Music Industry Advisory Board

Anne Sturm, Senior Talent Buyer at ArtsQuest Center and Executive Director of Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks, developed her skills as General Manager and Programmer at the Appell Performing Arts Center, in York, PA. Anne graduated from York College of Pennsylvania with a degree in Music Industry & Recording Technology and Marketing Management.

Bobby Kimball is the original lead singer for the Grammy award-winning, classic rock group Toto. Having also worked with veteran members of Three Dog Night and Steely Dan, Bobby's experience with the music industry has been multifaceted. In 2011, he recorded the "Kimball/Jamison" Duet CD, with Jimi Jamison, lead singer of the classic group Survivor.  In 2013, Bobby will celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the release of the first "Toto" album, with his vocals on their first hit song, "Hold The Line".

Brian represents, and has represented, high-profile individuals and entities, including a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, a U.S. Presidential candidate, high-ranking officials and clergy within the Arch-Diocese, NBA All-Stars, NFL Players, international athletics gear manufacturers, award-winning songwriters, multi-platinum selling recording artists, national recording artists, social media celebrities, producers, record labels, managers and national platform festivals. 

Brian has also represented concert promoters in contract negotiations and class action litigation. He has locally and nationally worked on numerous film, television and literary projects. He counsels start-ups, media, and internet companies. He serves as general counsel for online magazines, record labels, concert promoters and tech companies.

Cameo Carlson, Head of Digital Business Development for Borman Entertainment and former Executive Vice President of Universal Motown Republic Group, has been at the forefront of the digital music revolution from its earliest stages. From terrestrial radio to online radio to digital and mobile commerce, she has demonstrated an ability to stay one step ahead of the industry throughout her career. 

Her roles have included mobile, online, and digital sales; product development; and marketing for artists such as Keith Urban, Lady A, Amy Winehouse, Lil Wayne and Jack Johnson. Cameo has been responsible for marketing and selling three of the ten biggest digital albums in history — as well as breaking mobile ringtone records for first week sales, top-selling of all time, and number of multi-platinum sales. 

In September 2008, Ms. Carlson was named one of the Top Mobile Executives by Billboard Magazine for her work at UMRG. Prior to her work at UMRG, Ms. Carlson worked as the editorial and label relations manager for iTunes, and the alternative & rock programmer for Spinner.com/Radio@AOL where she earned two U.S. Patents for her work in online radio.

Heralded by Guitar Player Magazine as the new “Titan of Tone,” Chad Taylor is a founding member and guitarist for alternative rock band LIVE. With more than 23 million albums sold and performances for more than 16 million concert attendees, Taylor has headlined the world’s biggest stages and graced the covers of Rolling Stone and Spin. As a key musical contributor to LIVE’s vast catalog of chart-topping, guitar-driven albums, his signature riffs are an indelible part of ’90s rock lore—“Operation Spirit,” “Selling The Drama,” “Lightning Crashes,” and “Lakini’s Juice” cemented LIVE’s legacy with contemporaries Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Smashing Pumpkins. 

As producer on big-screen films including HOME, starring Academy Award®-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden, and Another Harvest Moon, starring the late and legendary Academy Award® winner Ernest Borgnine. Taylor established new alliances with healthcare partners, creative agencies, corporate clients, while helming branded entertainment and visual media. In 2013, Taylor founded Think Loud Holdings, a private multifamily office. As Think Loud Holdings CEO and Chairman of the Board, Taylor provides corporate governance and operational management over a portfolio of both public and private equities. 

With over 40 years of international tour experience and a keen eye for details, David's journey has been as Tour Director, Tour Manager, Production Manager, and Tour Accountant for many of the world’s top artists covering all genres of music; Prince, John Legend, Green Day, John Fogerty, Earth, Wind & Fire, Avicci, Alicia Keys, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Toto, Panic! At the Disco, Toni Braxton, Roger Daltrey, Tyler, the Creator and Dream Theater.

David Sestak is a York College alumnus and founder of Media Five Entertainment. Sestak discovered and championed some of the hardest working bands over the last 50 years: LIVE, Fuel, Breaking Benjamin, The Badlees, Johnny O and the Classic Dogs of Love, Magnum, The Sharks, Solution AD, July For Kings. and Go Go Gadget. 

