fully digital, software-based audio and communications platform. Originally a project code name, Nyquist helped Bogen transition from traditional PA and intercom systems to networked audio, software, and services.

Using a long-term engineering approach, the team architected the solution to evolve over time, eliminating the need for frequent resets. This has paid off, with Nyquist becoming one of Bogen’s most successful and profitable platforms. “We didn’t want to blow it up in five years and start over," he noted.

But last year, he decided the time had come to retire, which took effect only recently (his last day was just a week before our interview). “After going at it for 12 years, it's time for some new visions, new thoughts, new people,” Minnick said.

When he expressed his wish to step away from a company he had dedicated so much to, Bogen honored him by naming its Orlando engineering facility after him, which he joked is “usually when somebody dies.” But the gesture highlights the significant impact he had on Bogen and the industry as a whole.

As he looks ahead, the evolution of audio remains just as exciting for him as when he first explored stereo systems decades ago. The advice he gives to newcomers is straightforward: “Be passionate about it," Minnick said. "If you have a passion for it, it’s well worth it.”

Minnick channeled this lifelong passion into creating innovations that will continue to grow and make a lasting impact on the Pro AV industry. Through it all, he has always remained connected to the creative spirit that initially drew him to the audio industry.

“That passion’s been with me all my life. I just really love audio reproduction and how it's evolved,” he said. It also spilled over into his family life—today, two of his children work in the AV industry. “I rubbed off a bit,” he said with a laugh.

David Labuskes is a key leader in the Pro AV industry, promoting innovation, global growth, and advancements in professional certification. However, the AVIXA CEO’s entry into the industry was far from typical.

“My pathway into AV was actually through IT, and working as a consultant led me to an architectural engineering firm where I built a consulting practice for the design of all low-voltage communications," he explained.

These experiences ultimately led him to InfoComm International, now AVIXA, where he has served as CEO for the past 13 years. “Randy Lemke, my predecessor, announced his retirement. A couple of people suggested that I put my name in the hat for the CEO position," he said. "And to make a long story short, here I am, 13 years later.”

During his tenure, Labuskes has expanded AVIXA from mainly a North American association into a global organization. AVIXA's initiatives and offerings include trade shows, training, certifications, standards, and grassroots industry networks like the AVIXA Women’s Council, the Diversity Council, and the Rising Professionals program.

“When I started at AVIXA, I think about 12% of our membership was outside of North America," he explained. "Today, over 50% of our revenue is generated outside of the U.S. Our fastest-growing membership is outside of North America.”

And this expansion isn’t accidental. It’s mission-driven—and as a nonprofit, AVIXA is able to prioritize its mission. “You are focused first on, does this serve our mission? Does this advance the industry?” Labuskes said.

He also emphasized the meaning he finds in AVIXA’s mission-driven model, and its purpose is what motivates him every day. “Somebody said it once … we get to do good business, for the good of humanity,” he noted.

Reflecting on his 13 years with AVIXA, it’s evident that technology is just one aspect of industry change; the AV professional is just as essential. “Technology has exploded and changed," Labuskes said. "The AV professional is needed to be a network professional, needs to be a cybersecurity expert, needs to be a user interface expert, a solution provider, a coder. I think that has led to a really exciting career path.”

But sometimes your greatest failures can lead to success, and that was the case for Labuskes. He didn’t hesitate to share a key story from early in his career, long before his time with AVIXA, when he was fired.

“I was terminated because I wasn't doing a good job as an executive. I wasn't a good leader," he recalled. "Out of that time frame, I really solidified my character around some specific values.”

The values he learned from the experience, including the importance of listening, maintaining a work-life balance, and relationship building, have solidified his approach to leading AVIXA and the incredible members he works with and for on a daily basis.

Labuskes believes the industry stands at an exciting intersection of science and art, creating a rich environment for ideas, opportunities, and exploration, one that nurtures an industry full of dedicated and passionate people. “People who don't love the industry, they kind of leave it pretty quickly," he observed. "And so, you end up with this industry of just really fantastically committed people that love what they do.”

Looking to the future, Labuskes is energized about what lies ahead for AVIXA, including its recent expansion into new markets, such as Mexico City. His excitement for the new initiatives is palpable, and he made one final confession: “I have the best job in the world.”

In 2024, Sennheiser launched Spectera. The digital wireless ecosystem uses the manufacturer’s implementation of Wireless Multichannel Audio Systems (WMAS), which enables more microphones and IEMs—as well as their control data—to operate on a given spectrum while simultaneously protecting these systems against interference.

