Music Business Association Announces Women’s Programming and Leadership Roundtables for 2024 Conference

March 28, 2024 (Nashville, TN) — As Women’s History Month comes to a close, the Music Business Association announces its upcoming slate of women-focused programming and leadership roundtable discussions to take place on Thursday, May 16th during the Music Biz 2024 conference in Nashville.

The programming will kick off with the Walking the Walk: Tactics to Boost Diversity & Inclusion NOW panel at 11:30 AM, moderated by Skye Landgraf, Director, Partnerships and Programs, We Are Moving the Needle and featuring panelists Sarah Kloboves, Content and Marketing Specialist, Chartmetric, and Mira Howard, Head of Catalog, Snafu Records, with additional panelists to be announced. This session will examine the reality of the current gender imbalance in the industry and discuss how we all — labels, artists, producers, mixers, engineers, PROs, men, women, non-binary individuals, and more — can work together to close the vast gender gap. The panel will also explore innovative strategies and real-world tactics employed by industry leaders to foster diversity and inclusion.

The panel will be immediately followed at 12:25 PM by the Walk the Walk Keynote, where Jacqueline Saturn, President, Virgin Group, will be interviewed by Nicole Barsalona, President, Women in Music. Over the course of Saturn’s three-decade career, her visionary leadership, influence, and unparalleled ability to break top artists has left an indelible mark on the music industry’s landscape. Beyond her many executive accolades garnered while holding positions at Epic, Harvest, and Caroline, it is Saturn’s efforts to inspire the next generation of young executives and her support to those around her that really shine. Saturn is the true definition of an executive who is walking the walk. She is active with Gilda’s Club, Friendship Circle of Los Angeles, Creative Community for Peace, and has run the New York City Marathon on the American Cancer Society’s “Determination” team. She speaks yearly at the Syracuse University Music program through the Bandier School of Music and currently holds the position of Chapter Governor for the Los Angeles Chapter Board of the Recording Academy ®. In this keynote conversation, attendees will learn more about Saturn’s rise to the top, the highs and lows of being a woman in the business, her mentors and mentees, and her best advice for women who want to rise to the top of the business.

From 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM, the conference will host its Women In The Room: Music Biz Leadership Roundtables. These small group discussions will be led by a number of powerful female executives including Cindy Charles, Head of Music, Twitch, who will cover Mentoring the Next Generation of Women Music Execs; Amadea Choplin, COO, Pex, who will cover Women in the C-Suite; Shira Yevin, Founder & CEO, Gritty In Pink, who will cover Entrepreneurial Women In Music Tech; Judy Tint, Esq., Clinical Associate Professor of Music Business, NYU Steinhardt, who will cover Overcoming Personal Challenges To Thrive In Life & Business; Cristina Pimentel, Director of New Digital Business & Innovation, Universal Music Group, who will cover Mentoring Women In Music; Skye Landgraf, Director of Partnerships & Programs, We Are Moving The Needle, who will cover Social Impact & Inspiring Action For Systemic Change; and Anna Bond, Director of Planning & Initiatives, Secretly Distribution, who will cover Mental Health in the Workplace, with many more to be announced. Each small group discussion will focus on a specific topic around the leader’s area of expertise and will provide a space for intimate conversations around how women in the industry can better show up for themselves and each other. Advance registration is required for the roundtable discussions and will be posted along with the full executive roster and topic list for attendee signup beginning April 1.

“I am proud to say that we are once again raising the bar with our women-focused content at Music Biz 2024,” said Music Biz President Portia Sabin. “This year’s programming features so many powerful women executives that I am proud to work alongside, and our roundtables are sure to create meaningful connections and conversations that will have a positive ripple effect on our industry long beyond the event. I can’t wait to see everyone in Nashville!”

About Music Biz 2024
Music Biz 2024 is set to take place May 13 — 16, 2024 at the JW Marriott Nashville. This marks the 10th year the Music Business Association has hosted its flagship four-day conference in Nashville, bringing together more than 2,100 global music professionals for industry-defining conversations and connections to help shape the future of the music business and best serve the needs of all music professionals. This year’s event marks the debut of all-new summits on timely topics for the industry, including Artificial Intelligence; Concrete Results: Music’s Next Uncharted Frontier; Glocals Only: Music Marketing For A Borderless World; The Greatest Good: Social Impact Is Good For Business; and Changing The Game: Music & Gaming’s Unique Synergies. These join new editions of attendee-favorite programs such as the #NEXTGEN_NOW young professionals summit, Let’s Talk Physical, Music & Money, and the 13th annual Metadata Summit. Visit musicbiz2024.com for an up-to-date conference agenda, event registration & lodging information, and more.

About The Music Business Association
The Music Business Association (Music Biz) is a not-for-profit membership organization that advances, promotes, and invests in the future of the music business by providing a trusted forum where ideas and cooperation flourish. Through events, education, and engagement, the Association brings together the full breadth of the industry for unparalleled access to networking, resources, and thought leadership. 

Music Biz Media Contacts
Nicole Hennessey, VP, Music Business Association — nicole.hennessey@musicbiz.org
Laurie Jakobsen, Jaybird Communications — laurie@jaybirdcom.com