Épisodes

  • 139: The Igloo Takeover with Laura Mills and Rebecca Wade

    139: The Igloo Takeover with Laura Mills and Rebecca Wade
    Jun 24 2026
    In this one off InfoComm 2026 episode, the tables turn as Laura and Rebecca from Igloo Vision take over the microphones and interview Ryan Gray for a change. What starts as a lighthearted booth conversation quickly turns into a surprisingly honest discussion about recognition, community leadership, HETMA’s future, the pressure of being seen by others, and why the best technology is often the kind instructors never have to think about.

    Ryan talks about winning AV Professional of the Year, the importance of working yourself out of a job, and why HETMA’s future depends on shared ownership beyond its original leaders. The conversation also dives into student centered classroom technology, including beamforming microphones, automated camera systems, capture workflows, and the role of AI in helping students translate class experiences into learning that fits their lives. Also, somehow, HETMA becomes cucumber lime electrolyte water and Ryan becomes “Persistence Man.”

    Topics Discussed
    Ryan being interviewed instead of hosting
    The HETMA podcast takeover from InfoComm 2026
    Laura and Rebecca from Igloo Vision turning the tables
    Ryan’s role at Yavapai College
    Ryan’s role with Higher Ed AV Media
    Receiving the AV Professional of the Year award
    The challenge of accepting recognition
    Working yourself out of a job
    Building teams that create opportunities for others
    Helping work outlive the person who started it
    HETMA as a volunteer driven organization
    The early growth of HETMA during the COVID era
    Shared ownership as the future of HETMA
    Bringing new leaders into the community
    HETMA’s presence at ISE and international growth
    The importance of education led community building
    How higher education AV may translate differently outside the United States
    Balancing structure and substance in a growing organization
    Technology that supports teaching without getting in the way
    Designing AV systems around the student experience
    Beamforming microphones in learning spaces
    Shure ceiling microphone systems
    Automated camera systems and Huddly Crew
    Lecture capture and recorded classroom experiences
    AI searchable class content
    Supporting working adults, parents, and students with complicated lives
    Matching teaching styles to student learning needs
    The value of technology that feels automatic to instructors

    Connect with Laura Mills
    https://uk.linkedin.com/in/laurakellymills
    https://www.igloovision.com

    Connect with Rebecca Wade
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-wade-979094154
    https://www.igloovision.com

    Connect with Ryan
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagray/
    ryan@higheredav.com

    Voiceover by Chris Dechter

    Have feedback or guest ideas? Let us know!

    This show is a production of Higher Ed AV Media. Visit www.HigherEdAV.com for fresh content every day!
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    30 min
  • 138: I Don't Wanna Be The Cheesey Boy with Philipp Gude

    138: I Don't Wanna Be The Cheesey Boy with Philipp Gude
    Jun 10 2026
    This week on the AV/IT Amplifier, Ryan continues the conversation with Philipp Gude of GUDE Systems, moving beyond the product conversation and into the people, personality, and philosophy behind the company. The episode starts with the most important technical matter of all: how exactly Americans are supposed to pronounce “Gude,” why “good” works just fine, and how quickly a strong product name can become a full episode worth of puns.

    From there, Ryan and Philipp get into the energy of InfoComm, what it means to make a traditionally dry category like power management feel engaging, and why smart power is more than just something sitting in the bottom of a rack. Philipp talks about working in a family company, his path through engineering, IT, and sales, the pride and responsibility of having his name on every product, and why his confidence in GUDE comes not just from the engineering team, but from the feedback he hears every day from customers. The conversation also wanders, in the best possible way, through Cologne, German beer, factory tours, grilled salami and gouda sandwiches, the future film Mr. Strom, and the value of creating enough trust that people will tell you the truth.