Behind Spectera are two of Sennheiser’s lead system architects working out of the company’s headquarters in Wedemark, Germany. Dr. Sebastian Georgi earned his Ph.D. at Germany’s Hamburg University of Technology; his thesis explored Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM). He has been with Sennheiser since 2010, and has spent much of his time researching wireless broadband techniques and how they apply to Pro AV.

Jan Watermann joined Sennheiser in 2001, where he began by developing a combination of modulation and multiplexing techniques for professional wireless audio applications. He played a key role in the development of Sennheiser’s Digital 9000 wireless microphone system.

Both are musicians: Georgi plays the bassoon while Watermann plays bass and guitar. Georgi believes that this makes both he and Watermann sensitive to the needs of performers.

“We know what stage fright is,” Georgi said. “[Performers] are all alone on stage, and they have to rely on the technology. We both very much know how it feels to perform on stage and understand the need for rock-solid audio.”

The pair’s collaboration was almost by accident—they found themselves sharing an office space. In 2013, they began researching how broadband technology fits within the challenging requirements of pro audio applications. Over the next several years, Georgi and Waterman worked prototypes, which they would eventually use to show regulatory bodies such as the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) how WMAS works.

Working with the regulators was the critical step to Sennheiser releasing a WMAS product. For Spectera to succeed, the manufacturer needed them to change the rules.

Sennheiser submitted the first input document defining WMAS to ETSI in 2014 and first demonstrated WMAS to ETSI in 2016. By 2017, it gained approval. In its recommendations for wireless microphones, the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administration (CEPT) removed bandwidth limitations in 2018. That same year, Sennheiser approached the FCC, which began allowing WMAS in the U.S. in 2024. Several months later, the company launched Spectera.

For both gentlemen, one of the most rewarding aspects of bringing a solution to fruition is gathering user feedback. During Spectera’s early prototyping phase, shortly before a concert, they visited The Donots, a German punk band. After testing the prototype, they insisted on using it during their gig that night.

Georgi and Watermann watched the show from backstage. To their delight, the prototype came through, and the band announced their satisfaction with the technology right in front of the audience.

“When we get feedback from them, they will say that they will never go back to the old system,” Watermann said. “One of our favorite parts [of this process] is introducing this to talent for the first time.”

Meet Sarah Cox, a mastermind in the "experience economy." Currently the chief commercial officer at Stage Precision, Cox is also the founder of Neutral Human—and while she loves to immerse herself in technology, she is driven by helping move creative storytelling forward.

Young Sarah Cox was always a tinkerer. With a neurodivergent brain, she had to learn through figuring out the puzzle of all things. "I think that's what drew me to technology," she said. "To try and pick it apart, put it back together, and make something so I understood the process."

Cox grew up loving to sing, so she never shied from the stage and spotlight. As she moved up the high school ladder, something else grabbed her attention: lights.

"There was a guy up in the booth and he was playing with the lights," Cox recollected. "I went up to have a look and it was literally love at first sight. He was pressing these buttons on this little board and color changing the school stage. I was just drawn to the power that this guy had with this little tech board."

Those lights led Cox, who enjoyed DJing in her spare time (she had a regular gig on New Year's Eve at the Comedy Store for years), to the world of video at the inflection point of 2D video playback. Then, she was off to Disguise, immediately immersing herself in the 3D and real-time visual experiences aspect of the industry.

It was an old co-founder of Disguise, then D3, that created the spark that led to Neutral Human. Cox had done so much for D3/Disguise when it was a startup, her old colleague said she should do the same for other startups.

"I left with a little seed in the back of my head," Cox said. "There are a lot of technologies out there that come out of creative applications that are made by artists and creative technologists, made by people who don't have any productization experience. They don't know how to get connected to users. They don't know if it's any good. But they're sitting on something that's absolute dynamite."

Through Neutral Human, Cox helps artists and tech creatives find the missing links in workflow gaps, find the right people for them to talk to, and explore commercial routes where they move their technologies forward. That's what led her to Stage Precision, one of her early clients with Neutral Human.

“There’s a massive gap in our experiential future,” Cox explained. “We've done audio, we've done lighting, we went into media, we went into advanced media, we went into real-time generative content. That is literally the career path that I followed. Now, we’re into this next gap, which is data and management of 3D data and spatial intelligence. How can we use technology and tie it all together to create truly interactive spatial experiences?"

Though she has yet to be inside the Vegas Sphere, there was a eureka moment for her: ABBA Voyage, the virtual concert residency in London. "Immersive viewing is here and it’s a shared experience,” she noted. “I felt a defining moment for shared immersive entertainment happening in that digital theater experience, a format that we will see more and more.”

Cox's journey is far from over, and that's mainly because she will keep tinkering. "Keep being curious," Cox advised. "We get to something truly innovative by playfulness. I know so many artists create their greatest work in the moment when they're just playing and tinkering and something really beautiful and extraordinary comes out of that playful moment. I want to think about what comes next in a way that is different to what has been done before.”

