We thought our readers/viewers might like to learn about some of the folks that work at IdahoPTV. Because there are so many people who work behind the scenes, you may have seen some of them, or maybe only heard about them. Today we would like to introduce IT Ops & Support Analyst I Krystal Goodman.
IdahoPTV’s Carol Beres gets to know Krystal, one of our computer tech gurus who provides general tech support for computers, phones, and software. Plus, Krystal helps the communications department with keeping track of our internet traffic. “I’ve been building a dashboard on our intranet site to try and centralize all of the numbers we’ve been tracking.”
Krystal grew up in Albion, Idaho, in the Magic Valley. When she was younger, she enjoyed skiing at Pomerelle Mountain Resort. “I stuck to the easier slopes, because I just enjoyed the ride down. I guess I was a “cruiser” as a skier. One year my knees just hurt looking at a ski run, so I stopped. Mary (another Idaho PublicTV employee) almost has me talked back into it. With the changes in equipment, I might try it again next year.”
She attended Boise State University, with a year’s detour to South Carolina. “I stumbled across Winthrop University. It was beautiful out there. I got into my major out there, so I graduated with a degree in chemistry.” But the school’s historic vibe came with something a little darker. “They were growing quickly at the time. They didn’t really have anywhere to expand. So they took over an old hotel (that I moved into). And I was pretty sure a murder had been committed in my room.” Luckily, Krystal was able to move to another room. On the bright side, she had a close encounter with a movie that was filmed there at the time. “They filmed ‘The Patriot’ while I was there. The plantation that was nearby was where they filmed all the plantation scenes.”
Krystal eventually decided to come back to Idaho and finish up her degree at Boise State. “I realized my last semester that I didn’t want to be trapped in a lab, all day, every day. All through high school, I helped my brother build computers. I was the unofficial tech support all the way through college, for whatever office I worked in. I have an aptitude for that. I went out and got a few certifications. And then I got my first tech position at the help desk at SuperValu.” Krystal held a few jobs in between that one and coming to Idaho Public Television.
She’s glad to be here, helping with the mission of bringing high quality television and internet resources to the entire state. “I remember watching it as a little kid, I had to be about 3 or 4, so this was in 1982 or 1983…my parents called in and made a donation. And then they announced my name on Festival! And I still remember that to this day.” Krystal’s favorite PBS Kids characters are Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch. “It’s the sarcasm.”
Speaking of favorites, Krystal’s favorite snacks are a little outside the usual fare. “Peanut butter and cheese. I don’t eat them together, but one right after another. Either way around. And my guilty pleasure is Cheetos.” Her favorite part of the Gem State is near Salmon. “That part of the state is really beautiful.” And taking in the beauty of the state is her way to unwind. “I like to hike. And I discovered paddle boarding last summer. And I have a dog, a little miniature schnauzer that’s game to go anywhere. He loves to hike with me.”