    Topics discussed
    The difference between saying GUDE in German and saying “good” for English speaking customers.
    How GUDE’s slogan, “good, great, GUDE,” turns the company name into a natural brand advantage.
    The danger and delight of making too many power management puns.
    Why AV and IT people often build big public systems while personally preferring to stay in the background.
    Philipp’s answer to whether he is an introvert or an extrovert: both, depending on role and day.
    InfoComm as an exhausting but energizing week for people who thrive on connection.
    Making power management feel more engaging without losing sight of how serious and important it is.
    Philipp’s unexpected path into the family business after work in chemical industry, IT, engineering, and technical sales.
    What it feels like to sell a product that literally carries your family name.
    Why Philipp says his confidence in GUDE comes from customer feedback as much as from knowing the engineering team.
    GUDE’s firmware being built from scratch and the value of knowing what is actually inside the product.
    Cologne, the Cologne Cathedral, German beer, and why ordering “a beer” may be the right move in Germany.
    The imagined movie of Philipp’s life: Mr. Power, or better, Mr. Strom.
    The best sandwich question, answered with grilled salami and gouda.
    The importance of blunt, honest feedback from customers, colleagues, and team members.
    How assumptions about family businesses can miss the real story of how someone started.
    Where to connect with Philipp and GUDE Systems.
    InfoComm booth details and HETMA member show floor tours.


    Connect with Philipp Gude
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipp-gude-pdu/
    https://gude-systems.com

    Connect with Ryan
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagray/
    ryan@higheredav.com

    Voiceover by Chris Dechter

    Have feedback or guest ideas? Let us know!
    This show is a production of Higher Ed AV Media. Visit www.HigherEdAV.com for fresh content every day!
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    35 min
  • 137: Reliable as F*** with Philipp Gude

    137: Reliable as F*** with Philipp Gude
    Jun 3 2026
    In this episode of The AV/IT Amplifier Podcast, Ryan Gray sits down with Philipp Gude of GUDE Systems during the final run up to InfoComm 2026. Philipp shares the story of GUDE as a family company, founded by his father more than 35 years ago, and explains how that structure shapes the company’s approach to decision making, long term investment, and customer relationships. The conversation quickly moves beyond power distribution as a product category and into the operational realities of higher education AV, where reliability, remote rebooting, standardization, and human support all become part of the same equation. GUDE will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 in Las Vegas at booth C1706, where the company plans to showcase smart IP power solutions for AV and IT infrastructures.

    Ryan and Philipp also talk about the reputational nature of the AV industry, the value of HETMA Approved testing, and why feedback from actual higher education colleagues often matters more than a logo, spec sheet, or certification alone. Philipp previews smaller NEMA 5 15 PDUs, smart UPS products, vertical PDUs, remote reboot tools, open REST API support, plug and play drivers for platforms like Crestron, Q SYS, and Extron, and self healing watchdog functionality. The episode closes with a wider conversation about GUDE’s global reach, German manufacturing, US availability, international power standards, and how HETMA can build European presence by partnering with existing regional communities rather than trying to force a duplicate model into a place where strong networks already exist.

    Topics Discussed
    1. InfoComm 2026 preparation and why the show matters to the AV industry
    2. Philipp Gude’s role with GUDE Systems
    3. GUDE as a family company founded more than 35 years ago
    4. Smart PDUs, power management, and power protection for AV environments
    5. Why family company decision making can move faster than large corporate processes
    6. People first supplier relationships and the importance of access to real humans
    7. The reputational nature of the AV industry
    8. HETMA Approved testing and real campus feedback
    9. Reliability, remote rebooting, and reducing unnecessary campus truck rolls
    10. InfoComm previews including compact NEMA 5 15 PDUs, smart UPS products, and vertical PDUs
    11. Campus standardization and AV systems becoming more like enterprise IT deployments
    12. Open REST API support and integration with control and monitoring platforms
    13. Self healing watchdog functionality and reducing trouble tickets before users notice issues
    14. Working across 120 volt and 230 volt power environments
    15. GUDE’s US presence, US stock, and NEMA 5 15 and NEMA 5 20 products
    16. HETMA’s European growth opportunities
    17. Partnering with existing higher education technology organizations
    18. Using university case studies and presentations to create value across regions
    19. The human side of AV technology partnerships
    20. The upcoming deeper dive into GUDE gear and InfoComm coverage
    Philipp's Post as discussed:
    https://www.linkedin.com/posts/philipp-gude-pdu_proav-avtweeps-activity-7463223348601290752-ni3n


