Tim Albright is the founder of AVNation and is the driving force behind the AVNation network. His career has taken him from broadcasting to designing and programming AV. Albright has spent his life continually learning and helping others.

Michael Boettcher brings over 20 years of experience in system integration in a wide range of roles and responsibilities. He has held departmental management, regional leadership, and multiple corporate positions overseeing general management, sales, operations, and service. Prior to joining Edge, he served as President of Global VC – US Division of New Era Technology.

Boettcher is a Past President of NSCA and has served on its Board of Directors since 2014.   He also served as DAC Chairman for Edge (USAV at the time) and is an AVIXA member with a Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) designation. Boettcher holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Villanova University and played baseball for the Wildcats.

Sid Bose is the chair of Ice Miller's Technology, Privacy and Cyber Risk practice. Sid counsels clients on various technology, cybersecurity and privacy issues. Prior to becoming an attorney, Sid worked as an IT systems engineer. Sid is also an adjunct professor at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law and is a former co-chair of the Indianapolis Chapter of the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

Dale Bottcher has helped AV and IT technology managers realize their visions in all varieties of applications and environments – from large-scale training centers to flexible huddle rooms. Dale is passionate about customer relationship building, working closely with his teams to address clients’ complex video communications needs and deliver solutions under budget and on schedule.

Julian Fernandez is Director of Product Marketing at Epiphan Video. He has been recognized as one of ProAV’s 40 under 40 by Commercial Integrator, for his work in driving adoption of workplace and educational technology.  At Epiphan, Julian and his team drive go to market strategy, partnerships, product and market research, and solutions engineering. Prior to joining Epiphan, Julian lead go-to-market strategy at the leading, AI-powered corporate tax compliance software firm, and for education and spent years at Crestron where he launched room scheduling, Flex, DM NVX, and many more industry leading technologies.

An avid cyclist, Julian lives with his wife, Carolina, and champion dogs, Paco and Nando, splitting their time between Connecticut and Nashville, Tennessee. He holds a BA in Political Economy  from Williams College, where he was an all-conference rower helping the team capture multiple conference, New England, and national-level championships.

J.B. Fowler, according to ChatGPT, is an innovative visionary, who currently serves as Chief Product Officer at Domotz, Inc. This SaaS leader revolutionizes remote network monitoring for managed service providers, IT teams, and integrators. With over 20 years in AV networking, J.B. excelled as VP of Business Development at Luxul, elevating the company's success. Notably, he redefined user experiences and product excellence as Product Manager at Control4. Earlier, J.B. demonstrated his technical prowess as Manager at Texas Instruments, shaping video communications and VoIP telephony.

Beyond his illustrious career, J.B. embodies the fusion of visionary thinking and hands-on expertise, inspiring peers and emerging professionals. His passion for shaping the future through innovative solutions remains unparalleled. As an industry thought leader, J.B. continually pushes boundaries, reshaping the landscape of network management and technology. In a rapidly evolving world, J.B. Fowler stands as a beacon of innovation, inspiring possibilities in network management and beyond.

Michael Garcia currently manages the National K-12 End User Business for HID Global and serves on the Advisory Board of the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools.  Since 2005, Michael has assisted hundreds of K-12 districts across the country in implementing Unified Physical Security Command Centers, school district hardening programs and district-wide mobile credentials for Law Enforcement and EMS to access school campuses during a lockdown event, rapidly using their mobile device.  In 2003, he assisted in developing automated Cyber Security vulnerability testing and a district-wide risk management framework for school districts.

Last year, Mr. Garcia was named one of the Most Influential People in the Security Industry by Security Magazine based on his achievements in protecting our nation’s schools.  In July of this year he was awarded the Security Executive Magazine, Security Innovators Award for combining Behavioral Intervention, School Hardening, Emergency Response and CyberSecurity practices into a holistic full-spectrum K-12 approach.  Mr. Garcia currently serves on the board of the Institute for Rural Mental Health Initiatives (IRMHI) at Texas A&M University’s Kingsville College of Education and Human Performance, focusing on both prevention programs and helping communities cope when tragedy strikes.

John Garmendi and his career with Sony spans nearly three decades having spent time as a Sales Support Engineer, Broadcast Sales Engineer, and Strategic Business Development Manager. He is currently leading the Business Development team responsible for managing relationships with, and developing resources for, the Architect and Consultant community. He is a member of AVIXA Manufacturer’s Council and holds CTS, DSCE, and CQD certification as well as Society of Broadcast Engineers CBNT and CBTE. He is a member of Sony’s prestigious Samurai Society, and has been presented with two technical Emmy awards for his work on the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and 2004 Athens Summer Olympics.

