5Qs For David Grindle As He Transitions From USITT To SMPTE

Concluding a 12-year tenure as executive director of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT), an association dedicated to performing arts and entertainment professionals, David Grindle will serve as the executive director of SMPTE®, the home of media professionals, starting in July. Live Design and LDI have worked closely with Grindle over the years on both the USITT Rising Star Award and the Pat MacKay Diversity In Design Scholarships, and took the opportunity to chat with him on the eve of his last day at USITT, Monday, June 13, 2022. 

Related story: SMPTE Names David Grindle As Executive Director

1. What do you think were the biggest changes to the organization in the years you were there?  During that time I’ve seen us grow our education opportunities and work to reach people at all stages of their professional life cycle. We embraced the challenges of self-examination when looking at our lack of diversity in the membership and leadership and have tried to make a more inclusive organization.

2. What are your biggest accomplishments, things you are most proud of? I have to say that I’m most proud of our 2022 conference. Coming back out of the pandemic, we were able to be vibrant and connect people. The diversity of USITT today compared to 2010 is also something I point to and smile. Creating a bigger table with space for people to be engaged and heard is something that will always be a challenge, but I feel we’ve made great progress and momentum in that area, with more work still to do.

3. How did the pandemic impact USITT? Like every organization, we took a financial hit. But we also were forced to become adaptive. We moved to online learning, we created subscription membership options, and we tried to ask ourselves what did we want to be when we came out of the pandemic. Since everything was changed, it was a great opportunity to ask what we wanted to look like structurally and programmatically on the other side. That work is ongoing and has the potential to make a far more engaged and responsive organization than we were in 2020.

4. What words of wisdom have you shared with the staff for the future of the organization? Keep the attitude of service that has been built. Our staff are committed to the Institute and they love the organization. None of them know a time where I wasn’t the leader, but they do know the heart and passion that people have for USITT. That’s what keeps USITT vibrant and what they need to hold firm to. They are a great team and I know that they will continue to do great work under Lea Asbell-Swanger, our interim and with whomever the new executive director shall be.

5. What are you most looking forward to in your new role at SMPTE? The opportunities at SMPTE are not unlike the work going on at USITT. Working to build a post-pandemic organization that is responsive to the needs of its members is high on the list. SMPTE is looking to build upon their history and chart a course for how they can best serve in a media ecosystem that is driving towards cloud based systems. They have a membership that is equally as passionate as USITT’s members are. Getting to know what their ideas are and what they want from their organization is exciting. The work and ideas that have already been shared have my mind going. I can promise that lessons learned at USITT will benefit them, and there is the potential for partnership between the two organiztions as USITT continues to grow its foothold in digital media production.