The AV Life

Hosts Tim Van Woeart, Murphy Daley, Nancy Blanchard, Renee Benson, Brandy Johnson, James King, and guest Joe Way discuss a busy season of AV travel, industry events, project management, and year-end planning. Murphy shares a PM Minute focused on resilient, mission-driven teams that adapt quickly, support one another, and keep AV installations moving when unexpected issues arise. Joe recaps recent events including EDUCAUSE, InfoComm América Latina, CABSAT, the HETMA Golf Classic, and sustainability-focused programming, noting that AV professionals worldwide face many of the same challenges. The crew also discusses travel pressures, budgeting for professional development, the end-of-semester push, daylight saving time, and an “attitude of gratitude” challenge for November.Topics discussed:Travel challenges and international workMurphy Daley’s LinkedIn Live office hoursTeamwork and morale in project managementMission statements and shared project goalsManaging unexpected AV installation issuesExtreme Ownership and proactive planningJoe Way’s global AV industry travelHETMA Golf ClassicEDUCAUSE collaboration and higher ed technology partnershipsAV sustainability and the SAVe conferenceInfoComm América Latina and global AV marketsYear-end budgets, professional development, and gratitudeThe AV Life is a Higher Ed AV Media production. More at higheredav.com.Connect with Tim Van Woeart:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-cts-45416826/X (Formerly Twitter): https://www.x.com/TVanWoeartConnect with The AV Life:X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheAVLifePodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337

Happy Halloween from The AV Life! This week, the crew opens the floor for the spooky, strange, and occasionally unsafe things AV professionals have encountered in the wild. Our reghoular hosts Tim Van Woeart, Nancy Blanchard, Murphy Daley, and Renee Benson welcome higher education AV professionals Will DeWitt, Tim Neviska, Philip Leimbach, Aaron Baker, Steve Borho, and Stephen Richards. They share memorable “AV nightmares,” including unreliable classroom systems, unsafe projector installations, equipment theft, legacy video-conferencing support, and frustrating equipment-access designs. The group reflects on the evolution from heavy CRT projectors, VCRs, VGA, and AV carts to modern classroom technology, while emphasizing practical support habits such as clear cable labeling and color-coding. They also discuss instructor preferences for chalkboards, whiteboards, and interactive displays, along with maintenance challenges. The episode closes with a lively Halloween lightning round covering candy corn, trick-or-treat traditions, full-size candy bars, and favorite seasonal treats.Topics discussed:Leadership transitions and change in higher educationHaunted classrooms and spooky campus legendsUnsafe projector installations and AV safetyProjector theft and campus equipment securityScooters as campus IT/AV transportationEarly-morning videoconferencing support emergenciesLegacy CRT projector maintenanceRoom-PC design and cable-access challengesColor-coding and labeling for faster troubleshootingVCRs, VGA, AV carts, and classroom technology nostalgiaChalkboards, whiteboards, and interactive display preferencesHalloween candy and trick-or-treating debatesThe AV Life is a Higher Ed AV Media production. More at higheredav.com.Connect with Tim Van Woeart:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-cts-45416826/X (Formerly Twitter): https://www.x.com/TVanWoeartConnect with The AV Life:X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheAVLifePodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337

Jenn Steinhardt of AVI-SPL and AVIXA’s Diversity Council joins our hosts this week on The AV Life Podcast. Jenn shares the story behind moderating AVIXA’s webinar with Dr. Temple Grandin, discussing neurodiversity, visual thinking, STEM, and why many people in AV feel they have found where they belong.The group also reflects on recent HETMA, EDUCAUSE, and sustainability events, the value of industry connection, and the pressures of constant travel. They discuss a shared sense that the AV industry is busy and growing but also navigating an uncertain, “weird” period shaped by supply-chain concerns, changing conditions, and lingering post-pandemic effects. James underscores the importance of engaging qualified experts and maintaining safety standards in AV installations.Topics Discussed:Jenn Steinhardt’s role with AVI-SPL and AVIXA’s Diversity CouncilAVIXA’s webinar featuring Dr. Temple GrandinNeurodiversity, visual thinking, and careers in AVTemple Grandin’s influence and connection to technology professionalsThe value of accessible webinar programmingHETMA golf tournament and Prism Scholarship supportEDUCAUSE and future Orlando eventsAV sustainability conference updates from UCLAProfessional travel, burnout, and work-life balanceCurrent AV market activity and industry uncertaintySupply-chain, tariff, and economic concernsSafety, qualified expertise, and responsible AV installation practicesThe AV Life is a Higher Ed AV Media production. More at higheredav.com.Connect with Tim Van Woeart:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-cts-45416826/X (Formerly Twitter): https://www.x.com/TVanWoeartConnect with The AV Life:X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheAVLifePodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337

