Artists and Speakers

Zane Agnew is a Production Specialist at AmpRx, where he contributes to the development of high-quality power solutions for musicians and audio professionals. Based in Nashville, Zane is also a talented guitar player, bringing his deep understanding of tone and performance to both the stage and the workshop. He is the lead guitarist and co-founder of the Nashville based indie rock band Red Lennon. His passion for music and technical expertise make him a valuable asset in the music product industry.

Nabil Ayers is the President of Beggars Group US, where he has led campaigns for artists including The National, Big Thief, and Grimes, as well as landmark reissues such as Pixies’ platinum-selling album Doolittle. He is the chair of the A2IM board and he served as a Recording Academy Trustee and elected governor from 2018–2024. He has been named one of Billboard’s “Indie Power Players” consecutively from 2019–2025. Ayers co-founded Sonic Boom Records in Seattle at age 25 and has recorded and toured internationally as a drummer in several bands. Through his own label, The Control Group / Valley of Search, he has released music by Cate Le Bon, Lykke Li, Bad Brains, The Killers, PJ Harvey, and his uncle, the jazz musician Alan Braufman. Ayers is the host of Identified, a podcast exploring family dynamics, with guests including Michelle Zauner, John Legend, and Tom Morello. He is the author of the memoir My Life in the Sunshine (Viking, 2022) and has contributed writing on music, race, and family to The New York Times, The Guardian, and GQ.

Bob Boilen is the creator of NPR’s Tiny Desk concerts, host and creator of NPR’s All Songs Considered, and for 19 years directed NPR’s All Things Considered. Bob is the author of "Your Song Changed My Life,” featuring interviews with 35 musicians, including Jimmy Page, Hozier, Smokey Robinson, Jeff Tweedy, Philip Glass, and Ian MacKaye, about the music that changed their paths in life. Bob is also an ambient musician and composer, as well as a producer/musician in the Danger Painters. Since retiring from NPR, Bob is program director for WOWD, a community radio station in Takoma Park, MD, and D.C., and hosts his weekly radio show, My Tiny Morning Show.

Jon is a music producer and media production professional working across both sides the of the artist and record label equation. As co-founder of Workbook Studio (Columbus, OH), Jon worked with rising midwest artists in every genre. Additionally he has served as live sound engineer and tour manager. Now residing in NYC, Jon oversees a team of multimedia engineers for Sony Music, and maintains Landline Recording - a commercial studio space in Hoboken, NJ, focusing on mixing and mastering.

Jake Ewald is a songwriter and producer. He currently lives in Columbus, Ohio. “I’ve always admired Jake's eye for detail… gorgeous imagery and vivid worlds are built within each song. I see it all. Most impressively to me, he consistently finds the divine and sacred in the everyday.” -Craig Finn

Thomas Golubić is a four-time Emmy nominated music supervisor, twice Grammy nominated record producer, podcast host and DJ based in Los Angeles. His music supervision credits include Pluribus, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Poker Face, Silo, The Walking Dead, Halt and Catch Fire, and Six Feet Under, among many other film & television projects. In 2017 Thomas became the president of the Guild of Music Supervisors, the same year he was nominated for the first Outstanding Music Supervisor Emmy Award for his work on Better Call Saul. The Guild twice awarded Thomas with Best Music Supervision in a Television Drama for his work on Breaking Bad. In 2014, Thomas programmed and launched the Guild of Music Supervisors ‘State of Music in Media’ conference, currently running over a decade. He has also served as producer and director of the Guild of Music Supervisor Awards.

Gary Heinrich is the Director of Audio for NPi Audio Visual Solutions, a full-service event technology company in Cleveland, Ohio. Gary’s early career was spent in the trenches of “combat audio” as he cut his teeth mixing bands at legendary venues such as the Grog Shop, the Beachland Ballroom and the Winchester. Among Gary’s early claims to fame was mixing what may have been the first show by The Black Keys.

