Being a part of Leadership Music‘s class of 2016 (aka “The Best Class Ever”) was truly one on the most profound experiences of my professional career. Without lifting my pledged cone of silence, you spend about 10 very long days over a year learning, laughing and getting to know 45 or so of your music industry peers in important and lasting ways that meetings and conferences can never achieve.
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Leadership Music’s has named its 28th class of 47 music industry leaders from across the country.
Founded in 1989 by twelve music industry alumni of Leadership Nashville, Leadership Music has graduated more than 1,100 leaders. The annual program is designed to create a forum for established music industry leaders to identify and explore issues currently affecting the music industry; to learn as they deep-dive into almost every segment of the music business; and to provide once-in-a-lifetime experiences while building lasting relationships with classmates and alumni.
Members of the Class of 2017 are:
· Whit Adamson, President, Tennessee Association of Broadcasters
· Marshall Altman, Producer/President, Galt Line Music, Inc.
· Darcy Anderson, District Director, Office of Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn
· Justine Avila, Executive Director, Music City Music Council
· Rob Baker, Artist Manager, Longshot Management
· Katherine Beakes, Director, Finance, Universal Music Group Nashville
· Josh Bennett, Nashville Head, Nielsen Music
· Chris Blair, President/Owner, The Listening Room
· Amy Bryan, Director of Talent Buying Division, REACH
· Amanda Cates, Head of Marketing & Digital Strategy, Maverick Management
· Susan Chertkof, Senior VP, Business & Legal Affairs, RIAA (Washington, DC)
· RAC Clark, President, Lion’s Heart Entertainment (Los Angeles)
· Jeff Cuellar, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, AC Entertainment (Oak Park, IL)
· Melinda Drennan, Partner, Dodd, Drennan & Associates
· Josh Easler, Vice President, Promotion, Arista Records
· Emily Evans, Director, Strategic Partnerships, Country Music Association
· Jon Folk, President, Red 11 Music
· Mary Gauthier, Singer/Songwriter
· Gino Genaro, Vice President, Country Music Management, Thirty Tigers
· Asha Goodman, Vice President, Sacks & Company
· Kevin Grosch, CEO, Made In Network
· Todd Henry, Deputy Chief of Police, Metro Nashville Police Department
· Megan Joyce, Vice President/Head of Business & Legal Affairs, Warner Music Nashville
· Gary Kraen, Vice President, Operations & Programming, Tuned In Broadcasting
· Beth Laird, Co-owner, Creative Nation Music
· Jennifer Lane, Principal, The Vaden Group
· Wayne Milligan, Director, Special Services & Royalty Compliance, Tri-Star Sports & Entertainment Group
· Kevin Montler, Legal Director, Global Music, Google (San Bruno, CA)
· Jonell Mosser, Singer/Songwriter
· Jessica Myers, Director, Rights Management & Licensing, Big Machine Label Group
· Dhruv Prasad, Executive VP, Live Events, Townsquare Media (Greenwich, CT)
· Lisa Purcell, Vice President, Development, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
· Bob Reeves, Vice President, 1608 Promotions
· Leslie Roberts, Executive Director, Writer Publisher Relations, BMI
· Steve “Stevo” Robertson, Senior VP, A&R, Atlantic Records
· Liz Rose, Owner, Liz Rose Songs
· Shannon Sanders, Songwriter/Producer,
· Sally Seitz, Artist & Label Relations, Apple Music/iTunes
· Barrett Sellers, Agent, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment
· Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive, Music, EA
· Reid Shippen, Mixer/Producer/Engineer
· Matthew “Chewy “Smith, President, CID Entertainment/Blue Dot Entertainment
· Sarita Stewart, Assistant Professor of Entertainment Industry Studies, Belmont University
· Trent Summar, Songwriter
· Josh Van Valkenburg, Senior VP, Nashville A&R, Sony ATV Music Publishing
· Bayard Walters, President, Cromwell Group, Inc.
· Kristin Wilkinson, Musician
“The Leadership Music Class of 2017 is an impressive group of industry professionals with a wealth of experience and expertise from a diverse field of those that work within the music business,” said Diane Pearson, Senior Vice President, City National Bank who, as immediate past president of the board of directors, co-chaired the selection committee with Mike Craft, President of Leadership Music and Senior Vice President Finance, Big Machine Label Group.
“We had a record number of applications this year, and choosing 47 applicants from among those who applied is one of the most challenging tasks for the selection committee. The selection committee, composed of 28 alumni from every facet of the industry, deliberates over a four-week period, and makes every effort to choose the most balanced and diverse class possible. We all consider it a privilege to serve on this committee.”
Leadership Music is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization whose mission is to nurture a knowledgeable, issue-oriented of music industry professionals.