Over the past five decades, Media Five booked nearly 200,000 shows, worked with over 500 bands, promoted or produced over 300 concerts, and RIAA credits the company as management for over 25 million album sales by their clients.

The “Queen of Sample Clearance” according to Billboard, Forbes, Midem, Music Week, Okayplayer, Variety, and more — Deborah Mannis-Gardner 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, and she has cleared releases for artists including Drake, Tyler the Creator, DJ Khaled, Eminem, Pop Smoke, Logic, Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, Frank Ocean, Jay-Z, John Legend, Megan Thee Stallion, Big K.R.I.T., Brockhampton, French Montana, Big Sean, J. Cole, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Beyoncé, and more. 

Eimear Noone is an award-winning Irish composer and conductor who splits her time between composing for video games, feature films, TV, and commercials, as well as conducting classical concerts and game music. 

Her credits include "World of Warcraft," "Heroes of The Storm," "Starcraft II," "Diablo III," "Reaper of Souls," "Hearthstone," "Overwatch," and many more. "Diablo III," as one example, smashed the record in game sales by selling over 3.5 million copies in the first 24 hours alone. It also won the 2012 GDC award for best audio — which includes the award for music — the 2012 Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Original Score, and a 2013 BAFTA Nomination for Original Score.

Entertainment attorney Jay L. Cooper (Jerry Seinfeld, Katy Perry, screenwriter David Seidler of The King’s Speech, Sheryl Crow, John Williams, Glen Campbell, and TV show The Voice) focuses his practice on music industry, motion picture, television, Internet, multimedia, and intellectual property issues. He is recognized internationally as a leading expert on copyright law pertaining to music. 

A former professional musician, he has worked with stars such as Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole and has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Jeremy Weiss is the founder and owner of The CI Companies, the umbrella brand of his career endeavors: CI Records (label), LAUNCH Music Conference & Festival, The Champ venue, CI Productions, CI Design & Printing, and the CI band management arm. 

• CI Records (est. 1987) has signed notable acts, such as August Burns Red, Texas In July, Carousel Kings, The Pink Spiders, Vision, Sense Field, The Pavers, and many more.
• CI Productions, a production company Weiss started at the age of 15, has staged more than 1500 live shows, primarily at The Chameleon Club and the CI-owned all-ages venue The Champ, while also producing shows in Pittsburgh, PA, Allentown, PA, Philadelphia, and select out-of-state locations.   
• Weiss is the Director and Founder of LAUNCH Music Conference & Festival in Lancaster, PA, an annual three-day showcase festival and conference in its ninth year. LAUNCH hosts industry panels and seminars by day and over 175 performances, on average, by night on 15 stages and at different venues throughout the city of Lancaster, PA. 

The CI Companies venues are the brand management moniker, as well. Weiss has facilitated the transition of many of his CI Records roster acts to labels such as Equal Vision, Geffen, Tooth N Nail/Solidstate, etc., and onto tours such as Take Action and Vans Warped Tour; sent his bands to Europe, Asia, Australia, and throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as festivals like Milwaukee Summerfest, Purple Door, Cornerstone, and iMatter; negotiated licensing and endorsement deals; and much more.  

‌John McCurry is a guitarist and songwriter, currently based in New York City. He has written and performed songs with an impressive array of artists, including Cyndi Lauper, Billy Joel, Julian Lennon, David Bowie, John Waite, Joss Stone, Katy Perry, and The Jonas Brothers. John has performed across the globe and acted as musical director for many of his tours. He continues to perform and compose songs for artists, as well as create music for TV and film.

John has been at the forefront of the jazz world for the last 30+ years and is active in all styles of music. He is a three-time Grammy award winner, has been nominated over fourteen times, and has played on many other Grammy award-winning recordings. He has performed and/or recorded with jazz giants such as Dizzy Gillespie, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Stan Getz, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Haynes, Wynton Marsalis, Michael Brecker, Kenny Garrett, Victor Feldman, Nancy Wilson and countless others. John has also performed and/or recorded with pop artists such as Natalie Cole, John Mayer, Alicia Keys, Joni Mitchell, Bono, Sting, James Taylor, and Paul Simon. 

