What You Need to Know:
- Steve Greenblatt co-founded the #HealthyAV movement with Brittany DiCesare to encourage healthier, more intentional trade show participation
- The movement has expanded beyond healthy habits to address broader personal and professional pressures facing AV professionals
- Brittany DiCesare has stepped away from the industry; Greenblatt will carry the movement forward at InfoComm 2026
- HealthyAV encourages attendees to make decisions that help them show up present and prepared, not to judge how others participate
- Participants are invited to connect with Greenblatt in person, via LinkedIn or email at InfoComm 2026
What is the #HealthyAV Movement?
When Brittany DiCesare and I launched the #HealthyAV movement a few years ago, our goal was simple. We wanted to create a community for people attending trade shows and industry events who were seeking a healthier, more intentional way to participate. We recognized that the pace and expectations of these events can leave people physically and mentally depleted, often before they even arrive.
#HealthyAV was never intended to dictate how people should experience a trade show. It was intended to encourage people to make decisions that help them show up as their best selves. For some, that may mean choosing not to drink alcohol. For others, it may mean prioritizing sleep, eating a protein-rich breakfast, staying hydrated, exercising, taking mental or physical breaks, or simply giving themselves permission not to maximize every minute of every day.
How has #HealthyAV’s focus changed over time?
Over time, however, I’ve come to realize that #HealthyAV is about something even bigger than healthy habits. It’s about recognizing that everyone who walks onto a trade show floor carries something that may not be visible.
Like it or not, our industry is getting older. There are likely more people attending their tenth, twentieth, or even thirtieth InfoComm than attending their first, second, or third. Many of us who once raced from booth to booth and stayed out late simply aren’t at the same stage of life anymore.
If I’m honest, some of the inspiration for this year’s #HealthyAV message comes from my own experience. Over the past several years, I’ve gained a deeper appreciation that none of us are immune to life’s challenges. Health concerns, family responsibilities, business pressures, setbacks, and personal growth all shape how we view ourselves and the world around us.
Those experiences have reinforced something I think many of us need to hear: it’s okay if you’re not approaching trade shows the way you did ten or twenty years ago. That’s not a weakness. It is growth.
Most people still love the best parts of trade shows: seeing friends, reconnecting with colleagues, strengthening partnerships, learning, and feeling connected to a community of professionals passionate about our industry.
What has changed is the toll that surrounding demands take on us, both individually and collectively. Industry changes, job pressures, time away from family, long days, travel, sleep deprivation, and the pressure to always be on can cause real physical and mental wear and tear. It’s not as easy to bounce back as it once was for our younger selves.
Why is #HealthyAV more relevant now than when it launched?
#HealthyAV is more relevant today than when we first launched it. It means making decisions that help us be fully present rather than trying to keep pace with expectations that no longer serve us.
The people who embrace #HealthyAV are not trying to tell others how to conduct themselves or to be healthier than anyone else. They are doing it for themselves and encouraging others who identify with this approach to find support from like-minded peers. Whether you are committed to being at your best so you have the energy to connect, learn, conduct business, and leave feeling fulfilled rather than depleted; are struggling with challenges; or are looking to try a new approach to achieve better outcomes, #HealthyAV is here for you!
What changed with the #HealthyAV leadership ahead of InfoComm 2026?
As we prepare for InfoComm 2026, #HealthyAV will continue, though this year looks a little different. Brittany has stepped away from the industry to focus on her time and attention at home, but the values and purpose that helped shape this movement remain the same.
This year, my goal is to continue building #HealthyAV into something broader: a support system for anyone who recognizes the need to approach trade shows with a healthier mindset. Whether that means making better choices, finding community, creating balance, setting boundaries, seeking support, or simply acknowledging that life feels heavier than it used to, there is a place for you.
What does participating in #HealthyAV look like at InfoComm 2026?
If #HealthyAV resonates with you, I invite you to join us at InfoComm 2026.
Wear a bracelet. Share your story. Encourage someone. Check in on a colleague. Invite someone to a quiet meal. Help someone feel included. Remind someone to take a break. Offer support when you notice someone may be carrying more than they let on.
Most of all, give yourself permission to make the decisions that help you be fully present and at your best, whatever that means for you.
#HealthyAV isn’t a statement or a social club. It’s about people supporting one another.
If you’d like to participate, receive a bracelet, share ideas, or help grow the movement, reach out to me on LinkedIn, via email, or in person, and tell your #HealthyAV story.
Let’s take care of ourselves and each other and continue building a healthier, more connected, and more supportive AV community.
Steve Greenblatt, CTS, is president of Control Concepts, Inc.
