Clear-Coms Sarah Koehler reveals how a passion for theatre lead to her working with Dante, MADI, and SMPTE 2110
By Jenny Priestley
Published: October 2, 2023 Updated: October 3, 2023
Clear-Com's Sarah Koehler reveals how a passion for theatre lead to her working with Dante, MADI, and SMPTE 2110
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Sarah Koehler, applications engineer, Clear-Com
Talk us through an average day in your role: There really is no average day in this role, which I appreciate, but to boil it down I have three main types of days: travel days, on-site days, and work-from-home days.
My travel days start bright and early. I like to catch the first flight out to avoid delays/weather, then check email/call customers back at the airport and during layovers. On the plane I either catch up on emails if the Wi-Fi is working, or relax with a podcast (I like the Blinkist app.) When I land, I rent a car, drive to the hotel, get dinner, and video chat with the family, or if I am flying back home, I pick up the kiddo from daycare early for some extra play time together after having been away for several days.
On-site days are my favourite. I like the new places and people but mostly I like getting hands-on with the gear! My job is usually to either upgrade an older system or commission a new system. Commissioning usually involves helping with networking questions, loading the software, getting all the endpoints connected, and setting up Dante, MADI, or SMPTE 2110 connections to external devices if needed. I complete a thorough test of all the devices and programme the software based on the end users' requirements. Commissioning days are usually 1-3 days of onsite work which normally includes some level of training. (Usually, it's a broad training for anyone who uses the endpoints and then a more in-depth training for the maintenance/programming team on the software and other hardware.)
Work-from-home days are spent prepping for the next onsite trip, beta testing new firmware, writing field reports, helping with training videos, filling out expense reports, booking travel, responding to customer questions, and helping them troubleshoot issues. Internal sales support and marketing support can also fill my day. And I occasionally get assigned a remote commissioning project, which can be tough! It's an exercise in patience and how to be extremely detailed with directions over the phone. If time permits, I'll do some personal growth training or work on conceptual projects in our home labs.
How did you get started in the media industry? Happenstance, I suppose. I started in theatre. I fell in love with theatre by the age of five after seeing Hansel and Gretel at the Minneapolis Children's Theatre. I cried my eyes out as the witch was burned alive. She didn't deserve to die! Then during the curtain call, the Witch, who I thought was dead, came running back on stage, smiling broadly to a roaring crowd to take her bow. It was all pretend. A suspension of disbelief. And in that moment I was hooked. I spent the next 30 years doing whatever I could to be close to the theatre: working as a theatrical carpenter, electrician, audio engineer, sound designer, audio designer, etc. Theatre was life, so I've been around communication systems since forever. When Covid struck and the entertainment industry took a hit I reached out to friends and contacts for work and was so happy when Clear-Com had a job opening! Comms is so important to both theatre and media and I am pleased to be part of both industries now.
What training did you have before entering the industry? I have a B.A. in Technical Theatre and Design, but most of my training occurred post-college, learning from colleagues, taking numerous side jobs mixing musicals, learning the ins and outs of different consoles, creating sound designs that paid mostly in experience, reading manuals, pushing buttons, being curious. It's a lifestyle; the technology keeps developing so the training never stops.
Why do you enjoy working in the industry? I like that it doesn't feel stale. There is always something to do, something to learn, new people to meet, new places to visit, and you don't get bored. It's just unconventional enough to mesh with a quirky personality but conventional enough for a healthy work-life balance.
What piece of advice would you offer someone looking to explore a role similar to yours? Be curious. Get experience doing anything and everything you find interesting because it will all play a role in your development. Be kind, studious, and helpful. The people you meet could become your best assets. Every job I've ever gotten has been based on people putting in a good word for me. It wasn't my education or resume that got my foot in the door; although important, having the right work ethic and personality type is valuable. Keep an open mind and keep gaining different experiences doing the things you love. You may end up in a job you never knew existed that was made for you, and all your past experiences will suddenly become relevant.
Most recent headlines
02/01/2026
Freezing Florida: NHL's EVP, Entertainment Bob Chesterman on Taking the Wint...