He has been active as a composer with fourteen solo recordings of his own and has been commissioned to write for various chamber music groups. John has performed as a soloist with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, the Estonian National Symphony, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Trondheim Symphony of Norway, the St. Louis Symphony and the London Symphony Orchestra. 

Mr. Patitucci has been involved in education for many years, writing books, making instructional videos, and giving master classes around the world. John was formerly the Artistic Director of The Bass Collective, a specialized school in New York, and a Professor of Music at The City College of New York from 2002-2012. He was appointed Artist in Residence at Berklee College of Music’s Global Jazz Institute and launched his interactive online bass school through ArtistWorks (artistworks.com). John continues to tour with the Wayne Shorter Quartet, the Children of the Light Trio, the John Patitucci Electric Guitar Quartet (his own group), a reunion tour of the Chick Corea Elektric Band, and the Chick Corea Trio.

She has been called "ubiquitous," and there could be no better word. Katie enjoys all aspects of the music business. During the boy band era of the '90s, she sang and danced her way in front of Universal and Virgin Record Execs and performed in front of thousands for the famed Showtime at The Apollo. Katie attended the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California for Commercial Recording and York College of Pennsylvania where she received her bachelor's in Music Industry & Recording Technology. 

Katie has traveled extensively and has worked with outstanding corporate/wedding bands from Dallas to Philadelphia to Chicago. In 2016, Katie co-founded Robin-Banks Entertainment, LLC, the home of the mid-Atlantic award-winning wedding bands Central City Orchestra and Downtown Sound. 

Additionally, Katie is a partner agent with the Reading, PA-based booking agency Anjoli Productions. Katie provides experience and a strong working knowledge of event planning and production in the private party, corporate, and fair/festival markets.

Liberty DeVitto, best known as Billy Joel’s longtime drummer, has appeared as a session drummer on recordings for a variety of other artists, including Meat Loaf, Carly Simon, Stevie Nicks, Rick Wakeman, Mick Jones, and Karen Carpenter. Born in New York City, he taught himself to play the drums after seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964. 

Through Music World Entertainment, Mathew Knowles executive produced over 100 award-winning platinum and gold albums in multiple genres, including pop, R&B, gospel, dance, and country, as well as movie soundtracks and special themed projects. Under Music World Artist Management, Destiny’s Child became a global phenomenon and was named the Best-Selling Female Group of All Time in popular music, selling over 400 million records and collecting nearly 200 awards, including GRAMMY® Awards, World Music Awards, American Music Awards, MTV Awards (U.S., Europe and Asia), Billboard Awards, BET Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and countless others. 

Under his leadership, Music World Entertainment experienced tremendous growth and extraordinary success. The company expanded and diversified into one of the world’s leading music and entertainment conglomerates, with record sales exceeding $450 million. Its worldwide platforms included record label ventures; management services for recording artists and producers; artist development services; endorsement and partnership deals; performance and event facilities; a master catalog series; film and television ventures; licensed merchandise products; philanthropic work; and investment and property holdings. 

Knowles has been a popular keynote speaker and guest lecturer at colleges, universities, and various organizations throughout the country, including Rice University, University of Southern California, Berklee College of Music, the Sync Summit, Management Leadership for Tomorrow, Billboard Music & Money Symposium, The Power of Diversity Leadership Panel, and numerous others.

Known for his contribution to Michael Jackson's Thriller album, producer and recording engineer Matt Forger has worked with a number of noteworthy professionals in the music and film industry. Some of them include Quincy Jones, Donna Summer, Steven Spielberg, Sir Paul McCartney, Michael McDonald, and John Landis.

Phil Ehart is the founder, drummer, and manager for the classic rock band KANSAS.  Releasing their first album in 1974, KANSAS has sold over 30 million records. Their music is a staple on classic rock radio, featuring hit songs "Dust in the Wind" and "Carry On Wayward Son," both million-selling singles. The band continues to tour around the world, averaging 60 dates a year. Phil is married and has two children.  

It all started when his parents bought him The Beatles' A Hard Day’s Night 45 single at the age of four. This grew into 15,000+ LPs by the age of 20.  However, his gifts were in the world of business, tech, and entrepreneurial pursuits, thus leading to the launch of Red Trumpet, a pioneering pure pay eCommerce company in the entertainment retail space, in 1999. 

