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 Council
AVIXA’s webinar featuring Dr. Temple Grandin
Neurodiversity, visual thinking, and careers in AV
Temple Grandin’s influence and connection to technology professionals
The value of accessible webinar programming
HETMA golf tournament and Prism Scholarship support
EDUCAUSE and future Orlando events
AV sustainability conference updates from UCLA
Professional travel, burnout, and work-life balance
Current AV market activity and industry uncertainty
Supply-chain, tariff, and economic concerns
Safety, qualified expertise, and responsible AV installation practices
The AV Life is a Higher Ed AV Media production. More at higheredav.com (https://higheredav.com).
Connect with Tim Van Woeart:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-cts-45416826/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-cts-45416826/)
X (Formerly Twitter): https://www.x.com/TVanWoeart (https://www.x.com/TVanWoeart)
Connect with The AV Life:
X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheAVLifePod (https://twitter.com/TheAVLifePod)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337 (https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337)
16 Oct 2026
355: Communication Skills Every AV Leader Needs
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 conversation
Curiosity, empathy, and avoiding quick judgment
Murphy Daley’s AV Project Management Handbook audiobook release
Communication preferences across project teams
Choosing effective formats for project updates and documentation
Building productive communication rhythms with supervisors
Lessons from the Temple Grandin webinar
Neurodiversity advocacy in higher education AV
Making space for different thinkers and learning styles
Developing intentional career pathways into AV
Prism Scholarship fundraising
Upcoming Halloween episode, Disney planning, and InfoComm 2027
The AV Life is a Higher Ed AV Media production. More at higheredav.com (https://higheredav.com).
Connect with Tim Van Woeart:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-cts-45416826/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-cts-45416826/)
X (Formerly Twitter): https://www.x.com/TVanWoeart (https://www.x.com/TVanWoeart)
Connect with The AV Life:
X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheAVLifePod (https://twitter.com/TheAVLifePod)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337 (https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337)
5 Oct 2026
354: The Responsibility to Speak Up
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 Hours
Murphy's AV Project Manager Handbook audiobook
The upcoming Spanish translation of Murphy's book
InfoComm and Murphy's potential trip to Florida
Spanish language and regional dialects
The Cornell Seven case and its renewed attention
Sexual assault, safety and responsibility in higher education
Greek organizations, fraternity/sorority culture and organizational standards
Bystander intervention and the importance of speaking up
Parenting, teaching young people about awareness and personal responsibility
Respect, kindness, professional boundaries and workplace culture
An AV-industry experience involving inappropriate behavior during an installation
The AV Life is a Higher Ed AV Media production. More at higheredav.com (https://higheredav.com).
Connect with Tim Van Woeart:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-cts-45416826/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-cts-45416826/)
X (Formerly Twitter): https://www.x.com/TVanWoeart (https://www.x.com/TVanWoeart)
Connect with The AV Life:
X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheAVLifePod (https://twitter.com/TheAVLifePod)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337 (https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
1,214
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
1.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 57 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
74
Social presence
0
YouTube
68
Engagement
32
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