NCC Staff Member Receives Prestigious Higher Education A/V Award

Brittany Yenser, A/V manager at Northampton Community College (NCC), received the A/VNation Readers’ Choice Award this spring. Peers in the industry nominate and vote for individuals, recognizing their work and impact on the A/V community. According to the website, these awards have become a coveted benchmark for excellence, allowing readers to recognize the most innovative contributions in A/V. 

In prior years, Yenser has made the list of 2023 Commercial Integrator 40 Influencers Under 40 and has earned the 2023 Higher Education A/V Awards’ A/V Professional of the Year and a 2024 Higher Education A/V Award for her podcast brAVe [space]. These accolades highlight her dedication to advancing technology in education, fostering inclusion in the A/V industry, and ensuring that students and faculty have access to high-quality, user-friendly learning environments. 

A 2014 graduate of Moravian College, she earned her bachelor’s degree in English and began a career as a Teach for America teacher corps member, teaching at Warren Harding High School in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Teach for America places teachers with high need schools that are underfunded and have difficulty retaining teachers. 

Yenser taught for two years at the high school, and although rewarding, it also proved emotionally taxing. “It was traumatic and heavy—seeing students struggle to have their basic needs met, dealing with hunger, gun violence, and a lack of resources,” she recalls. An incident involving a firearm made Yenser reconsider her path forward. 

Finding fulfillment in technology in education, Yenser transitioned into A/V services, drawing from prior experience in Moravian’s A/V department. “I had a work study in the A/V department, and because I am an educator at heart, there’s this other piece of learning - the people who provide the tech for it - that’s always interested me,” she says.  

This shift in career led to a seven-year tenure at Moravian College as assistant director of media services and later, director of event technology, where she managed classroom technology, event production, and more. Events, however, required long hours, late nights and weekends, and she sought a new opportunity that aligned with both personal and professional growth. NCC’s mission of providing accessible and comprehensive education resonated with her, and in May 2024, she joined the college as A/V manager. 

“I want to make sure that the way the students see, hear and communicate is intuitive, allowing the students to learn in the best, most flexible way possible.” 

Since arriving at NCC, Yenser has been instrumental in modernizing over 200 learning spaces, ensuring that technology enhances the student learning experience. From troubleshooting longstanding issues, to implementing efficient upgrade plans, her leadership has been pivotal in keeping classrooms and event spaces running smoothly. When she sees a problem, she fixes it.  

Yenser is a respected voice in the A/V industry. She serves on the Higher Education Technology Managers Alliance (HETMA) board, working to support and connect professionals in the field. At Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) in Barcelona, Spain, she helped expand HETMA’s presence internationally. Her podcast, brAVe [space], explores challenges faced by underrepresented groups in the A/V industry.  

“I was told once that I’m a connector. I love connecting people to new concepts and ways to do things more efficiently.” 

When not working, Yenser spends time with her husband Chase, her boxer, Swayze, and her cat, Mona. 

A passionate mentor, Yenser enjoys working with work-study students, helping them develop technical skills and professional work habits. “I love pouring into my students - teaching them, not just about technology, but about how to carry themselves in a professional setting. I look forward to working one on one with students at NCC as I grow in my career here,” says Yenser.