Kyle Habben is president and CEO of ECC, an integration firm providing AV, fire alarm, health care, and security solutions to customers throughout the Midwest. An NSCA Board of Directors member, Kyle brings 20-plus years of sales experience and has served the integration industry for over a decade. He has a B.S. in Industrial Distribution from the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Tom LeBlanc, NSCA's Executive Director, has supported the integration market since 2003. As editorial director of Commercial Integrator from 2010 to 2019 and in various roles at CE Pro before that, he specialized in developing content to help integration firms improve their businesses. At NSCA, LeBlanc is focused on sharing NSCA success stories and resources aimed at improving members' businesses.

Kim Lehrman, CEO of CEC, joined the team in 2019 after serving as a long-time board member. With a strong background in next-generation technology and talent development, she drives CEC’s purpose in the changing technology marketplace. By connecting our company’s product portfolio with our customers’ emerging business needs, she ensures that CEC continues to deliver depth and expertise in communication, collaboration, and security to everyone we serve.

Laurie MacKeigan is the President of Backman Vidcom, the leading commercial audiovisual integrator in Atlantic Canada. A Cape Bretoner, Laurie graduated from Acadia University with a BBA, concentration in accounting. After obtaining her Chartered Accountant designation with Deloitte in Halifax, Laurie spent 11 years in Bermuda. She worked in the financial services industry as the head of finance to a global investment firm. She and her husband decided to return home to Nova Scotia to raise their young children and fulfill a dream of being entrepreneurs.

In 2014, Laurie purchased Backman Vidcom, a 40 year old audiovisual firm. The challenge was daunting as the company had grown stagnant in a rapidly changing industry. She and her team nicknamed the company Backman 2.0 and set out to be leaders in the industry locally and internationally. The strategy has worked with impressive results over the past few years and plans for more growth. Backman has been involved in providing audiovisual systems in very high profile projects since Laurie took over the company including the new Halifax Convention Centre.

Ashish Maru's journey through the professional audiovisual industry has spanned nearly two decades. Currently holding the position of Director of Technology at Red Thread Spaces, a wholly owned subsidiary of Steelcase, the world's premier manufacturer of workplace furniture. Steelcase's cutting-edge research on workspace design is weaved into the very DNA of his projects.

Ashish holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and a master's degree in Acoustics. He also holds both Avixa’s CTS-D and LEED AP certifications, a testament to his proficiency and dedication to building sustainable spaces that work. Ashish's unique perspective blends scientific principles with advanced technology to transform the landscape workplace design, creating spaces that inspire productivity, collaboration, and innovation.

Don Mastro is an expert in the audiovisual and unified collaboration industry for over four decades.  He has led high growth global sales organizations delivering high performance through industry leading go to market strategies and sales playbooks that deliver sales performance.  He has led global sales teams for both private and private equity-based organizations achieving sales results with a disciplined and bought in approach with sellers.

Don has always been involved as the top sales executive in the company understanding the customers’ needs and the goals of the company.  He has developed national and global accounts across the Fortune and Global 500.  Enterprise logos like 3M, Deloitte, Mayo Clinic, Humana, BP, Shell, Coca-Cola, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, King & Spalding Law Firm, Kirkland & Ellis Law Firm, Invesco, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Barclays, Jacobs, Mastercard, Emerson and Nestle.

Don has served on the board of AVIXA and currently service on the board of the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA).  Today, Don is the sales executive for AVI Systems a 50-year global leader in the audiovisual and collaboration industry.

John Mitton is responsible for maintaining executive level relationships with our clients. He consults on technology trends and applications that support the way employees collaborate. He is responsible for strategic and day-to-day operations of the audiovisual group.

John joined Red Thread in 2000 with extensive IT experience. Under his leadership, Red Thread has become one of the largest AV Integrator in the country.

John Nemerofsky is the Chief Operating Officer of SAGE Integration.

In 2009, John became the Senior Vice President of Stanley Security Systems. During his tenure at Stanley, John oversaw wide-scope projects that included several turnaround initiatives, operational changes, sales & market expansions, and customer acquisitions. He managed an $800M P&L and a team of 13 managers with a dotted line to more than 500 team members.

In 2017, John took his management experience to an entrepreneurial endeavor as President of CGL Technologies. In his new role as Chief Operating Officer at SAGE Integration, John will focus on operations, company acquisitions, and organic growth strategies.

Dawna Payne has distinguished herself as a leader in the technology sector for over two decades. Her diverse career has traversed several industries, including automotive, skincare/nutritional, digital printing, and restaurant establishments across Texas. However, a serendipitous venture into the Audio Video industry transformed her professional journey, igniting a passion for technology that has paved the way for a remarkable trajectory of knowledge acquisition and achievements.

Currently, Dawna holds the position of Executive Vice President at Texadia Systems in Dallas, where she supervises HR, Marketing, and Finance. A significant portion of her career has been dedicated to aiding companies in formulating and propelling business strategies, developing processes, and fostering a zeal for assisting employees in realizing their potential through development, mentorship, and coaching.