Dawn Cagliano is a trailblazer in the industry. She has spent 20 years at SCN Top 50 systems integrator IVCi, working her way up the proverbial ladder to become the first female president in the company's history. Over that two-decade span, her focus has never changed: to create spaces that connect people and create great experiences for people.

Cagliano wasn't Pro AV bound from the start. She began her career managing call centers. It wasn't so much the centers she was focused on, but the experience for the customers.

"I was very focused back then on how to make the telephone conversation a more seamless interaction," Cagliano reflected. "I love connecting people, and I have always tried to improve the telephonic experience. That's what drew me to the AV world, the video component of the people connection."

She began on the managed services team, starting as a video operator. As the years passed, she turned her attention from the service-oriented portion of the business to the installation side. "They wanted to bring more of that white-glove, concierge experience into the installation side because AV installations haven’t always been about the experience," she said. "It was our owner who really wanted to put more of a focus on the experience on the installation side of the house."

And that is what truly defines Cagliano. Yes, she is very good at what she does, but the reason she is a Hall of Famer is her focus on others' experiences. It has led her to be a mentor to many coming up through the industry, a position she does not take for granted.

"It is my passion," Cagliano said of being able to mentor the future of Pro AV. "I really love looking across a team of people and trying to spot the rising stars, spotting those who I believe have the motivation and potential to go forward and helping them to harness that. And the harder that is, the more I enjoy it."

While Pro AV is evolving, women are still navigating a once completely male-dominated industry. For Cagliano, IVCi was a place that never closed a door for opportunity. As president, she is in the unique position to share her story.

She said IVCi has a culture of accountability. "As long as you're an accountable person here, you'll be a successful person here," she added. "I think it's important for women, particularly in our industry, to create spaces of mentorship, to be role models to each other, and to seek out the other women in the industry and guide them."

A mother of four, Cagliano doesn't have much room for free time (although she does love her woodworking). Instead, her passion lies in advancing the industry. Cagliano is now a member of the NSCA Education Foundation Board of Directors.

"I've always raised my hand to try to be as involved as possible in the NSCA," Cagliano said. "It's fun to be surrounded by people who are going to challenge the way you're thinking about not just AV, but leadership styles. This is an opportunity to get in front of the young people who are considering career paths to get them to understand just how powerful the AV industry is."

Cagliano will continue to focus on mentoring and creating those seamless experiences for customers and her own employees. And that's because, 20 years in, she still has that same curiosity as she did two decades ago.

“For the curious, the AV industry is a wonderful and cool place to be,” Cagliano concluded. “I think the most dangerous thing is when you think you know it all, so be open minded and be curious. You can't train somebody to be curious. When I see curious people, people who have some questions, people who challenge why we do it this way or why does it work this way, I think that that's a really valuable trait.”

Jatan Shah’s journey in the world of Pro AV began in 2010. After a career in HVAC and management consulting, Shah joined QSC, and a mere 10 days later he was experiencing his first InfoComm right here in Orlando. Now, the president of QSC is celebrating his 15th InfoComm as the new AVIXA Chair of the Board of Directors.

[All the InfoComm News, Products, and Insights for 2025]

Shah joined the AVIXA Board in 2021—a decision that was a bigger than taking on his current role as Chair—with the desire to contribute meaningfully to the Pro AV industry as a whole. “I remember coming here in 2021,” Shah said. “[Because of the pandemic] it was a very small show with a lot of worries—a lot of people thinking about what the future of trade shows was. Joining the Board was a very humbling moment that year. It's one thing when everything's going great and a lot of success is around and everybody's happy and partying, versus joining at a time when everybody's concerned, and you are still in the phase where there's so much uncertainty.”

After becoming an officer, he knew it was a long-term commitment and was excited to take on his new role. “This was a great way of just giving back to the AV community with a quite high-influencing role,” Shah said. “It started with joining the AVIXA Board. When I decided to become an officer, that is when the commitment became a long-term commitment leading to my current role as a Chair.”

The Chair of the Board of Directors serves a one-year term. Shah sees the agenda of the board as a multi-year journey, which involves being the hub for the AV industry and also a catalyst for growth. “As Chair, you are facilitating a group of people who are the Board members as well and bringing the best out of them because you have a very diverse set of people who come from various parts of the AV industry and world,” Shah said. “Bringing voices to the table and making sure that we are able to support AVIXA achieve its long-term goals is where our focus is.”

