317: A Milestone Anniversary, a Nomination, and a Look Ahead to 2026

This episode of The AV Life reflects on major milestones in higher education AV while looking ahead to the future of the industry. Host Tim Van Woeart celebrates his 15-year anniversary in higher ed AV, sharing lessons learned, career growth, and the importance of people skills alongside technology. The conversation spotlights Chi Hang Lo, who was nominated for AV Professional of the Year by AV Nation, highlighting his servant leadership, technical vision, and dedication to mentoring his team. The group discusses transformative projects such as UCLA’s cloud-first AV systems, the evolution of classroom technology, and how cloud infrastructure, AI, and agile methodologies are shaping the next generation of learning environments. Broader industry changes—including leadership transitions, recognition of higher ed innovation, and predictions for the next 15 years—round out a reflective yet forward-looking conversation centered on collaboration, innovation, and community. Topics discussed:Tim Van Woeart’s 15-year anniversary in higher ed AVChi Hang Lo’s AV Professional of the Year nominationServant leadership and team-focused recognitionCloud-first AV system design at UCLAAgile and scrum methodologies in AV projectsEvolution of classroom technology over the past decadeAI’s role in AV analytics and learning environmentsSmart campuses and integrated systemsIndustry recognition of higher ed AV innovationLeadership transitions and industry transformationPredictions for the next 15 years of AV and higher edThe 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