    Connect with Philipp Gude
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipp-gude-pdu/
    https://gude-systems.com

    Connect with Ryan
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagray/
    ryan@higheredav.com

    Voiceover by Chris Dechter

    Have feedback or guest ideas? Let us know!
    This show is a production of Higher Ed AV Media. Visit www.HigherEdAV.com for fresh content every day!
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    30 min
  • 136: You Never Go Full Bald with Chris Kelly

    136: You Never Go Full Bald with Chris Kelly
    May 6 2026
    Chris Kelly returns to The AV/IT Amplifier Podcast for week two with Ryan Gray, and the conversation picks up right where the first one left off: part Higher Ed AV Media strategy, part neurodivergent team therapy session, part comedy riff about baldness, gifts, and why some people should absolutely not be forced to sing an improvised jingle on command. Chris, Senior IT Support Specialist at Creighton University, HETMA Advisory Board Chair, and Managing Editor for Higher Ed AV Media, talks about his role supporting volunteer contributors, helping build consistency, and creating a structure that encourages people rather than making creative work feel like punishment. Ryan and Chris also get into the very real tension between spontaneity and planning, and why authentic collaboration often works best when people are not wired the same way.

    The conversation moves from HETMA and Higher Ed AV Media into broader reflections on workplace communication, neurodivergence, podcasting, and the vulnerability behind even simple questions like asking someone how they are doing. Along the way, Chris explains his state high point hiking project, Ryan tries to force a Higher Ed AV Media jingle into existence, and the two land on one of the great philosophical questions of our time: what separates someone who is authentically bald from someone who is merely playing bald? By the end, Chris revisits his previous sign off and updates it into something that fits both his own work and the larger HETMA community: “Stay curious and get connected.”

    Topics Discussed
    1. Chris Kelly’s role as Managing Editor for Higher Ed AV Media
    2. Supporting volunteer contributors without making deadlines feel punitive
    3. Neurodivergence, procrastination, planning, and creative work
    4. How Ryan and Chris’s different working styles complement each other
    5. Building teams around difference rather than sameness
    6. Camera gestures, Zoom delay, and the lived reality of using classroom technology
    7. The possibility of a Higher Ed AV Media jingle
    8. Chris’s state high point bucket list and upcoming Arizona visit
    9. Gift giving, social expectations, and practical decision making
    10. Baldness, authenticity, and Chris’s updated catchphrase: “Stay curious and get connected”


    Connect with Chris Kelly
    content@higheredav.com
    content@hetma.org
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-kelly-272155122/

    Connect with Ryan
    @Ryan_A_Gray
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagray/
    ryan@higheredav.com

    Show Links
    Higher Ed AV Media: https://www.higheredav.com
    HETMA: https://www.hetma.org
    HETMA Community: https://community.hetma.org
    HETMA Roadshow at Creighton: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/omaha-roadshow-at-creighton-university-tickets-1602948595399?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

    Voiceover by Chris Dechter

    Have feedback or guest ideas? Let us know!

    This show is a production of Higher Ed AV Media. Visit www.HigherEdAV.com for fresh content every day!
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    34 min
  • 135: The Managing Editor with Chris Kelly

    135: The Managing Editor with Chris Kelly
    Apr 29 2026
    Chris Kelly returns to The AV/IT Amplifier Podcast for a conversation about media, volunteerism, accessibility, and what it means to help amplify voices across the higher education AV community. Chris, Senior IT Support Specialist at Creighton University, HETMA Advisory Board Chair, and newly announced Managing Editor for Higher Ed AV Media, talks with host Ryan Gray about how his deep engagement with higher ed AV content eventually turned into a larger role helping shape, edit, and support the platform itself.