It is an exciting time in Pro AV, especially for Shah, who is seeing what used to be very siloed pillars merging withing the industry. His own company, QSC, was recently acquired by Acuity , a building management system and lighting company, so he has witnessed that blending of industries firsthand. “You think about the parallel industries that exist, and a lot of the solutions are becoming more and more integrated,” Shah said. “So, from the end-user standpoint, yes, you're making decisions about your AV, but then you're also making decisions about controls—building controls, building management. All those types of broader trends are then driving the technology integration, which then impacts the AV industry as well.”

That convergence continues to be a hot topic, especially in broadcast and Pro AV. But that’s not the only trend we’ll see on the show floor this week. “We will continue to see the more practical use of AI,” Shah said. “The AI hype cycle is not over, but we've gone through that next phase in the AI journey, which is what are some of the tangible values we can see? You see computer vision—it's one of the areas that we've seen a lot of value. You'll see a lot more focus on data and what you can do with data insights, whether it's through different cloud platforms or in various ways.”

As the Pro AV train continues to roll further into the future, Shah will look back to that 2021 show to remember a turning point in the industry. “I felt it was great looking back,” Shah said. “It's one of those defining moments where you look at an organization and how its resilience was tested in a big way.

"For me, it was the smallest InfoComm show, yet it was probably the most memorable show just because it was the moment through which the organization arrived back to an all-time high.”

Sponsored content

Taka Uchida, chief executive officer of the new Panasonic Projector & Display Americas (PPNDA), recently sat down with Systems Contractor News’ Mark Pescatore to preview the company’s presence at InfoComm 2025 and discuss some overall themes to look out for at North America’s premier AV industry show. But first, Uchida discussed what makes PPNDA different from the Panasonic Connect brand users know and love, as well as—perhaps even more importantly—what remains unchanged.

Watch the full video interview below.

“The quality and reliability of our products and services have stayed the same because the factory is staying the same—R&D, engineering, and even the sales team and customer support. The key difference is that we are smaller now, so we are more agile and flexible,” Uchida said. “Also, this new company is focused on visual categories, so we can invest more in that specific industry. In the past, we were more hardware-centric as well, but customer needs are changing: They're requiring total workflows and ecosystems. Through partnerships with other industry leaders, we can provide this type of comprehensive solution.”

Uchida then went on to explain what InfoComm attendees can expect from the new and improved PPNDA in Orlando:

“We’re expanding our high-end projector lineup—a new 40,000-lumen, 3-chip DLP projector to streamline onsite workflows for large-venue entertainment,” he said. “Additionally, customers have been asking us when we'll introduce dvLED, and after careful research and development, we’re excited to introduce an all-in-one dvLED indoor solution for control rooms, classrooms, and even showrooms. We also plan to highlight our new industry partnerships, which are growing even more critical to supporting customers with comprehensive solutions for streamlined workflows.”

Beyond PPNDA, if you have attended InfoComm on multiple occasions, you are well aware that each year has a popular theme or two running throughout the event—keywords that underscore the latest trends in AV. According to Uchida, the words buzzing around the trade show floor in 2025 will be AI, cloud-based solutions, and immersive.

“[Customers] are looking for how they can make work easier and more efficient. In order to realize that, different automations such as cloud-based device management and AI technology are key,” Uchida said. “In our booth, we'll showcase total workflow offerings powered by partnerships, AI software, and immersive applications. In order for the experience to be truly engaging, the content’s quality and closeness to reality are vital. We’ll highlight an example of our work with IGLOO to bring an immersive meeting room to life with their software and our high-quality 4K projector, the PT-RQ7 Series.”

Finally, Uchida emphasized that in a world increasingly reliant upon remote connection, there is an enduring value in meeting with customers and industry colleagues face to face, as well as seeing exciting new solutions up close, at gatherings such as InfoComm.

“InfoComm is a place where we can learn what is happening in the market, attend the provided educational sessions, and exchange information with industry peers in person,” Uchida said. “We can connect with people from a wide range of markets and regions. It's inspiring to see so many great minds come together. My favorite part, though, is the opportunity to interact with many customers in one place. We can discuss the challenges they're facing, explore how our solutions can help them achieve their goals, and gather inspiration for future product and solution development.”

For an in-person look at the latest offerings from Panasonic Projector & Display Americas, be sure to visit InfoComm booth 1201.

About Panasonic Projector & Display Americas

Established on April 1, 2025 Panasonic Projector & Display Americas LLC (PPNDA) is a B2B company committed to delivering innovative visual solutions across education, corporate and entertainment industries.

The PPNDA mission and dedication is to empower professionals in the AV industry to focus on the art of storytelling, the power of communication, and the joy of connecting people through shared experiences.

PPNDA will shape the future with cutting-edge product and services that enhance the customer experience.

SCN: How has the business grown since you took over?