At NPi, Gary has mixed countless shows for high-profile clients and artists such as the Cleveland Orchestra, numerous Fortune 500 CEOs and the President of the United States. When he’s not hanging PA systems and mixing bands, Gary plays with and records a variety of artists. HIs current projects include a metal bands Ozule, Black Death and Cerebral Necrosis, and the Americana project James McKeivier & the Starry Sky Band.

Maggie Kaput works on the marketing team at the Ryman Auditorium, helping bring nearly 250 shows per year to life through strategic promotion and creative storytelling. In her role, she collaborates closely with artist management teams to promote shows and build meaningful, effective relationships. She manages the Ryman’s day-to-day social media channels, ensuring content is timely, engaging, and aligned with the venue’s iconic brand voice. Maggie also helps concept, edit, and publish original content that highlights artists, performances, the Ryman’s history, and the overall Ryman experience and brand story. Through a mix of collaboration and creativity, she supports marketing efforts that connect artists and fans around the world through memorable experiences.

Rachel is the Senior Director of Creative & Synch Licensing at Kobalt Music, where she oversees strategic placements for a diverse roster ranging from Max Martin and Doja Cat to the legendary catalogs of Stevie Nicks and John Denver. With a foundation built at RCA Records handling master-side rights and entering her seventh year on the publishing side at Kobalt, Rachel brings a 360-degree perspective to the synchronization landscape. Her expertise spans the full media spectrum, including high-stakes Super Bowl campaigns, major film and TV projects, and immersive video game soundtracks. She remains focused on finding innovative ways to integrate music into the ever-changing gaming and visual media spaces.

A Texas-born multidisciplinary artist and creative leader working at the intersection of performance, storytelling, and media. A trained actress, dancer, and singer, she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from AMDA (The American Musical and Dramatic Academy) and a Master’s degree in Film & Media Production from NYFA, New York Film Academy in Los Angeles. While a performer at heart, Marisha has expanded her career into directing and producing music videos and short films, guiding projects with clarity, adaptability, and creative integrity. She currently works at a public media tv and radio station in Dallas and is pursuing her second master’s degree in Digital Media and Marketing, where she continues to sharpen her voice as both a creator and strategist. Grounded in resilience and purpose, Marisha believes in being a light through storytelling and is committed to mentoring artists to move boldly, evolve fearlessly, and honor their creative truth.

Belinda Ligotino is a community builder and advocate dedicated to creating safer, more inclusive spaces in the music industry. As Global VP of Communications and a newly elected Board Member for Women in Music, she has produced 250+ newsletters for 3,000+ members, led the global event registration team, coordinated chapter communications worldwide, and managed member communication since 2019. She also co-founded the WIM Mentorship Program, matching hundreds of mentors and mentees, and is a founding member of Safe(r) Spaces, an initiative that supports and provides survivors of sexual assault with vital resources.

Belinda serves as Operations Manager at AmpRx, overseeing daily operations, artist relations, and content production—driven by her passion for filming and amplifying stories for the artists on the stage and the ones behind the scenes who make them sound great. Previously, at jump.global, she helped launch the first music-industry conference focused on mental wellness and supported executives in developing purpose-driven leadership.

Her career also includes artist development, artist management, DEI programming, and event production with AmpliFLY Entertainment, EVA, Marathon Music Works, and TEDxNashville.

Yuri Lysoivanov is a Chicago-based audio engineer and educator who is thrilled to be sharing his knowledge as a senior product expert at Shure. His exciting career takes him across the country to share his expertise, while also regularly working with musicians and influencers to raise awareness of Shure products and audio engineering concepts. As a recording professional, Yuri specializes in acoustic instruments, singer/songwriters and classical ensembles. His recent recording work includes the American Composers Orchestra, Joshua Bell, Artemisia Trio, Fifth House Ensemble, Kontras Quartet, and many others. Prior to joining Shure, Yuri was the Chair of the Recording Arts Department at Flashpoint Chicago for over a decade, teaching and mentoring the next generation of recording professionals. On top of his product knowledge and recording responsibilities, Yuri is also currently working towards his Masters degree in Acoustical Engineering at Penn State University.