Being a thought leader in the industry led him to Tower Records, where as President he led them through a post-bankruptcy rebranding and renaissance that reignited the cultural icon. After leaving Tower, he became Executive Producer of a TV show, “In One Room,” partnering with Ray Kennedy, and has been involved with the music industry on many levels since.

With over 20 years as a senior executive in the international marketplace, Richard is now a purpose-driven advisor with True Advisory Group, a new company with a mission to help people transform their lives and businesses while maintaining the mandatory balance to success. His current hobbies include a social presence with All Things Music Plus+, music history with 60,000 friends.

Richard and his wife Mary have four children and reside in Spring Garden, PA.

Rudy Sarzo is a professional recording and performing artist worldwide with a career spanning over 35 years. Voted #1 Bassist in Circus Magazine for 1983, Rudy has performed with Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot, Whitesnake, Yngwie Malmsteen, DIO, Blue Oyster Cult, and is currently a touring and recording member of The Guess Who. 

In addition, Rudy is the author of the Amazon.com bestselling book Off the Rails and is the host of Monsters of Rock Radio weekly show "Six Degrees of Sarzo" on the Dash Radio Network.

Shumetris (Meme) Halford was raised in Flint, MI, where she received her B.A. in Communication with a cognate in Business Administration from Michigan State University. Passionate about music, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music, working with such artists as Jermaine Dupri and Dr. Dre, among many others.

While working with Dr. Dre, Shumetris realized that there was an organic intersection between music and brands. She is now Manager of Marketing & Strategic Alliances at The Recording Academy, better known for The GRAMMY Awards, a peer-presented award to honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency, and overall excellence in the recording industry. Shumetris manages strategic brand partnerships and oversees all merchandising initiatives. As a five-year veteran at the GRAMMY®s, she has managed extensive partner programs and worked with the Marketing team to secure new partnerships.

Producer Steve Lillywhite is a six-time Grammy Award-winning record producer, credited on over 500 records. He has collaborated with a variety of musicians including U2, The Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews Band, Peter Gabriel, Big Country, Talking Heads, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Morrissey, The Killer, The Pogues, David Byrne, XTC, Simple Minds, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Psychedelic Furs, Beady Eye, Phish, Counting Crows and Joan Armatrading. 

Steve has won numerous awards, including the Producer of The Year Grammy in 2006 and Commander of the Order of The British Empire (CBE) in 2012 for his contributions to music.  

Record producer and recording engineer Sylvia Massy has charted an unmistakable path through the world of record production. She has worked with Tool, Aerosmith, Babyface, Big Daddy Kane, Bobby Brown, Prince, Julio Iglesias, Seal, Skunk Anansie, Paula Abdul, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Johnny Cash, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Slayer, Donovan, Geto Boys, the Black Crowes, Danzig, System of a Down, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sevendust, and Powerman 5000, which featured guest appearances from Rob Zombie, and the Beastie Boys' "Tibetan Freedom Concert" in New York with Adam Yauch and producer Pat McCarthy. She is also a fan of "adventure recording." 

Terry Botwick has held several high-impact positions, including President of Vanguard Films & Animation, President and COO of Big Idea Productions (VeggieTales), SVP of Programming for CBS, President of Distribution and National Programming for the Hearst Corporation, and VP of The Family Channel.

As SVP for CBS Entertainment, Botwick provided oversight for all prime-time series programming, as well as the network's special events, such as the Grammy Awards, Tony Awards, Daytime and Primetime Emmy Awards. During his years with CBN CBS, he participated in the renaming and repositioning of the network to the Family Channel, one of the leading cable programming services in the world.

In 2003, Botwick founded Thunderpoint Studios to finance and produce a portfolio of 20 theatrical movies predominantly targeted to PG-13 and less restrictive audiences. Thunderpoint entered into a partnership with John H. Williams (Shrek, Shrek 2) and his company, Vanguard. A forward-thinking executive, Botwick has an eclectic resume of broad-ranging success within the entertainment industry. 

Tim McKenna is an award-winning production manager with Live Nation with over 30 years' experience.  He has a strong desire to share his passion for the live events industry with the next generation. 

