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AV/IT Amplifier

AV/IT Amplifier

By: Ryan Gray
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About this listen

 Higher education institutions rely on audio-visual (AV) and information technology (IT) solutions as a key backbone for modern teaching and learning. The AV/IT industry plays a critical role in providing these solutions, and it is important to highlight the latest trends, innovations, and perspectives in this sector. The podcast “The AV/IT Amplifier” aims to fill this gap by featuring interviews with people from Higher Education Institutions and the AV/IT Industry who have an idea, concept, perspective, event or product that would be helpful or interesting to the target audience of higher education technology managers. The host of the podcast is Ryan Gray, Assistant Director of IT at Yavapai College.

“The AV/IT Amplifier” podcast will have a bi-monthly schedule with two recordings per month, each being split in half to provide for weekly episodes. Each episode will be targeted for 30 minutes to be about the length of an average commute. The first half of each recording will focus on the primary topic for that guest, while the second half will be a profile of the person.

The podcast will not only focus on technical topics but also on non-technical ones such as effective people management, pedagogy, community building, building a personal brand, career planning, professional development and other similar topics for our audience. The split episode format allows for a dive into the topic and the opportunity to get to know the person and perhaps draw the connections between why that topic is so important to that guest.

Ryan Gray Economics Management Management & Leadership Politics & Government
Episodes
  • 130: Catch You On The Flipside with Issac Abbs

    130: Catch You On The Flipside with Issac Abbs
    Jan 28 2026
    Isaac Abbs returns for week two and the conversation leans hard into the human side of senior leadership: how an introvert survives a job that demands constant presence, how you build buy in like a coach building a locker room, and how you create real moments of recognition when your team is the one taking the calls and absorbing the heat. Along the way, Isaac shares what he has learned about getting comfortable being uncomfortable, why delivery matters more than content when you are on stage, and why storytelling is the skill that makes the message land.

    It is also a Tucson flavored episode in the best way: Isaac’s path from California to Maine to the University of Arizona, a love letter to Fourth Avenue, and an extremely specific answer to the best sandwich question that will make every Tucson listener nod instantly. The wrap up lands with a leadership gut punch that comes up again and again on this show: the question people almost never ask leaders, even though it might be the one that matters most.

    Topics Discussed
    1. Introversion in extroverted leadership roles, and building the muscle to show up anyway
    2. Practice as the real unlock for public speaking and high visibility leadership
    3. Coaching mindset in IT leadership: vision, mission, trust, and buy in
    4. Defining wins in IT when the impact is often on everyone else, not you
    5. Creating intentional celebration rhythms: strategic plan reviews, win stories, and acknowledging the grind
    6. Customer service as a frontline reality, and why recognition needs to be specific and frequent
    7. Changing perspective on AI: from caution to strategic momentum, and the risk of falling behind
    8. Tucson culture check: Fourth Avenue, Bison Witches, and the U of A tournament memory lane
    9. The underrated power of storytelling in leadership communication
    10. The question leaders wish people asked more often: How are you doing, and meaning it

    Connect with Isaac Abbs
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaac-abbs

    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!
    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
  • 129: Trust Drips In and Pours Out with Isaac Abbs

    129: Trust Drips In and Pours Out with Isaac Abbs
    Jan 21 2026
    Ryan Gray is joined by Isaac Abbs, Chief Information Officer at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona. Isaac walks through what the CIO role really demands in higher ed—leadership, clarity, and the ability to solve problems at a level that changes outcomes for the institution. He reflects on his career path (public sector to higher ed and back), why the CIO role appealed to him early, and what it means to lead technology in a way that helps people get somewhere they didn’t think was possible.

    From there, the conversation gets practical: the modern CIO job as a “people business,” the need for visibility and relentless communication, and how trust is built through responsiveness and relationships. They also dig into AV strategy and room experience—right-sizing classroom tech, avoiding “technology for technology’s sake,” and pushing for spaces that don’t require a manual. Zoom Rooms, simpler conference room experiences, and AV-over-IP as a path toward consistency and usability all come up as part of Isaac’s roadmap for making the experience smoother for faculty and staff.

    Topics Discussed
    • What Pima Community College looks like (scale, campuses, student profile)
    • Why Isaac aimed for the CIO role early
    • Career “boomerang” moves and returning with broader perspective
    • What the CIO role actually is day-to-day (and what people misunderstand)
    • Balancing executive demands with family life and burnout risk
    • CIO leadership as “people-first,” not tech-first
    • Being visible to earn a seat at decision tables
    • Communication as strategy: transparency, newsletters, responsiveness
    • “Easy button” room expectations and right-sizing classroom tech
    • Zoom Rooms + AV-over-IP as simplification and standardization levers
    Connect with Isaac Abbs
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaac-abbs

    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!
    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
  • 128: If You Think Nobody Cares, You're Wrong with Thomas Eastlack

    128: If You Think Nobody Cares, You're Wrong with Thomas Eastlack
    Jan 14 2026
    Week two with Thomas goes deeper into the inner mechanics of growth: how confidence gets built (and rebuilt) in real time, how “needing people” can be both a strength and a signal, and what it looks like to stop outsourcing your own decisions. Ryan and Thomas talk candidly about learning to move forward without requiring constant external reassurance—and how that shift changes the way you show up in work and life.

    The conversation also hits the human layer underneath the job titles: believing there’s good in the world, the cost of giving too much without replenishing yourself, and the kind of question people rarely ask—because it requires them to actually be ready for the answer. Along the way: a great metaphor about “overflow vs. emptying your cup,” mentorship, ITSM curiosity, and a surprisingly specific Subway order.

    Topics Discussed
    • Introvert vs. extrovert energy (and what happens when you’re alone too long)
    • How Thomas is building confidence in decisions under stress
    • “What are you waiting for?” — self-talk and external validation
    • Whether people are fundamentally good (and how to live that belief)
    • Protecting yourself from over-giving: overflow vs. depletion
    • Envy vs. material jealousy: wanting traits, not stuff
    • What strong leaders actually have (spoiler: not all the answers)
    • ITSM learning: tools, automation, and simplifying messy processes
    • The question people should ask more often: “How are you… really?”
    • How to connect with Thomas + his sign-off phrase

    Connect with Thomas
    Email – Thomas.Eastlack@yc.edu
    LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-eastlack/

    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!
    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
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