Dan Mackta is Managing Director at Qobuz, overseeing operations in North America, Northern Europe, and AUS/NZ. With over 30 years in the music industry, he has held senior marketing and leadership roles at labels including RCA Records, Jive Records, Razor & Tie, 4AD, and Eleven Seven, helping develop and break artists across multiple genres. At Qobuz, Dan focuses on high-quality music streaming, artist-friendly policies, and partnerships that support dedicated music and audio culture. Beyond Qobuz, he serves as a Board Member and DJ at Maker Park Radio, a non-profit community radio station in his home borough of Staten Island, NY.

Alex began his career in sync as an intern at Warner Music Group immediately after graduation in 2018. Seven years later, he is now an Associate Director on their Global Sync team - primarily focused on Gaming & New Media projects. His main slate of clients include Epic Games, 2K Games, Electronic Arts, Rockstar Games, Meta, Roblox, and many more.

Deborah Mannis-Gardner — the “Queen of Sample Clearance” according to Billboard, Forbes, Variety, and more — is the go-to expert for global music rights clearances. After starting DMG Clearances, Inc. in 1996, Deborah’s sample clearance skills quickly became legendary. She has cleared releases for artists including Drake, Tyler the Creator, Justin Bieber, DJ Khaled, Eminem, Clipse, De La Soul, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, Frank Ocean, Jay-Z, John Legend, Megan Thee Stallion, J. Cole, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Beyoncé, and more. Beyond sampling, Deborah has handled music clearances for video games such as Rockstar Games franchises “Grand Theft Auto” and “Red Dead Redemption”; metaverse platforms such as Meta and Roblox, including a live concert from Post Malone; films by Martin Scorsese, The Coen Brothers, and Richard Linklater; TV series on networks such as HBO, Showtime, Netflix, and Paramount+; ad campaigns for Google, Ciroc, and Kmart; and podcasts such as Rick Rubin and Malcolm Gladwell’s “Broken Record.” In addition, Deborah has handled Grand Rights clearance for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway sensation “Hamilton” and music clearances for its release on Disney+. She was the award-winning music supervisor of HBO’s Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine docu-series “The Defiant Ones.”

Harrison Mbemba is a product engineer and founder of AuxChord, a platform where artists grow their community and monetize through fan-submitted music. AuxChord started as a simple tool for artists to listen to music from their fanbase and became the leading platform for fan-submitted music on TikTok.

Seth Miller is a proud Ohio University alumnus and the founder CEO of Rapchat, a social music platform empowering over 15 million creators worldwide. He launched Rapchat during his junior year at OU, turning a campus idea into a global music community helping creators across the entire stack. Rapchat has raised 3 rounds of funding and today, Seth focuses on building new creator tools and exploring how AI is reshaping music creation and startups.

Marcus J. Moore is an esteemed music journalist and author of two books: "The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America" (2020), and "High and Rising (A Book About De La Soul)" (2024). He has been a contributing writer with The Nation and a senior editor with Bandcamp Daily, a platform he helped launch. He co-leads the jazz-focused "5 Minutes That Will Make You Love..." series at The New York Times. Elsewhere, his music coverage can be found at NPR, Pitchfork, TIME, Entertainment Weekly, GQ, The Washington Post, Rolling Stone and The Atlantic, among other outlets.

Timothy Pattison is Senior Director, Creative at BMI based in their New York City office. In this role, he is responsible for scouting and signing new songwriters and publishers, maintaining relationships with existing BMI affiliates worldwide, as well as coordinating various songwriter-focused showcases including BMI’s Speed Dating for Songwriters and BMI’s monthly Acoustic Lounge, the BMI Stage at festivals like Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza and SXSW, and several others. He is also a frequent guest lecturer at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. Throughout his tenure at BMI, Timothy has been instrumental in maintaining BMI’s working relationships with some of today’s most popular artists including A.G. Cook, Dasha, Doja Cat, Dom Dolla, Geese, Tame Impala, Steve Lacy and many more. Prior to joining BMI in 2015, Pattison worked at Fat Possum Records and Spirit Music Group. Pattison holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication from Ohio University and a Master of Music Technology from New York University.