Tim began his career in 1979 at the legendary Paradise Theater (now Paradise Rock Club) in Boston. Starting as a stagehand and lighting assistant, he worked his way up to Lighting Director.  In 1984 he became the Production Manager and held this post until 2009. In 1989, he started doing theater, arena, and stadium shows for the Don Law Company. From 1991-2007 he was the Production Manager for the Avalon Nightclub on Lansdowne Street across from Fenway Park. In 1997 he became the Associate Production Manager of Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts. Now known as the Xfinity Center, the venue is consistently rated as one of the top amphitheaters in the country. In 2008 Tim oversaw the demolition of the Avalon and the construction of the Boston House of Blues. This state-of-the-art nightclub received the Billboard Nightclub of the Year and has topped Pollstar's list of Top Nightclubs numerous times. In 2015, Tim won the Tour Link "Top Dog" award for Promoter Rep of the Year for 2014.  

For the last 10 years, Tim has taught a course in Venue and Production Management at the New England Institute of Art. He also guest lectures at Berklee College of Music and Northeastern University.

Tim Smith is an alumnus of the University of Miami class of 1979 with a bachelor's in studio music and jazz, and later a 2015 alumnus of the Frost School of Music’s master’s degree in jazz performance. 

He has spent most of his career in Nashville, Tennessee, working with Monument Records founder and producer Fred Foster, as well as musicians like Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Tom Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Boots Randolph, and many others. He previously led a jazz-blues band called Mr. Groove with his brother and guitarist Roddy, a band that has recorded several Grammy-nominated projects under New York’s ZOHO label. 

Currently, Tim is playing in his classic soul project, Detroit Memphis Experience, and is faculty of the Frost School of Music as a Contemporary and Jazz Bass lecturer.

For over 37 years, Todd Brabec has been a key personality in the music industry. As Executive Vice President of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), he was responsible for signing most of ASCAPS's successful songwriters and film and television composers, for initiating and implementing most payment and distribution changes, including significant payment increases for television and film theme songs and score, as well as hit songs on the radio. Todd was able to eliminate practically all ASCAP payment policies, provisions, formulas, and rules that were not in the best interest of songwriters, composers, or music publishers, or that negatively affected their earnings. His efforts were responsible for bringing ASCAP from a 20% market share to market share dominance in all major media.  

Todd Brabec is a Deems Taylor Award-winning writer, the co-author of Music, Money and Success: The Insider's Guide to Making Money in the Music Business (7th edition), an Adjunct Professor at USC where he teaches a course on music publishing, music licensing, and film, television, and video game song and scoring contracts. 

An Entertainment Law attorney, he is a graduate of the New York University School of Law and a Governing Committee Member and former Music Chair of the American Bar Association's Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries. He lectures extensively throughout the world on traditional and new media music licensing, music publishing, royalties, and record company sources of income and music litigation.

Todd Fogdall is the President and CEO of the Appell Center for the Performing Arts and the Vice President of Pennsylvania Presenters, an organization that "champions its members in the presentation of artistically excellent, culturally diverse, and broadly entertaining performing arts programs that benefit their communities."

Ty Tabor is the lead guitarist for hard rock trio King's X, a band that has “garnered legendary status as one of progressive rock's foremost trail blazing bands” (Premier Guitar).  With the combined artistry of band members Doug Pinnick and Jerry Gaskill, Mr. Tabor's guitar style and “Beatlesque” vocals cemented King’s X’s spot as one of rock's most respected groups, with heavy metal classics Gretchen Goes to Nebraska, Faith Hope Love, and Dogman on Atlantic Records. 

Tabor later formed the progressive metal super group Platypus, which included members of Dream Theater and the Dixie Dregs. Other collaborative efforts have included renowned performers such as Brian May (Queen), Andy Summers (The Police), guitarist Stanley Jordan, and drummers Carmine Appice and Greg Bissonette. Often considered to be “one of rock’s most underrated guitar players,” (Guitar International), Tabor founded Alien Beans Studio, where he specializes in audio mastering.  

Grammy Award Winning Producer/Engineer Val Garay has worked with Mr. Big, Kim Carnes, Pablo Cruise, Neil Diamond, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Santana, Jackson Browne, The Motels, Marvin Gaye, Elton John, The Mamas & Papas, Queensrÿche, Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt, Seals & Crofts, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, and James Taylor.