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 AV
• Chi Hang Lo’s AV Professional of the Year nomination
• Servant leadership and team-focused recognition
• Cloud-first AV system design at UCLA
• Agile and scrum methodologies in AV projects
• Evolution of classroom technology over the past decade
• AI’s role in AV analytics and learning environments
• Smart campuses and integrated systems
• Industry recognition of higher ed AV innovation
• Leadership transitions and industry transformation
• Predictions for the next 15 years of AV and higher ed

The 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/TVanWoeart

Connect with The AV Life:
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337