    This episode is also a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to keep a volunteer-driven media ecosystem alive. Ryan and Chris talk about the difference between polished corporate media and authentic peer-to-peer storytelling, the importance of making content creation less intimidating, and the many ways people can contribute without needing to be a professional writer, podcaster, or media personality. From accessibility and DEI to event recaps, campus profiles, content intake forms, and the search for a clear Higher Ed AV Media tagline, the conversation is ultimately an invitation for more people to step in, share what they know, and help tell the stories of the community.

    Topics Discussed
    • Chris Kelly returning as a standalone guest on The AV/IT Amplifier Podcast
    • Chris’s role as Managing Editor for Higher Ed AV Media
    • His claim to having consumed nearly the full Higher Ed AV Media podcast catalog
    • The value of being a voracious listener and reader before helping shape content
    • Why accessibility helped pull Chris deeper into the media side of the work
    • How volunteer organizations create opportunities for people who step forward
    • Ways people can contribute without needing to be the face of a podcast or article
    • The difference between authentic peer content and polished corporate media
    • Why Higher Ed AV Media needs a clear slogan or tagline
    • Chris’s Empowered by Design column and the challenge of writing regularly


    Connect with Chris
    content@hetma.org
    content@higheredav.com
    Creighton University
    HETMA Advisory Board Chair
    Managing Editor, Higher Ed AV Media

    Connect with Ryan
    @Ryan_A_Gray
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagray/
    ryan@higheredav.com

    Show Links
    Higher Ed AV Media: https://www.higheredav.com
    HETMA: https://www.hetma.org
    HETMA Community: https://community.hetma.org

    Voiceover by Chris Dechter

    Have feedback or guest ideas? Let us know!

    This show is a production of Higher Ed AV Media. Visit www.HigherEdAV.com for fresh content every day!
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    35 min
  • 134: They Don't Sit in the Classroom Like I Do with Mike McHugh

    134: They Don't Sit in the Classroom Like I Do with Mike McHugh
    Apr 1 2026
    Mike McHugh is back for Part 2, and this half of the conversation opens up into something bigger than a technical discussion. Ryan and Mike talk about what it really takes to stay current in a field that never stops moving, from relying on trusted partners and professional communities to making room, when possible, for demos, articles, and the constant work of learning. They also dig into AV over IP, not as a buzzword or blanket answer, but as one tool among many that has to be weighed against cost, scale, reliability, and the real needs of a particular space.

    From there, the episode shifts into another side of Mike’s work that says a lot about who he is. In addition to his role in ITS media at Goshen University, he has spent years teaching first year students in courses centered on identity, community, career, and calling. That teaching experience has given him a different kind of credibility when talking with faculty and administrators about learning spaces, and it also reveals the throughline in Mike’s approach to the job: thoughtful service, lived experience, and a willingness to keep growing. The conversation closes with a glimpse into an upcoming May term in Maui, where Mike will lead students in a recovery focused learning experience connected to rebuilding efforts in Lahaina.

    Topics Discussed
    • How Mike stays current as technology, standards, and expectations keep changing
    • The value of trusted integrators, dealers, webinars, forums, and professional organizations
    • Why carved out time for professional learning is hard to protect
    • How Goshen University is thinking about AV over IP on a room by room basis
    • Why “future proofing” often turns out to be more like “future delaying”
    • The difference between how spaces are imagined in design meetings and how they are actually used
    • Why relationships and institutional trust matter so much in design and renovation work
    • Mike’s role teaching first year students in Goshen’s required core curriculum
    • How teaching has strengthened his credibility with faculty and administrators
    • Mike’s upcoming May term in Maui tied to disaster recovery work in Lahaina
    Connect with Mike
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikecsm/

    Connect with Ryan
    @Ryan_A_Gray
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagray/
    ryan@higheredav.com


    Voiceover by Chris Dechter

    Have feedback or guest ideas? Let us know!

