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.
You may also know her as @NerdyGirlAV. Jenn is an active leader within the AVIXA Diversity Council, serving as chair since 2024. Jenn was also a part of SCN The Nine: Class of 2021 and Class of 2022 Commercial Integrators 40 Under 40. She’s passionate about creating opportunities for incoming folks into the industry and advocating for neurodiversity and mental health awareness.
Her experience in AV ranges from project coordination, rentals, marketing, sales, service, AV consulting, and she currently works as a design engineer with AVI-SPL. Something you may not know about her is that she achieved her BS in Media Arts & Design at James Madison University and her Master's in Sociology at The New School for Social Research.
Erin Maher-Moran is the IT Manager – Classroom Technology at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). She manages the Classroom/Audiovisual Technology Services team. Her team designs, installs, supports and maintains the classroom technology in general pool classrooms, as well as supports events, on the Homewood Campus in Baltimore, MD. She is also the Vice Chair of the Higher Education Technology Managers Alliance (HETMA.org) and the host of AVNation’s EDTech podcast.
With 25+ years in Higher Education AV, Erin has seen the industry grow and change in leaps and bounds. She has been programming Crestron control systems since the early 2000’s and an AVIXA Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) since 2008.
Erin is a former roller derby skater and coach. This has helped her understand the importance of building a dynamic team as well as allowed her an opportunity to develop her leadership skills and style.
Erin holds a BFA in illustration and an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Interactive Multimedia Development from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). She is currently pursuing her MS in Engineering Management – Technical Leadership at JHU.
Frank is an IT/AV Evangelist in the AV Industry. Frank strives to bridge the knowledge gap between Tech disciplines. As a self proclaimed "cert junkie" he holds more than 10+ IT/AV Industry certifications, along with an MS in Cyber-Security/Information Assurance and BS in IT Sec.
Frank is active on social media, is a life-long learner and believes in constant self-improvement. He contributes as an SME to AV publications and IT/Cybersecurity podcasts and events. He also hosts ITFactor, an IT - AV - Tech centric podcast on www.avnation.tv
He volunteers with AVIXA currently serving as the Chair of the Diversity Council where he is constantly mentoring and creating opportunities for community development through open communication.
Currently a Senior Solutions Engineer at Mechdyne Corporation. I started at Mechdyne as an AV Systems Designer from 2013-2018 where 90% of my projects were under-budget and delivered on-time. In 2020, I was listed as one of Commercial Integrator’s “40 Influencers Under 40”. I started in the AV Industry in 1998, running sound at my church and school in Bloomington, MN , and doing it professionally since 2000. I graduated from Iowa State University with a BS in Aerospace Engineering in 2009 where I worked as a local stagehand at CY Stephens Auditorium and Hilton Coliseum, as well as other freelance stagehand work in the Minneapolis area. Since 2022, Aaron has continued to work various events back at CY Stephens Auditorium and at other locations in the central-Iowa area.
As a technology journalist, Megan A. Dutta puts her passion for the audiovisual industry on each and every page, whether print or digital. Dutta is currently the director of emerging markets at LAVNCH and editor-in-chief of LAVNCH [CODE] where she explores new technologies like extended reality (XR), experiential advertising, projection mapping, and more.
I’m a has-been geek turned manager, turned executive, turned (hopefully) into leader. I love technology and even more I love people. So what I find really interesting is the intersection of people and technology…and in so many ways, that’s my definition of AV.
Hello, I'm the Digital Media Producer at AVIXA! I'm a proud #AVTweep and love working in the awesome, vibrant industry known as AV. I'm Thai-'merican, overly-obsessed with cars, a hockey rink rat, and a doggo dad. (he/him)
I head up the marketing for InfoComm, the greatest tradeshow on Earth. InfoComm 2023 will be my 10th show.
Chat with me if you want to talk about InfoComm, working at AVIXA, or shoes! Follow me on Twitter @AVshoeQueen.
👟
A driven business leader with an entrepreneurial spirit, passionate about people, interested in innovation and technology, and finding solutions that help transform and make a positive impact. I am fortunate to have spent 30+ years in a career that I love!