Frankie Pine, working under Whirly Girl Music, is an Emmy & Grammy-nominated Music Supervisor creating memorable soundtracks for high-profile projects. She has received 11 Guild of Music Supervisors Awards nominations, winning four times for Magic Mike, Nashville, and Sylvie's Love. Recently, Frankie supervised music for the Emmy-nominated Amazon series Daisy Jones & The Six, earning Emmy and Grammy nominations in 2023. She's also working on Lionsgate's Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, Apple TV+'s The Last Thing He Told Me, Amazon's Carnival Row (Season 2), Netflix's Florida Man, Focus Features's Book Club: The Next Chapter, and Amazon's The Idea of You. Her previous work includes The Flight Attendant, Big Sky, From Scratch, and A League of Their Own. Frankie's diverse portfolio spans television dramas like Nashville and The Newsroom, comedies like Santa Claus 2, and box office hits like Magic Mike38. As a Music Consultant, she worked on Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's trilogy and the Grammy-nominated soundtrack for Traffic. Frankie is a long-time member of the Guild of Music Supervisors.

Jason Rawls, renowned music producer and educator, has worked with artists like Black Thought, Busta Rhymes, Mos Def, and De La Soul. In 2024, he released The Confidence of Knowing with Talib Kweli. An educator with over 20 years of experience, Dr. Rawls is an Assistant Professor of Hip Hop at THE Ohio State University and a leader in the #HipHopEd movement. He co-authored Youth Culture Power and is developing a Hip-Hop Studies program at OSU. His work is featured in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and he has pioneered Hip-Hop Based Education initiatives in higher education.

John brings 25+ years of industry experience in audio recording and mixing, post-production, and AV systems design to education and curriculum development. At Dolby, he develops learning resources that inspire and support educators, artists, and creative professionals in adopting Dolby technologies within their workflows. John also serves as technical manager, systems designer, and lead integrator for Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision installations worldwide, creating immersive experiences that connect audiences with the future of sound and image.

Jennifer Sellers is an established events producer and project leader, with 15+ years of experience producing live content. Jen has worked with independent promoters and venues, trade organizations, non-profit initiatives and community development groups. She champions the voices and talent within the community and values the art of conversation and connection. In 2025, Jennifer founded Civic Noise, a cultural production and consulting studio. Jen has worked with or partnered with the National Independent Venue Association [NIVA], CoMuse, Queens Rising, Central Astoria Local Business Coalition, CEG Presents, Mondo.NYC, School of Rock, Marauder, Sonicbids and sits on the board of the Astoria Park Alliance where she brings art and music events to the Queens community. She has also been a guest speaker at New York University and Roc Nation School of Music, Sports and Entertainment.

Ash M. Sheehan is the Senior Director of National Member Engagement at the Recording Academy/GRAMMYs, where she oversees an elite portfolio of initiatives and events for the Academy’s 20,000+ members around the world. Her work centers on elevating local community and intentional connection as she leads the member engagement support team for 12 Chapters nationwide. Since joining the Academy in 2014, Ash has produced hundreds of live events and member experiences with artists including Brandi Carlile, Cynthia Erivo, Cyndi Lauper, Saweetie, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Sheila E, St. Vincent, Wale and more. Her program work with GRAMMY Advocacy has helped to raise thousands for the GRAMMY Fund for Music Creators, and she actively lobbies lawmakers in Chicago and Washington, D.C. on behalf of creator rights. Prior to the Academy, Ash worked at ASCAP, Poetry Foundation/POETRY magazine and various freelance jobs in publicity and tour management.

Viicky Shepherd is a Marketing Specialist at NPi Audio Visual Solutions, a full-service event technology company in Cleveland, Ohio. A graduate of Cleveland State University, Viicky holds degrees in General and Promotional Communications. In addition to her work at NPi, Viicky has spent the last six years dedicating her life to live broadcasting, multimedia storytelling, and community building, both online and offline. At NPi, Viicky’s passion for live events goes beyond the show, you can find her behind the scenes telling the stories of the industry professionals who help make the magic happen. When she isn't managing NPi’s various social media channels, you can find Viicky teaching herself ukulele, hanging out with her friends online or attending a music festival.