Jason Potterf has worked in both the lighting and telecommunications industries over the last two decades, he is uniquely suited to help lead the transition to PoE Lighting and PoE building automation that is occurring. Coupled with years of experience building the most reliable high-volume hardware in the world, Jason has the skills and background to make the Digital Building an reality.

Joe Perez is ClearTech’s CTO and manages the technical services department. With 25+ years of experience in the technology and AV industry, he possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience. Joe has handled many high-profile projects during his tenure including JPL/NASA, Caltech, Pepperdine University, USC Galen Center Basket Ball Arena, Sempra Energy, Southern California Gas, The Getty Villa, LAPD Smart Classroom and Broadcast Studios, among many others.

A passion for motion pictures led Joe to enroll at LA Mission College where he focused on Art Studies. While a student here, he received an opportunity to work for Paramount Pictures Studios, a company that would open doors in the Motion Picture and Theme Park and Attractions industries. Joe has Project Management training from New Horizons CLC, is a Certified Installer, and has several manufacturer certifications including College of AMX, Crestron Certified Engineer and Biamp Tesira, to name a few.

When not at work, Joe enjoys participating in local and international mini marathons as well as spending time with his family, participating in community development, and working on classic cars. Joe’s father was a car enthusiast and collector as well.

Tina Peters, Executive Vice President, is responsible for all day-to-day operations at SVT. Tina brings over 15 years of experience in the industry and has a passion for building and developing teams for businesses to scale. Her hands-on leadership approach and experience in project management and service operations has been critical to the success of our technical and delivery teams. Tina’s Determination to provide a premium customer experience both internally and externally really helps SVT’s culture stand out in everything they touch.

Aakash Ravi, Co-founder & Chief Growth Officer at Spaceti, boasts degrees in mathematics, computer science, and entrepreneurship from Stanford and Charles University. With a rich background from living in six countries and fluency in five languages, Aakash's global perspective enhances his prowess in business, and technical roles. Prior to Spaceti, he contributed to projects at the Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Stanford University, and IBM. As a Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer of Spaceti, Aakash spearheads Spaceti's global growth and expansion.

Daniel Schmidtendorff is president and CEO at Communication Company, founded in 1976. The company began as a communications and sound company for the K-12 market. Today, it specializes in design, installation, and service of life safety, security, AV, and communication systems for the healthcare, education, and government markets. Since he purchased the company in 2006, Dan has grown Communication Company significantly in terms of staff size and gross revenue (more than a 168% increase). He’s also President of the NSCA Board of Directors.

Amir Sekhavat is the Senior Director of Product Management and Partnerships for Superior Essex Communications. He has more than 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, specializing in communications cabling products. Amir has published numerous articles and owns several patents related to data cable performance and connectivity, and he currently serves as the chairman of the Communications Cable and Connectivity Association (CCCA) new technology subcommittee and as Board member of PoE Consortium. Before joining the Superior Essex team, he received his MBA from the Solvay Brussels School and worked as a product manager for Nexans.

John Skayne, Chief Financial Officer at SIGNET Electronic Systems, is an experienced forward-thinking leader and strategic advisor.  John and his team provide critical insights and direction to ensure SIGNET’s continued success.  He has close to 20 years of corporate finance experience at both large financial services firms and at high growth organizations.  John received his Bachelor’s of Science degree in finance from Providence College and his MBA from Babson College.

Ron Tellas joined Belden in 2016 to help define the roadmap of technology and applications in the enterprise. Prior to this, he developed cables and connectivity for Panduit and Andrew Corporation. Ron Tellas is a subject-matter expert in RF design and electromagnetic propagation. He represents Belden in the ISO WG3 committee, TIA TR42 Premises Cabling Standards, and IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Working Group, and is a committee member of NFPA 70 Code-Making Panel 3. Ron is the inventor of 16 U.S. patents. He has a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University, an MS in electrical engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology, and an MBA from Purdue University.

Quang Trinh, PSP, ACP, Business Development Manager, Platform Technologies, is responsible for assisting systems integration partners and consultants in optimizing their customers’ solutions. This includes full design and validation of end-to-end solutions, whether using existing products and technology provided by Axis and their partners or technology custom developed by the Axis Professional Service Team. Mr. Trinh joined Axis in 2013 as a field sales engineer, bringing with him over 8 years of extensive knowledge in network infrastructure, network security, and physical security systems.

He has also been instrumental in broadening the scope of artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, analytics and cybersecurity in the physical security world through close collaboration with Axis teams and other major technology providers. Mr. Trinh holds a Bachelor of Science degree in information technology from the University of Phoenix, is an Axis Certified Professional (ACP) and an ASIS Physical Security Professional (PSP). He is also an active member of InfraGuard.

Chuck Wilson is the CEO of NSCA, the leading not-for-profit association representing the commercial electronic systems industry. He assists systems integrators with the challenges of today’s business environment, gives lectures and presentations on technology innovations at key industry events, and has been published in numerous leading trade journals.