Matt O'Bryan: I have been president and CEO of KLA since 2002. KLA has always been known for our large-scale AV capabilities, and when I took over, I knew I wanted to grow and expand our service offerings. Since the early 2000s, we have expanded to include a wide range of IT network/wireless services, including design, configuration, deployment, and monitoring and maintenance for all our solutions. We have created new divisions within KLA which has expanded and reinforced our reputation as a leader in technology integration. Today, we have a team of over 300 employees in six offices in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

SCN: How has KLA evolved since its early days?

MO: KLA was established in 1929 as a retail store selling and repairing radios, public address systems, microphones, speakers, and rental audio systems. Our early projects included installations at Ford Motor Company and Detroit Tiger Stadium. We also provided temporary audio systems for War Bond drives in downtown Detroit during WWII, which drew hundreds of thousands of attendees.

[Executive Q&A: Big Changes at DPA Microphones]

Once my father joined the company, KLA began to expand and opened nine retail locations throughout Michigan. When hi-fi became popular in the 1950s, we were a leader in hi-fi systems. We sold audio equipment to Barry Gordy as he began Motown Studios, which was located walking distance from KLA’s Woodward Avenue location in Detroit.

In 1973, we closed our retail operations and moved our headquarters to Dearborn to better serve our large enterprise clients. We’ve always aimed to deliver innovative solutions for our clients, and that is still at the forefront of our business 95 years later.

SCN: What prompted your father, James “Pat” O’Bryan, to take over KLA in the 1960s?

MO: My father started at KLA in 1947. When he interviewed for a position in sales, he met the original founders of KLA and loved the vision and culture of the company. He came home from the interview and told my mom that day he wanted to own the company—17 years later, he made that dream come true. He started purchasing stock in the company in the 1950s and acquired a controlling interest in 1964.

SCN: How is KLA celebrating its 95th anniversary?

MO: We held a company-wide open house that included all employees and many retirees of the company. We opened our Technical Engineering Center in Dearborn, MI, for a party with live entertainment and performances from various musicians within KLA. We also recognized team members with over 30 years of service and gifted them with custom Shinola watches.

SCN: What are some of the coolest projects your company has completed recently?

MO: Since the 1950s, KLA has a valued partnership with the Detroit Lions and to this day we provide on-site support for all events at Ford Field, including NFL game days. Over the past few years, KLA has installed a new stadium sound system and updated broadcast cabling (including coaxial, triaxial, fiber optic cabling, and SMPTE) to meet broadcast requirements for FOX, CBS, and ESPN. We also installed the fiber and copper backbone cabling to support systems, including IPTV, point of sale systems, and smart displays.

In addition to the AV work we do at Ford Field, we’ve designed and deployed the entire Cisco network, including over 2,000 Wi-Fi access points, to provide wireless coverage and capacity for the 65,000 fans attending Lions games. We also designed, installed, and commissioned the neutral host 5G cellular distributed antenna system (DAS) throughout Ford Field.

SCN: Since your company handles both AV and IT projects, you’re the expert: How can organizations get these two different departments to work together?

MO: With the convergence of AV and IT, it became imperative to us to have solid expertise in both disciplines and “speak” both languages. We assist in bringing the two departments together by providing training and advising on how best to integrate the systems together in a holistic manner. Often, we will be providing both the AV and IT solutions at a client site, which streamlines the project and provides the best experience for the end user.

SCN: How important have managed services become for KLA?

MO: KLA has many clients where our relationship dates back several decades, so we play a role as a valued partner and essentially an extension of their team. Managed services are essential for the day-to-day support of our client’s systems. It gives us extra insight into the health and operation of those systems and gives the client peace of mind that their systems are operating at optimum levels. Providing managed services ensures that expansions, upgrades, and new installations are deployed correctly and deliver the best value for the client. Managed services also provide a great training opportunity to grow our entry-level team into expanded roles, as we can provide career pathing for those who are new to the AV and IT industries.

SCN: What new initiatives are we likely to see from your company?

MO: KLA is headquartered in the Midwest, but our reach is throughout North America. We are growing and expanding our Audio Visual Technologies group nationally to include the recent opening of our office in Irvine, CA, to further support the KLA office in Las Vegas. We have seen exponential growth in the AV space out west, with projects at Crypto.com Arena, Pepperdine University, and OCVIBE. We are also opening brick-and-mortar offices in Mexico and Canada. We have always provided our services in these countries, but opening offices in these markets will provide better regional/in-market support for our clients.

[Subwoofers: Pick Your Spot]

SCN: What’s the next big thing for Pro AV?

MO: We really think AI is going to be a game-changer in all systems and specifically in meeting/conference room spaces. The capabilities and features—for example, filtering out noise, real-time transcription, and translation—will not only aid in the deployment of these systems, but provide additional capabilities and an enhanced user experience.

