Atlona, a Panduit company, is a manufacturer of AV distribution, collaboration, and control solutions, focusing on quality, user experience, simplicity, and management.
Atlona’s Steve Bogart has been appointed co-chair of the IDEA Committee by the Educational Technology Collaborative (ETC). This committee focuses on integrating inclusivity, diversity, equity, and access into ETC programs. Steve, alongside co-chair Sarah Hava Valley, will work for two years to advance the committee’s mission and provide advisory support to the ETC Board.
Steve’s appointment at Atlona underscores Atlona’s dedication to enhancing accessibility and inclusivity in educational technology, leveraging his expertise in AV for education to create more accessible products and reduce development costs.
Atlona, a Panduit company, proudly congratulates EDU Business Development Manager Steve Bogart’s appointment to the IDEA Committee, an initiative from the Educational Technology Collaborative (ETC) established to integrate inclusivity, diversity, equity and access into ETC programs, communications and activities.
Steve will co-chair the committee with Sarah Hava Valley, the Assistant Director of Online Learning at Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business, for a two-year term effective immediately. Over that period, Steve and Sarah will identify and execute the most pertinent tasks and projects required to promote and strengthen the organization’s mission. The two were recently selected to co-chair the IDEA Committee through a vote by the ETC Board following the completion of the previous committee’s two-year term.
In addition to its core mission outlined above, the IDEA Committee serves as an advisory to the ETC Board, committees and task forces as new values, practices and principles are considered. Their advisory efforts are aided through data collection and annual member surveys that help to identify challenges and confirm best steps forward.
Steve, who joined Atlona in February 2023, brings years of AV in Education expertise to the committee, especially as it relates to applying technologies for maximum effect within learning environments. Steve’s vast experience on the manufacturing side of the business complements Sarah’s leadership and perspectives on the instructional and learning side, and his goals for the committee emphasize the desire to make AV and IT products more easily accessible to a broader user base.
“The committee’s chief focus is to create a safe space in the education industry for a diverse group of voices that is inclusive of all genders, ethnicities and physical capabilities,” said Bogart. “I see accessibility in the classroom as particularly critical today. One of my goals is to help the AV and IT manufacturing community develop education products that are easier for more people to access. That includes ensuring that the user interface of a product works for people with visual impairments and other special needs. We also want to help companies reduce their development costs by leveraging the knowledge they absorb through the committee’s educational efforts. ”
Steve will also have active involvement in ETC events including the 2024 Annual Conference in Ames, Iowa (October 1-4), which attracts AV and IT professionals, instructional designers and technology vendors that support higher education institutions.