02/01/2026
NHL Winter Classic 2026: TNT Sports Prepares for First NHL Outdoor Game in Sunsh...
02/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
02/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
02/01/2026
Friday 2 January 2026
All episodes of Heated Rivalry will be landing on Sky and...
02/01/2026
Sequins, chat shows, live sporting action, ground-breaking docuseries and brand-new Irish drama to kick off 2026
New Year, New Content Coming Soon across RT
...
01/01/2026
Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation Announces 2026 Noel Schajris Scholarship The scholarship will cover tuition and housing for one Berklee College of Music stud...
01/01/2026
New year, new games, all with RTX 5080-powered cloud energy. GeForce NOW is kicking off 2026 by looking back at an unforgettable year of wins and wildly high fr...
31/12/2025
Back to All News
NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix Scores Again With the Lions-V...
30/12/2025
As the College Football Playoff Enters the Quarterfinals, ESPN Blows Out Its Meg...
30/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Original ArticlesTake a look back at all our coverage of big-time productions, game-changing technologies, and state-of-the-art new faci...
30/12/2025
MELBOURNE, Fla., Dec. 30, 2025 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) will release its fourth quarter 2025 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, J...
30/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
30/12/2025
Your live countdown to 2026 with Inhaler, David Gray, Lyra, Garron Noone, Sharon...
30/12/2025
It marked the first civilian operational authorization for a HAPS flight in Europe, led by Space42's subsidiary, Mira Aerospace
The flight demonstrated HAP...
29/12/2025
San Francisco 49ers Strike Gold With Halftime Laser SpectacularStunning display caps $200 million renovation of Levi's Stadium techBy Dan Daley, Audio Edito...
29/12/2025
The Cup's Around the Corner: An Inside Look at Broadcast Preparations for th...
29/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Longform VideoWatch the standout keynote conversations, deep dives, and panel discussions from the year for free on SVG PLAY!By Brandon ...
29/12/2025
From crisper Lossless audio and immersive music videos in beta to new Audiobooks+ plans, custom transitions between tracks, and in-app Messages, we keep levelin...
29/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
27/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
25/12/2025
Holiday lights are twinkling, hot cocoa's on the stove and gamers are settling in for a well-earned break.
Whether staying in or heading on a winter getawa...
24/12/2025
What is AI good for? Posted by MTI Film on December 24, 2025
What is AI good for?
What is AI good for?
It's been three years since ChatGPT first cap...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
RT has unveiled an exclusive first look at the new Dancing with the Stars promo...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
The Boyfriend' Season 2 Unveils Heartwarming Trailer, Key...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
Love, Fights, and Everything in Between: Badly in Love' Returns for Season 2
Entertainment
24 December 2025
GlobalJapan
Link copied t...
24/12/2025
Scripps Research study links sleep variability with sleep apnea and hypertension How consumers' digital activity trackers could enable personalized health s...
23/12/2025
How guilas Cibae as Dominican Winter League Games Are Locally Produced for Glob...
23/12/2025
BitFire's Jim Akimchuk on Supplying Scalability and Customization in the Clo...
23/12/2025
CAMB.AI Enables European Athletics to Offer Multi-Language SupportPlan is to eventually offer translation into all languages spoken in EuropeBy Ken Kerschbaumer...
23/12/2025
Analysis: As sports media values trend negative, scarcity and quality are king By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Monday, December 22, 2025 - 14:08
Print ...
23/12/2025
ESPN, Disney, and NBA Return to the Animated Altcast Fray With Second Edition of...
23/12/2025
End the Year on a High Note and Donate to the Sports Broadcasting Fund Today!By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:25 pm
P...
23/12/2025
The year is winding down, the weather outside is frightful, and it's the perfect time to escape into a story that warms the heart. For listeners looking for...
23/12/2025
A Zeus motor is hot fire tested at L3Harris' Camden, Arkansas, solid rocket ...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Lightware will exhibit several major product innovations at ISE 2026, including the new USB-C BOOSTER-V1, Google Meet. integration for various Taurus UCX models...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
Clear-Coms Sarah Koehler reveals how a passion for theatre lead to her working with Dante, MADI, and SMPTE 2110