What does the future of Pro AV hold? A good indicator is The Nine. Every year, SCN celebrates a select group of younger professionals who are setting the tone for the industry’s next generation. This year, we shine the spotlight on leaders making a difference in engineering, product development and marketing, business development and sales, service, training, virtual production, and operations.

Cory Allen

Title: Vice President of Services

Company: Exertis Almo

Location: Cincinnati, OH

Overtime: He loves playing hockey, working on cars, watching Formula racing, and savoring a good cigar. But above all, he cherishes spending time with his wife and daughter. He also swam with sharks miles out in the open ocean off the coast of Oahu.

Why You Need to Know Him: Driven and ambitious, Cory Allen is not comfortable just standing still and never settles for good enough. He always strives to push through, no matter what’s in the way, and constantly looks for ways to level up and adjust his approach. “Roadblocks don’t throw me off—they’re just the next challenge to figure out,” he added.

Learn more about Cory here.

Travis Cawthorne

Title: Director of Product and Training

Company: Kramer

Location: Charlotte, NC

Overtime: He loves smoking meats and takes great pride in preparing brisket, ribs, or pulled pork for family and friends. “They say once you hit your thirties, most guys have to decide whether they’re going to get into smoking meat or World War history," he explained. "I chose to smoke meat.”

Why You Need to Know Him: Travis Cawthrone is deeply passionate about education, training, and product development, which are his primary focuses in his current role. As he advances in his career, he hopes to continue bridging the gap between technology and real-world user needs, ensuring that AV solutions remain intuitive, powerful, and effective.

Learn more about Travis here.

Holly Clausen

Title: Senior Design Engineer

Company: AVI-SPL

Location: Seattle, WA

Overtime: She spent significant time collaging during the pandemic, and creating art has become a source of stress relief for her. She has also dedicated more time to running and recently trained for and completed her first half marathon.

Why You Need to Know Her: As a senior design engineer at AVI-SPL within its Product and Solutions Group (PSG), Holly Clausen is responsible for creating and managing all AVI-SPL reference designs. However, she notes that a large team collaborates to bring these designs to life.

Learn more about Holly here.

Daniel Gish

Title: Electrical Engineer

Company: HME

Location: San Diego

Overtime: He is an avid reader, photographer, and trail runner enjoying the beautiful views of his hometown San Diego.

Why You Need to Know Him: Gish knows the ins and outs of audio, a knowledge that began with a childhood of audio curiosity.

Learn more about Daniel here.

Catherine Koutsaris

Title: Product Marketing Manager

Company: Matrox Video

Location: Montreal

Overtime: A dual citizen of Canada and the United States, she grew up in Montreal and embraces the area’s multi-cultural offerings. You can find Catherine trying new recipes, watching musicals, playing video games, or admiring her salt and pepper shaker and rubber duck collections.

Why You Need to Know Her: Always in style, she loves finding new ways of combining her engineering background with market knowledge to present innovative solutions for her clients' complex control room environments.

Learn more about Catherine here.

Xzavia Killikelly

Title: Business Development Manager, The Americas

Company: Bose Professional

Location: Houston, TX

Overtime: He has a fascination with words, rhyming, and the artistry of hip-hop. He even recorded a couple of tracks in a studio. “Even though the hip-hop career never took off, I still, to this day, have a deep love for the genre, but now I engage with music in a different way, one that’s just as exciting and meaningful,” he said.

Why You Need to Know Him: Xzavia Killikelly is continually discovering ways to harness the impact technology has on people and experiences, assisting individuals in connecting, engaging, and innovating with it. “The mix of creativity, technology, and problem solving makes every project unique,” he said.

Learn more about Xzavia here.

Andie Mace

Title: Senior Product Marketing Manager

Company: HP

Location: Salt Lake City

Overtime: This newlywed loves hiking, skiing, and being outdoors in general.

Why You Need to Know Her: Andie Mace self-identifies as a geek. She grew up in a tech household in Fort Worth, TX. “We just loved gadgets,” she admitted.

Learn more about Andi here.

Tom Petershack

Title: General Manager-Media and Special Projects

Company: Planar

Location: Milwaukee, WI

Overtime: As a dad to a 10-month-old, there isn’t a lot of free time, but Petershack enjoys chess and golfing.

Why You Need to Know Him: He doesn’t like taking “no” or “we can’t do this” for an answer.

Learn more about Tom here.

Melis Vardar

Title: Manager, AV/IT Operations

Company: UCLA

Location: Los Angeles

Overtime: Vardar doesn’t just work in education, she's engulfed by it. She’s passionate about learning and is currently going for her master's degree.