Cassandra Sotos is an entrepreneur, engineer, and internationally touring violinist. She is the co-owner and CEO of AmpRx, a Nashville-based company designing voltage optimization tools used by guitar players around the world to protect gear and achieve consistent tone. Cassandra was named the 2024 NAMM Female Entrepreneur of the Year for her leadership, innovation, and impact in the music products industry. With a background in Industrial Engineering and entrepreneurship, Cassandra blends technical rigor with creative vision, bridging the worlds of music, manufacturing, and education. She has toured globally as a performing artist, is a published author and keynote speaker, and actively mentors emerging musicians and founders. A passionate advocate for women in STEM and music, Cassandra serves in leadership roles within Women of NAMM and Women in Music Nashville. Through her work, she aims to inspire others to imagine what’s possible—and then build it.

Clay Sullivan is an audio professional based in Cleveland, Ohio. As an Audio Production Manager at NPi Audio Visual Solutions, a full-service event technology company in Cleveland, Ohio, Clay has deployed large-scale sound systems and mixed shows for a large variety of artists. Notable recent projects include working with the Cleveland Orchestra on their concerts featuring John Legend, Laufey and Cynthia Erivo. Clay has also supported the Cleveland Browns in-game performances featuring Foreigner, Slaughter and Big Boi of Outkast. In 2025, he was the system tech for the Cleveland Browns Draft Event featuring Journey at Huntington Bank Field. In addition to his work with musical artists, Clay has been an audio lead for numerous corporate events. Recently, he was the audio systems designer for the IBEW Local 103 125th Anniversary event in Boston, Massachusetts, an event which featured multiple deployments of L-Acoustics speakers across several large convention halls for an audience of over 10,000. He has also logged many shows as Audio Lead on the Professional Bull Riders’ Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour. Clay is a graduate of Kent State University (B.S., Digital Media Production, 2021). He resides in Bath Township, Ohio in an 1800’s farmhouse with his wife, Alyssa and their dogs.

Matt Tucker is a producer and engineer from Cleveland, Ohio. He has worked with the likes of Trek Manifest, Govan Jones, Wise from Ohio and many more. His sound blends sample forward hip hop with synthy trap and classic boom bap. A unique sound very tailored to his personal style.

Ted Van Hyning is a live event producer and designer based in Cleveland, Ohio. As Vice President of NPi Audio Visual Solutions, a full-service event technology company, Ted works with a diverse roster of clients across a variety of industries including concerts and festivals, corporate and experiential events. His client roster in the music world includes The Cleveland Orchestra, Live Nation, AEG as well as numerous local and regional festivals and events, such as Motor City Pride and Pride in the CLE. Other notable clients include Professional Bull Riders, the PGA, University Hospitals, Eaton Corporation, Kaulig Racing and Key Bank.

Ted is a proud alumnus of Ohio University (B.S., Telecommunications, 2000). He and his wife Jenny (also an OU alum) reside in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.  In his spare time, you can find him producing music in his home studio and taking care of his horses, cats and dogs. In addition to his work with NPi, Ted serves on the board of Stuart’s Opera House, the parent organization of the Nelsonville Music Festival.

Allison Wright Clark is a music executive, music supervisor, producer, licensing and music publishing expert, educator, and entrepreneur creating impactful musical experiences across all media. She’s a “walking” studio music department" collaborating notably with Oscar and Grammy winning talent with next gent studios and content creators worldwide.

Annie Zaleski is the New York Times best-selling author of 'Taylor Swift: The Stories Behind the Songs.' Her other books include a volume on Duran Duran’s 'Rio' in the prestigious 33 1/3 series; a song-by-song book on Beyoncé; and in-depth volumes on Cher, Lady Gaga, Pink, Harry Styles, and Christmas music. Her work has appeared in NPR Music, Variety, The Guardian, Classic Pop, and Record Collector, and she’s contributed liner notes to the 2016 reissue of R.E.M.’s Out of Time and albums by Game Theory, Jason Mraz and ZZ Top.