This week Tim Van Woeart, Murphy Daley, and James King discuss communication, neurodiversity, and leadership in higher education AV. Murphy announces the Audible release of her AV Project Management Handbook and uses it to explore a key project-management lesson: teams receive information differently, whether through print, digital tools, audio, email, text, or real-time messaging.Tim connects the conversation to a Temple Grandin webinar moderated by Jenn Steinhardt, highlighting the value of recognizing visual, auditory, and written learning preferences. The hosts emphasize making room for people who think differently and intentionally building AV career pathways rather than having people simply “fall into” the field. They also preview a future conversation with Steinhardt on neurodiversity, invite listeners to the annual Halloween episode, and look ahead to next summer's InfoComm 2027 in Orlando, Florida.Topics Discussed:Reflecting on last week’s Cornell Seven conversationCuriosity, empathy, and avoiding quick judgmentMurphy Daley’s AV Project Management Handbook audiobook releaseCommunication preferences across project teamsChoosing effective formats for project updates and documentationBuilding productive communication rhythms with supervisorsLessons from the Temple Grandin webinarNeurodiversity advocacy in higher education AVMaking space for different thinkers and learning stylesDeveloping intentional career pathways into AVPrism Scholarship fundraisingUpcoming Halloween episode, Disney planning, and InfoComm 2027The AV Life is a Higher Ed AV Media production. More at higheredav.com.Connect with Tim Van Woeart:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-cts-45416826/X (Formerly Twitter): https://www.x.com/TVanWoeartConnect with The AV Life:X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheAVLifePodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337

This week Tim Van Woeart and Murphy Daley have a wide-ranging conversation that begins with Murphy’s upcoming project-management office hours, her new audiobook, and the Spanish translation of her AV Project Manager Handbook. The discussion then takes a serious turn toward the Cornell fraternity sexual-assault case, higher-education responsibility, Greek-life culture, bystander intervention, personal accountability, and the importance of speaking up when something is wrong. Both hosts emphasize that allegations should be distinguished from established facts while discussing the broader lessons around safety, respect and values. Tim connects the conversation to his own fraternity experience and the responsibility of organizations to establish and maintain standards. Murphy expands the discussion into personal character, choosing relationships that make us better people, and recognizing potentially dangerous situations. Murphy also shares a personal AV-industry experience involving inappropriate behavior at a late-night installation, illustrating why professionals need to feel empowered to establish boundaries and speak up. The episode ultimately returns to a recurring AV Life theme: kindness, respect, awareness, accountability and maintaining strong professional values.Topics discussed:  Murphy Daley's upcoming AV/IT Project Management Office HoursMurphy's AV Project Manager Handbook audiobookThe upcoming Spanish translation of Murphy's bookInfoComm and Murphy's potential trip to FloridaSpanish language and regional dialectsThe Cornell Seven case and its renewed attentionSexual assault, safety and responsibility in higher educationGreek organizations, fraternity/sorority culture and organizational standardsBystander intervention and the importance of speaking upParenting, teaching young people about awareness and personal responsibilityRespect, kindness, professional boundaries and workplace cultureAn AV-industry experience involving inappropriate behavior during an installationThe AV Life is a Higher Ed AV Media production. More at higheredav.com.Connect with Tim Van Woeart:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-cts-45416826/X (Formerly Twitter): https://www.x.com/TVanWoeartConnect with The AV Life:X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheAVLifePodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337