Episode
127: Don't Lose Yourself with Thomas Eastlack
- Podcast
- AV/IT Amplifier
- Published
- Jan 7, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2018
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://www.spreaker.com/episode/127-don-t-lose-yourself-with-thomas-eastlack--69335070
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/av-it-amplifier-6369183/episodes/127-don-t-lose-yourself-with-thomas-eastlack/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/av-it-amplifier-6369183/127-don-t-lose-yourself-with-thomas-eastlack.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
After a stretch of inconsistency, Ryan kicks off 2026 with a simple promise: the show is back, and the conversations are the fuel. In this in-person episode, he sits down with Thomas Eastlack , a familiar face at Yavapai College who recently moved from the IT service desk into a newly created role supporting HR technology . Thomas unpacks the shift from reactive “break/fix” work to proactive systems thinking—ticketing workflows, website iteration cycles, chatbot training, and the early push toward cloud-first habits. But the heart of the conversation is service: empathy, trust, and the mindset that keeps support work human even when the calls are repetitive. It’s also a candid look at imposter feelings, decision-making pressure, and what it means to grow into being “the expert” while staying grounded in who you are. Topics Discussed Moving from service desk technician to HR IT lead analyst Reactive support vs proactive process and systems improvement Launching an HR ticketing system for routing, automation, and accountability Website refresh realities: iterations, stakeholders, and “meeting in the middle” Training and maintaining a website chatbot and early AI exposure Shifting departments while staying collaborative with central IT Empathy as a practical support skill (tone, language, and de-escalation) Avoiding burnout and jadedness when the same problems repeat Hiring for attitude and service mindset over day-one operational knowledge Growth, purpose, and why Yavapai College is a place people stay Connect with Thomas Email – [email protected] LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-eastlack/ Connect with Ryan @Ryan_A_Gray https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagray/ [email protected] Voiceover by Chris Dechter Have feedback or guest ideas? Let us know! This s…