Pictured (L-R, top row): Jennifer Davis, Rebecca Fisher, Jesse Knutson; (L-R, bottom row): Lori Kraft, Steve Mekler, and Kristan Pridgen
The Academy of Country Music has announced new hires across several departments. Lori Kraft has joined the staff as Director, Brand Creative & Design; Steve Mekler has joined as Director, Brand Marketing & Partnerships; Jennifer Davis has joined as Manager, Events; Rebecca Fisher has joined as Manager, Strategic Partnerships; Jesse Knutson has joined as Manager, Publicity & Media Relations and Kristan Pridgen has joined as Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer Damon Whiteside.
“With the ACM Awards just weeks away, there couldn’t be a better time to continue expanding our team with the additions of Lori, Steve, Jennifer, Becca, Jesse, and Kristan,” shares Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. “Every new member of our team is already making an impact and bringing a unique set of skills to the Academy. Their passion and enthusiasm will no doubt help the Academy reach new levels of success for our members and the country music community as a whole.”
Kraft’s background in design includes US Weekly, Field & Stream and Better Home & Gardens, among other national magazines. Most recently, she served as a freelance Art Director for clients including Ryman Hospitality and Big Machine Music, as well as several creative agencies. In her new role, she will steer the overall visual branding and identity of the organization, as well as major programmatic and live event tentpoles such as the ACM Awards, Academy of Country Music Honors, and ACM Party for a Cause. She will also work closely with the Director of Content and Manager of Digital and Social Media to strategize support media and content strategies. Reporting to Rory Levine, VP, Marketing and Digital Strategy & Engagement, Kraft and can be reached at lkraft@acmcountry.com.
Mekler joins the Academy after more than three years with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum where he served as Senior Digital Manager, overseeing creative and marketing for owned properties and assisting with content strategies for multi-platform marketing campaigns. While there, he simultaneously founded and served as Creative Director at Stove Creative, collaborating with clients in a global marketplace. Previous stops include L3 Entertainment and BBR Music Group. In his role, Mekler will lead and manage the Academy’s organic promotional reach and collaborate with the marketing and creative departments to develop and maintain a clear brand identity. Also reporting to Levine, he can be reached at steve.mekler@acmcountry.com.
Davis has worked in the events industry, planning various non-profit and corporate galas throughout New York City with event firm Buckley Hall Events. She then shifted to the venue side of the business and was on the special events team at Madison Square Garden, coordinating a portfolio of network television upfronts at MSG venues, including Radio City Music Hall, Beacon Theatre, Hulu Theater at MSG, Chicago Theatre, and MSG Arena. Prior to joining the Academy, she led VIP & Fan Experience and Events for FirstBank Amphitheater’s inaugural concert season in Franklin, Tennessee. In her role, Davis will manage venue logistics and event operations for the ACM Awards, Academy of Country Music Honors, and ACM Party for a Cause events, including red carpet, credentials, health and safety, budgets, décor, partnership fulfillment, talent details, and more. She will also manage additional meetings, ancillary events and activations throughout the year. She reports to Lanni (Gagnon) Niggli, Director, Events, and can be reached at jennifer.davis@acmcountry.com.
Fisher has worked with innovative companies, such as Workday and Experian, where she managed client relations and customer marketing for Fortune 500 companies. In 2017, she joined Taillight in Nashville, a production company specializing in commercials, branded content, live television programming, and music videos. Fisher created campaigns for major brands including Kleenex, Cottonelle, Ram Trucks, Camping World, and many more. During her time at Taillight, she worked on ACM Party for a Cause, producing a one-hour musical countdown to the awards show on Facebook Live. In her new role, Fisher will manage and activate partnerships for the Academy and manage relationships with key strategic partners, communicate sponsorship needs internally, and secure new partners. She will also oversee brand activations and sponsorship at the upcoming 57th ACM Awards. She reports to Jen Heaton, VP, Strategic Partnerships, and can be reached at rebecca@acmcountry.com.
Knutson is a multi-Emmy Award winning journalist who has worked in both producing and reporting roles for TV stations in Los Angeles, Seattle, Harrisburg, and Nashville. In Nashville, he covered the entertainment industry while reporting for NewsChannel 5, bringing the latest industry news to Tennessee through broadcast, social media, and online avenues, as well as covered numerous Academy events, including the ACM Awards, Academy of Country Music Honors, and ACM Lifting Lives. In his role, Knutson will support publicity and media relations efforts for the Academy, including publicity, media plans, promotional efforts, and strategies for raising awareness and coverage of the ACM Awards, ACM Party for a Cause events, ACM Lifting Lives events and red carpets. He will draft press materials and work closely with the marketing and events teams on logistics of red carpets and liaising with photographers, as well as organizational and programmatic priorities. Reporting to to Melissa Moldovan, Director, Communications, Media Relations & Radio, he can be reached at jesse@acmcountry.com.
A Nashville native and 25-year veteran of the country music business, Pridgen recently joined the Academy after a 12-year stint at William Morris Endeavor where she served in a number of roles. She has also worked at a number of esteemed entertainment companies including Capital Christian Music Group, Country Music Association, Country Music Media Group, Viacom’s CMT, and Spectra Presents. Boasting collaborations with acclaimed artists and performers in the format, Pridgen aims to continue the growth efforts of the Academy to expand the global reach of the brand. In her role, she will provide administrative support to the CEO, Board of Directors and Executive Team. She reports directly to Whiteside, and can be reached at kristan@acmcountry.com.
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