    This show is a production of Higher Ed AV Media. Visit www.HigherEdAV.com for fresh content every day!
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    32 min
  • 133: It Might Just Be Future Mike with Mike McHugh

    133: It Might Just Be Future Mike with Mike McHugh
    Mar 25 2026
    In Episode 133 of AV/IT Amplifier, Ryan Gray talks with Mike McHugh of Goshen College about what it means to build a career, and a legacy, at a small institution where everybody knows everybody and the work is always personal. Mike shares what it has been like to spend more than two decades at a 900 student college in northern Indiana, doing everything from classroom technology support and system design to campus events, athletic streaming, video, and recording. The conversation gets at something a lot of higher ed AV people will recognize right away: when the school is small, the team is small, and the mission is clear, the job becomes a constant balancing act between capacity, creativity, relationships, and service.

    What makes this episode especially strong is how naturally it moves between practical AV work and the deeper human side of the profession. Mike talks about revisiting systems he built decades earlier, realizing that the “future somebody” who has to deal with those decisions might just be him. He reflects on community, consistency, and stepping into new ways of contributing, from running for leadership in ETC to helping bring stability and follow through to The AV Life. This is a conversation about institutional memory, saying yes when students are at the center of the ask, and what it looks like to keep showing up for the long haul.

    Topics Discussed
    • Working in higher ed AV at a small private college
    • Wearing multiple hats across classrooms, events, athletics, and media
    • How small campus culture changes the way AV work gets done
    • The upside and pressure of being known across an institution
    • Revisiting and replacing systems you built years earlier
    • The difference between building for “future somebody” and building for “future Mike”
    • Finding professional community through ETC, HETMA, and Higher Ed AV Media
    • Moving from membership to leadership in professional organizations
    • What consistency and follow through mean in media and podcast production
    • How behind the scenes contributions create visible results
    Connect with Mike
    LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mikecsm/

    Connect with Ryan
    @Ryan_A_Gray
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagray/
    ryan@higheredav.com

    Voiceover by Chris Dechter

    Have feedback or guest ideas? Let us know!

    This show is a production of Higher Ed AV Media. Visit www.HigherEdAV.com for fresh content every day!
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    31 min
  • Special: HETMA Presents... Live Keynote from the HETMA Virtual Conference

    Special: HETMA Presents... Live Keynote from the HETMA Virtual Conference
    Feb 25 2026
    Recorded live as the Friday keynote on Day 3 of the HETMA Virtual Conference, this AV/IT Amplifier crosspost pulls a fast moving hybrid conversation from sister show HETMA Presents, combining #Roadto10K and This Month in Higher Ed AV into one session.

    Host Ryan Gray is joined by Britt Yenser, Tim Van Woeart, and Gina Sansivero to unpack the month’s community theme, Time to Level Up, and get specific about what leveling up actually looks like in real careers, real teams, and real life.

    The first half is personal and practical: leadership shifts, classroom design growth, mentoring, self awareness about learning styles, and the uncomfortable reality that documentation and continuity can feel emotional because it forces us to admit we will not be in the role forever.

    The second half pivots into a timely industry conversation sparked by a UK trade piece that framed education AV spend as wasteful and trend driven, followed by an AVWeek discussion and a HETMA board response op ed. The panel digs into why the framing landed as dismissive, why collapsing K 12 and higher ed into one story produces bad conclusions, and why higher ed AV decisions are shaped by governance, accessibility, security, procurement, and lifecycle realities, not shiny object chasing.


    Articles Discussed:

    Original article: https://www.avinteractive.com/news/systems-design-integration/are-educational-institutions-wasting-their-money-on-av-14-01-2026/

    Discussion on AVWeek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FLQnVhkwlA

    HETMA response op ed: https://www.avnation.tv/2026/02/04/oped-higher-ed-is-not-wasting-money-on-av-but-we-are-tired-of-being-talked-down-to/

    Join the conversation at community.hetma.org

    Host: Ryan Gray
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagray/

    Panel:

    Britt Yenser
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/britt-yenser/

    Tim Van Woeart
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-cts-45416826/

    Gina Sansivero

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-sansivero/

    This show is a production of Higher Ed AV Media. Visit www.HigherEdAV.com for new content every day.
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    58 min