Leadership Music Reveals Class of 2014

Forty-five new members have been selected to participate in the 25th class of Leadership Music. The annual program is designed to create a forum for established music community leaders to identify and explore issues currently affecting the music industry. Founded in 1989 by eleven music industry alumni of Leadership Nashville, Leadership Music has graduated more than 950 leaders.

“The Leadership Music Class of 2014 is an impressive group of industry professionals with a wealth of experience and expertise from a diverse field of music businesses,” said Lori Badgett, Vice President of Entertainment at City National Bank, who, as immediate past president of the board of directors, chaired the selection committee. “Choosing 45 applicants from among hundreds who applied is one of the most daunting tasks I’ve ever faced. The selection committee, composed of 20 alumni from every facet of the industry, deliberates over a five week period, and makes every effort to choose the most balanced and diverse class possible. We all consider it a privilege to be charged with playing a role in the future of this organization.”

Members of the Class of 2014 are:

Matt Adams, Director, Legal & Business Affairs, Sony Music Nashville
Trip Aldredge, partner, Aldredge Law Firm
Abby Wells Baas, agent, William Morris Endeavor
Megan Barry, Metro Council-at-Large
Jessica Beutler, Vice President, MAC Presents (New York)
Todd Coder, TicketBiscuit/Hangout Music Festival (Birmingham, AL)
Julie Craig, Marketing Manager, Exclusive Music, Cracker Barrel
Kele Currier, Director of Strategic Services, ASCAP
Vanessa Davis, President, Splash! PR
Katie Dean, Vice President, Radio Marketing, Universal Music Nashville
Kella Stephenson Farris, Owner, The Kella Stephenson Company
Liz Allen Fey; CEO, Strategy & Leadership LLC
Cyndi Forman, Vice President, Creative, Universal Music Publishing
Leslie Fram , Senior Vice President, Music  Strategy, CMT
Robert Frost, President, Frost Specialty
Chris Gero, Vice President/Founder, Yamaha Entertainment Group
Kelli Cashiola Haywood, Director of Strategic Marketing and Business Development, Starstruck Management
Todd Herreman, Faculty, Mass Communications and Media Arts, Southern Illinois University (Carbondale, IL)
BJ Hill, Senior Director of A&R, Warner/Chappell Music
David Hughes, Senior Vice President, Technology, RIAA (Washington, DC)
Laura Hutfless, agent, CAA
Scott Johnson, President, Scojo, Inc.
Andrew Kautz, COO, Big Machine Label Group
David Kells, Vice President, Booking, Bridgestone Arena
Jerry Kimbrough, musician/producer
Lenore Kinder, Talent Buyer/Marketer, AEG Live/The Messina Group
Lisa Lee, Senior Vice President, PR & Media Production, ACM (Los Angeles)
Lauren Lucas, songwriter/artist
Amy Sue Macy, Recording Industry Professor, MTSU
Angela Miles-Powell, Vice President, Client Development, Ticketmaster (Memphis)
Andy Moats, Executive Vice President/CCO, Avenue Bank
Lynn Oliver, Vice President Publishing and A&R, Southern Ground Artists
Tim Roberts, Operations/Program Director, CBS Radio (Detroit)
Colin Rushing, General Counsel, SoundExchange (Washington, DC)
Shaun Silva, Owner, TackleBox Films/FORWARD
Rob Simbeck, writer, Bob Kingsley’s Country Top 40 Countdown
Tom Storms, artist manager, Suretone Entertainment
John Strohm, Senior Counsel, Loeb & Loeb
Karen Stump, Senior Director, Market Research, CMA
Tammy Taylor, President/CEO, One EnTiTy
David Thoener, Recording/Mixing Engineer and Producer
Alicia Warwick, Senior Project Manager, The Recording Academy
Jim Weatherson, Senior Vice President, 19 Entertainment
David Whitney, U. S. House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary (Washington, DC)
Kristen Williams, Director of National Promotion, Warner Music Nashville

Congratulations to the new class of 2014.