Name: Kari Martinez
Title: AV Technician
Company: Water of Life Community Church
Twitter: @thekarimartinez
Location: Fontana, CA
Overtime: Martinez gives back by networking with young women who are interested in AV as a career field, and also puts resources on her website and blog. She has come to appreciate the importance of a healthy work/life balance, and purposefully schedules time for friends, family, and downtime to make sure work doesn’t take over her life.
Why You Need to Know Her: A self-proclaimed audiophile and a relative newcomer to the industry, Kari Martinez, 22, has made the most of opportunities to network and connect with people. She’s jumped at the chance to speak at an AVIXA Women’s Council meeting and to make connections via social media. Her first research study, Girls/Women Lifestyle Survey, is focused on technical career opportunities for young women. She’s collaborating with Women in AV (WAVE) on a study researching demographics of women in the industry. The results will develop a benchmark for the AV industry’s overall female representation. And she’s just getting started.
A Leap of Faith: When it comes to technology, Martinez believes that sometimes what you need is a good dose of faith. She is somewhat new to her role as AV technician at Water of Life Community Church, having started in February, but it’s something she thought and prayed about for months before it happened.
“I was working a non-AV job, but I wanted the opportunity to use my audio skills and advance my career,” Martinez said. “I knew I was made to do more with my life, so when the opportunity came, I was ecstatic! I strongly believe technology is a powerful communication tool that can change lives.”
Her early dreams included broad creative and academic interests, but she always knew she was going to create something. With an interest in music that included both voice and guitar, she found herself gravitating to the mixing board and audio production. She started volunteering in the AV department at her church two years ago to learn her craft while she finished up her communications degree at Cal State LA. Once she graduated in 2019 (with honors), she was able to pursue her dream of communicating through technology.
Always Looking Ahead: Martinez hopes to make an even bigger mark on the audio landscape one day. On her website, she writes a blog directed to other young women who want to pursue their passion in AV but aren’t sure how. She includes words of encouragement as well as valuable resources to help all, but especially young women in the AV industry. Martinez loves connecting one-on-one with other young women to share her experiences and offer guidance where she can.
“All those hours I spent praying, I never could have dreamed that I’d be in a position to be recognized for my work this quickly,” Martinez said. “I thank God for opening the right doors, and I’ll continue to step out in obedience. Being selected for The Nine is an honor I could never have imagined. It excites me even more to contribute to our industry.”
She relishes every opportunity, and is working to make the best of connecting in every way she can. She believes in the strength of networking, and of giving back, and she puts it into action in her own life. More than anything, though, she grabs hold of her purpose in life. A little faith is a powerful thing.
Get to know the rest of The Nine.
Learn more about Kari on this episode of AVNation.
