When I first started in AV, I remember hearing how AV professionals really care about the human experience, not just the tech. And it's true! I love connecting the dots to help people find the AV resources they need, building communities where people come together and being a part of such a vibrant (and welcoming) industry. 

Started my career in the insurance industry, specifically Workers comp. Eleven years ago I answered a call from an old friend I  went to grade school with and he asked me to come help him manage his broadcast cabling company. That old friend is Carl Craver and the company is Viper Cabling Inc.  WE handle everything from small voice and data /AV installs to large broadcast projects.  I took over Carl's  spot on the ITS Council and have been volunteering ever since 2012. I am excited to have been recently elected as the ITS Council chair.   As the new Chair I hope to recruit new members that would like to be a part of our next charity project. 

People + Process + Space + Technology = COLLABORATION

Started Journey as Live sound System Engineer For small AV company in 2007. Then join one Dubbing studio and Done Some Movies Dubbing and Music Mixing Till 2008. After 2008 Started working as Freelancer for Audio Jobs as Recording, Dubbing and Mixing engineer for regional language Music and Movies. From 2010 corporate journey Started with Manufacturer of AV Acessories in India. Till 2012 worked as Technical Marketing team Head for the Product developments and Possible solutions for Pro Audio and Video Industry Acessories. After 2013 Started working for Pro Audio Industry Products as BDM for West India. From 2016 Working as Individual Audio, Video and Acoustics Design Consultant for freelance projects across India and in global market.

Mike Pedersen, the Audiovisual Experience Manager at Iowa State University since the summer of 2018, brings over 30 years of experience in the engineering industry with a focus on the professional audiovisual (AV) sector for the past 25 years. Leading the Audiovisual Experience Team (AVXT) at Iowa State, Mike oversees the maintenance of AV systems in over 200 university classrooms and provides consulting, installation, and repair services across campus. The AVXT won the 2023 Higher Ed AV Team of the Year with Higher Ed AV Media.  Recognized as an expert in the field, he holds both Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) certifications in Design (CTS-D) and Installation (CTS-I), a distinction shared by only approximately 700 individuals worldwide. In 2018, AVIXA named him CTS Holder of the Year.  Mike currently serves on the Membership Committee and Certification Renewal Committee with AVIXA, and he previously served as an elected member of the Certification Steering Committee and chair of the Technology Mangers Council.  He currently serves on the board of directors with the Educational Technology Collaborative (ETC) as the Membership Committee and Program Committee.  He has previously served extensively with HETMA including as the 1-year at large board member.  Before joining Iowa State, he spent almost 19 years at Mechdyne Corporation, contributing to various roles including engineering manager, R&D, and pre-sales engineering. Outside of his professional endeavors, Mike actively volunteers in STEM education, serving on the governor's North Central Iowa Regional STEM Advisory Board. A 1994 graduate of Iowa State University, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering with distinction and a minor in History and is working toward a Master of Engineering in Engineering Management degree.

Dr. Josiah Way is the Executive Director, Digital Spaces at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), known as a revolutionary visionary and innovator in the audiovisual industry. As the leading educational technology thought leader, Joe was recognized as the 2019 AV Professional of the Year, 2023 AV Living Legend, 2008 Businessman of the Year, and is named to multiple top industry and influencers lists, including the 2024 global Top 100 Innovators and Entrepreneurs, 2024 Who’s Who in America, 2023 Top 50 UC Professionals, and 2019 and 2022 Top 30 Higher Ed IT Leaders lists. He is a highly sought keynote speaker and writer, most acclaimed for his innovative design of the technology standard for hybrid instruction and business development within the higher ed vertical. Joe is the cofounder of the Higher Education Technology Managers Alliance (HETMA) and serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Higher Ed AV Media, host of the Higher Ed AV Podcast, and writer of the Business of AV monthly column. Dr. Way authored the bestselling book, Producing Worship, and is a regular contributor to multiple leading AV-industry publications, while also serving on numerous corporate and higher education advisory boards. Joe has over 30 years’ experience in education, technical production and the arts, and organizational leadership and management. He has been featured in Forbes Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, ABC and PBS Television, Yahoo News, and consulted for high profile organizations like the United Nations, US Department of Education, and over forty Fortune 500’s. In his free time, Joe enjoys cruising the lake on his boat with family and friends, golfing PGA West, and perfecting his Traeger meat-smoking techniques. Oh, and he once won his fantasy football league. Joe is available for speaking engagements, media appearances, and business development consulting.

Up through May 2022, I managed the AV Engineering & Operations team at the University of North Georgia. We maintained multiple campuses of classrooms with control systems in each and we worked with a team of support technicians who handle work on incident management while we handled incident escalations as well as problem management, change management, and request fulfillment (to use the ITIL vernacular). In May 2022, I became a Design Engineer 1 for AVI-SPL, based out of the Atlanta, GA office. I worked with the Account Managers to design systems for customers prior to sales, then worked with the post sales team once a system is purchased. Over the next two years, I was promoted to Design Engineer 2. In October 2024, I became an Engineering Manager for AVI-SPL, managing the Design Engineers and Project Engineers in the Atlanta, GA office.