Why You Need to Know Her: Basically, Vardar is what you get when you mix a bookworm who loves to learn with a whole bunch of Pro AV gadgets and solutions.

Learn more about Melis here.

Title: Product Marketing Manager

Company: Matrox Video

Location: Montreal

Overtime: A dual citizen of Canada and the United States, she grew up in Montreal and embraces the area’s multi-cultural offerings. You can find Catherine trying new recipes, watching musicals, playing video games, or admiring her salt and pepper shaker and rubber duck collections.

Why You Need to Know Her: Always in style, she loves finding new ways of combining her engineering background with market knowledge to present innovative solutions for her clients' complex control room environments.

A doctor or Mulan. If you had asked a young Catherine Koutsaris what her career ambitions were, you would have likely been told one of those two options. Instead, it turns out she’s building a career in Pro AV utilizing her engineering skills.

Koutsaris earned her degree in mechanical engineering at McGill University in Montreal, but she wasn’t that kid who was taking apart the toaster to see how it worked. She had many interests, including law, but decided that a degree in mechanical engineering would open the most doors for her.

“I chose to be an engineer so that I didn’t have to be an engineer for long,” she offered. “Critical thinking, problem solving—you can apply that to succeed in any industry.”

Engineer or not, Koutsaris loves technology. “I hate the limiting mindset of ‘we’ve always done it this way,’” she said. “It bothers me. There’s always room for improvement and technology allows for that. Quality of life improves because we can use technology to make everyday things better.”

Today, Koutsaris has combined her love of technology with the commercial side of engineering. At Matrox, that training has certainly been an asset. Koutsaris began the current leg of her career journey last month, when she was promoted to product marketing manager. She’s excited for the new role, which will let her tell the story of the entire Matrox portfolio, not just one product, and how the products work well together.

Like so many others, Koutsaris found herself in Pro AV by accident. She was working in the aerospace industry working on software for flight simulators. “I loved it. I thought I was going to be an aerospace queen,” she recalled.

Then came COVID-19. And a layoff. She learned Matrox was hiring and submitted her resume. Koutsaris started with the company as a testing engineer in 2020 and was promoted to product manager the next year. “I ended up loving it,” she said. “It launched a totally new career path for me.”

Even though she’s not working strictly as an engineer, she works with engineers all the time. In her product manager role, she played the middleman between the engineering team, sales team, marketing team, and trade show team—always keeping the needs of the customer top of mind. Plus, she gave product demos and talked directly with customers to better understand their workflows so she could recommend solutions. “It’s a very diverse set of tasks,” she added. “That’s why I love it. No two days are alike.” In fact, her efforts were acknowledged last month during an awards ceremony at the 2025 NAB Show.

Koutsaris is also active in encouraging women to consider careers in technology and specifically the Pro AV industry. At the end of the day, she said it’s about representation and trying to make everyone feel included.

“When I was in engineering, we were such a small group of women. I never really saw role models that were like me,” she explained. “As my career path evolved and as I got more involved in committees and networking events, I’ve enjoyed meeting brilliant, bold and inspiring women from all walks of life – proving that your own uniqueness is often the key to your own success.”

Koutsaris shared one piece of advice for professionals who are starting their own Pro AV journeys: “Do not take advice from someone who isn’t where you want to be.” She said people have been quick to offer her advice over the years, but she doesn’t feel compelled to take it. “Being discerning is crucial,” she added. “Trust your choices and intuition.”

Meet the rest of The Nine.

Title: Director of Product and Training

Company: Kramer

Location: Charlotte, NC

Overtime: He loves smoking meats and takes great pride in preparing brisket, ribs, or pulled pork for family and friends. “They say once you hit your thirties, most guys have to decide whether they’re going to get into smoking meat or World War history," he explained. "I chose to smoke meat.”

Why You Need to Know Him: Travis Cawthorne is deeply passionate about education, training, and product development, which are his primary focuses in his current role. As he advances in his career, he hopes to continue bridging the gap between technology and real-world user needs, ensuring that AV solutions remain intuitive, powerful, and effective.

AV has been a part of Cawthorne's life for as long as he can remember, which is understandable since both of his parents were in the industry. His dad worked with manufacturers, including Sony, Panasonic, and Kramer, while his mom worked in broadcast AV at Sony. “Most people stumble into Pro AV,” said Cawthorne. “My path was very intentional.”

His dad instilled in him a focus on relationships, and his reputation in the field helped pave the way for him when he started out. “I would meet customers and integrators, and they’d often ask, 'Are you related to Kent?' It was nice to have that recognition, especially early in my career,” said Cawthorne. “My dad has always been a great role model, and his experience and guidance have been invaluable to me.”

