As we inch closer to a new year, I started to reflect on 2023 and what a wonderful year it’s been. Thinking about my favorite memories from 2023—including launching WAVIT, spending time with #AVTweeps at InfoComm in Orlando, and what a blast I had with Steph Beckett and all the experts who spoke at LAVNCH WEEK 8—left with me a big smile on my face.

Inevitably, thinking about 2023 led to thinking about 2024 and what I want to experience in the next 12 months. Some of you may know that I don’t make resolutions—instead, I prefer to choose a word of the year. My word for 2024 will be growth. I’d like to grow in a multitude of ways personally and professionally. Personally, I want to grow by opening my mind to new experiences and challenges; I already know I have a lot to look forward to in 2024 and just thinking about what’s coming up fills my heart with joy.  My professional growth plan will look similar—I want to tackle things more creatively and try new things (like our series of Chain Reaction events!).

The more I thought about 2024, the more excited I got for the new year. I know I can’t be the only one who is looking forward to a fresh start, so I reached out to some tech pros and asked them to share their 2024 career goals. Here’s what they had to say:

Kameesha Jones, AV Project Manager, Florida International University

My career goal for 2024 is to continue to be a vessel for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). I want to continue to expose HBCU students to the audiovisual world and bring resources and job opportunities to HBCUs. I want to invest my time and resources to HBCUs in any capacity by hosting multiple events centered around ProAV. I also want to obtain more certifications such as the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and the Certified Technologist Specialist (CTS) certification. I would like to also put my leadership skills to work and be apart various committees that are dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion. I am confident that 2024 will be the continuation of my greatness that I started in 2023.

Jonathan Brawn, Principal, Brawn Consulting

My career goals for 2024 are going to be boring to many, but, if you know me, it won’t be a surprise. I want to focus on continuing to improve the support my organization provides to our customers and continue to develop and grow our customer portfolio. I want to further update and grow the Digital Signage Experts Group program, to better serve the industry and my colleagues at the Digital Signage Federation. I also want to continue to improve and grow my persona skillset—I will be working on a couple of new certifications!

Jennifer Goodyer, CTS, Sales Director, RTSales

My 2024 goals start with aspirations that are both beneficial to my career and—conveniently—a good time and educational. Thanks to having the opportunity to attend so many more events in 2023, I’ve been reminded of the invaluable importance of in-person networking. In my ProAV and IT volunteer career, my 2024 goal of doubling our WAVIT members will be supported by WAVIT’s ability to attend and continue to attend events. I would love to finally earn my CTS-D in 2024, but I am happy enough with a goal of prioritizing my AV and IT education, especially with how rapidly the technologies in our industry are evolving.

Lex Evans, Digital Signage and CX Designer, University of Southern California

In 2024, my primary career goal is to expand my AV community network, emphasizing Digital Signage. Prompted by a realization in June, I found my current community too limited. Despite enjoying it, I aimed to connect with more women in the industry and those beyond HigherEd AV. Setting a goal to meet one person weekly transformed into a cherished routine, introducing me to unexpected connections and fostering friendships with admired industry figures. This initiative, though technically starting in 2023, holds momentum. Stories of success, failure, and struggle shared since June have broadened my perspectives, aiding my growth as a creative and manager. These relationships have already unlocked collaboration opportunities, and the joy of a larger community is undeniable. Reflecting on 2023, I anticipate even greater gains in 2024. Reach out—I’d love to connect!

Rodrigo Ordóñez, CTS-D, Principal, Salas O’Brien

After a couple years dominated by supply chain issues and inflation, I am looking forward to a 2024 filled with innovation and creativity, where we can focus on solving difficult technical challenges and providing amazing experiences and solutions for our clients. I’m excited to leverage the strength of our growing team at Salas O’Brien and the possibilities that our organization brings to our staff and our clients. Most of all, I hope to continue having fun doing what I love every day!

Jonathan Brawn, Principal, Brawn Consulting

My career goals for 2024 are going to be boring to many, but if you know me it won’t be a surprise. I want to focus on continuing to improve the support my organization provides to our customers and continue to develop and grow our customer portfolio. I want to further update and grow the Digital Signage Experts Group program, to better serve the industry and my colleagues at the Digital Signage Federation. I also want to continue to improve and grow my persona skillset—I will be working on a couple of new certifications!

Jennifer Goodyer, Sales Director, RTSales, Inc.

My 2024 goals start with aspirations that are both beneficial to my career, and conveniently a good time and educational. Thanks to having the opportunity to attend so many more events in 2023, I’ve been reminded of the invaluable importance of in-person networking. In my Pro AV & IT Volunteer career, my 2024 goal of doubling our WAVIT members will be supported by WAVIT’s ability to attend and continue to attend events. I would love to finally earn my CTS-D in 2024, but I am happy enough with a goal of prioritizing my AV & IT education, especially with how rapidly the technologies in our industry are evolving.

Haley Lind Tuohy, Senior Manager, End-User Business Development, HARMAN International

In 2024 I want to take my leadership skills to the next level so that I contribute to the AV industry more meaningfully.

I am just over two years into my first management role. I will continue to do everything that I can to be the most motivational and empathetic leader possible for my sales team at HARMAN. I intend to read at least 3 books centered around leadership, I’ll take at least one virtual management course, and I will continue to listen to relevant podcasts and pertinent articles.

Additionally, I plan to host at least 3 successful events on behalf of the AVIXA women’s council in New York City, which I currently have the pleasure of co-leading. Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion is paramount, and I will do everything that I can to empower, women and nonbinary people, and people of all races, sexualities, and abilities in the industry.

Melody Craigmyle, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Almo Corporation

Professionally, I’m focused on growing my knowledge of AI and its impact on marketing automation to further personalize the distribution experience.

Another 2024 goal is to continue learning about DEI best practices across vertical markets. These practices will only continue to become a greater aspect of recruiting/maintaining engaged employees and customers.

Personally, I intend to be more mindful of my own screen time and to respect the boundaries of after-hour business communication.

In 2024, I want to take an another deep dive on the corporate office market to see what norms and best practices are forming. I want to build something that can guide business leaders on their investments, and also that can arm AV providers with useful information to help their end users navigate uncertainty. Another goal I have is to reinforce our salary research. I want to add more data on work/life balance and leave, and I also want to boost awareness. Our salary dashboard, where users can input their resume details and get a data-based estimate of their market value is so practical to the average AV pro or integration company, but a lot of people still don’t know about it. I want to change that!

Share Your Goals with Us!

I hope this article has inspired you to reflect on your own goals for the upcoming year and I hope you’ll share them with us—tag LAVNCH [CODE] on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter as you reflect and share. Cheers to a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2024!