After this unofficial start in the industry, he officially began his AV career with Kramer. He spent nearly five years as a field sales engineer, collaborating with sales teams, dealers, and end users to design AV systems. Following that, he worked as a regional brand sales manager for Vaddio and Luxul within Legrand AV before transitioning into a solutions engineering role.

These experiences guided him to his return to Kramer and current role as the director of products and training, where he collaborates closely with customers, incorporating their feedback to help shape future product offerings. “Training and education aren’t just about teaching people how to use products—they’re about empowering them to design better systems, solve problems more efficiently, and drive better outcomes,” Cawthorne added.

His close work with customers provides valuable insights to the product development teams, positioning him as a bridge between the two. “Travis is helping to shape the future of our products and training. His enthusiasm for education, and how deeply he understands the needs of our customers, is inspiring," said Amit Acikovsky, president, Americas Kramer Electronics. "He's a real asset, not just to Kramer, but to the entire AV community."

Cawthorne's early start in the industry provided him with a unique combination of technical expertise and customer-focused thinking. “Because I started in AV so early and have worked across sales, engineering, and product development, I not only understand the technology but also how integrators, consultants, and end users interact with it,” he said. He also emphasizes continuous learning, enabling him to stay ahead of the curve while experimenting with and experiencing new technologies.

Just as his father and mother passed on great insights, he emphasized that, in addition to ongoing education and relationship management, mastering time management can be one of the most critical skills, particularly early in your career. “It’s about being able to give the right attention where it's needed and being flexible enough to pivot when necessary,” he said.

Meet the rest of The Nine.

Title: Manager, AV/IT Operations

Company: UCLA

Location: Los Angeles

Overtime: Vardar doesn’t just work in education, she's engulfed by it. She’s passionate about learning and is currently going for her master's degree.

Why You Need to Know Her: Basically, Vardar is what you get when you mix a bookworm who loves to learn with a whole bunch of Pro AV gadgets and solutions.

Melis Vardar credits her love for learning to her soon-to-be 97-year-old grandmother, who to this day, as Vardar laughed, “works her iPhone better than I do." Her grandmother was a doctor in Turkey and is still the smartest woman she has ever known. It was her passion to learn that drives Vardar still today.

As a member of Joe Way’s AV/IT team at UCLA, Vardar oversees operations in digital signage, finance, and security/safety. While she has always been Pro AV adjacent working with technology companies like TikTok and in the cloud at Oracle, this is her first go at managing an AV/IT team.

Though she admits she kind of stumbled into AV, she’s always seemed destined to be in the education space. “[Education] was perfect for me because I get to keep that passion of learning new technologies while also being in the education space where I'm able to directly see the impact,” she said.

While she may have “stumbled” into her current position at UCLA, it was only a matter of time that she would find herself there. After all, she attended Loyola Marymount University, took classes at UCLA, graduated from USC, and is currently working toward her master’s at Pepperdine University. “I've gone to every school in the L.A. area,” she said. “It was only fitting that I go work at UCLA.”

The classroom isn't the only place Vardar is learning. “I'm someone who always wants to learn about the next thing,” she explained. “When I was at Oracle, I was in the cloud technology space in sales, but the other side of the business is this enterprise application space. So, I pivoted from the database cloud software over to the cloud application software because I wanted to get a better understanding of that side of the business. I think what's so magical about AV—to someone who isn't familiar with it, coming on this side and seeing everything that goes into making this seamless environment—I just find very impressive and very cool that I get to be part of it.”

It certainly doesn’t hurt having someone like Joe Way—executive director, Digital Spaces, UCLA and a Pro AV icon in the educational space—be your mentor in a field that is foreign to you. “The way he puts out a plan, it's not within the box—he realizes there is no box,” Vardar said. “That's the way he approaches AV, and I love that. He has this remarkable ability of explaining things that make sense to whoever is listening to him, and I just think that's a sign of a great leader.”

"Melis is a rare asset to the AV industry—she thinks strategically like a business leader while forging genuine, personal connections with her colleagues," Way said. "Her ability to balance manager acumen with strategic collaboration makes her an invaluable asset to UCLA. With her unique blend of vision and heart, she not only drives progress but also inspires those around her to do the same."

Now, close to nine months into her aspiring Pro AV career (with her first ISE officially under her belt), that childlike awe of learning still shines through. A self-proclaimed learner by doing, Vardar is already doing great things on campus—with more to come.

“What's so amazing about being in AV in education—you get to see your direct impact every day,” Vardar added. “You see the students in the classrooms, you see them learning. The fact that I can see that all the work that I'm putting into something directly improves their experience it's just such a good feeling. I feel so honored to be in this specific space.”

Meet the rest of The Nine.