It's time to vote for the 2016 Venues Today Women of Influence Awards. We will be honoring this year's inspiring leaders during IAVM VenueConnect in Minneapolis, Minn. July 23-26, 2016. Vote now to make your voice heard. The voting deadline is Wednesday, May 18, 2016 These individuals have been nominated for their newsworthy achievement and outstanding leadership. We will showcase the winners in our July issue. Subscribers select THREE nominees. Votes submitted by nonsubscribers will not be valid.
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2016 VENUES TODAY WOMEN OF INFLUENCE NOMINEES
Maureen Andersen, VP, Arts and Entertainment, AudienceView & Chair of the Board, INTIX
For three decades Maureen has earned respect and awards for her knowledge of the entertainment business landscape. After starting at The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) she learned every area of ticketing before working with some of the biggest industry names. From 23 years at the DCPA to over 18 years on the INTIX Board, Maureen has worked in box office management, marketing, development, and everywhere in between, from not-for-profit, commercial arts, and Broadway to rodeos, regional ticketing, performing arts centers and colleges. She is currently Chair of INTIX after serving as an active member for over 25 years, all while serving as a presenter at industry conferences, seminars and workshops.
Cory Baker, Vice President of Programming and Production at the Long Center for the Performing Arts in Austin, Texas
As one of the Long Center’s newest recruits, Cory has already improved and grown its programming department immensely with her energy, experience and passion. Cory came to Austin after serving as the director of the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and vice president of the Scottsdale Cultural Council. As an avid volunteer and philanthropist, Cory has also volunteered at the Arizona Veterans Home and spent time in Cape Coast, Ghana volunteering for ProWorld Ghana to teach children in rural villages about health and hygiene. Her experiences, passion, character and ability to innovate and inspire all make Cory Baker a perfect choice for this prestigious honor.
Kendra Clark, General Manager, SMG Stockton (Calif.)
As the general manager of SMG Stockton, Kendra has oversight of four separate venues, including the Stockton Arena, Bob Hope Theatre, Stockton Ballpark and Oak Park Ice Arena, as well as over 500 employees. Even in a city fresh out of bankruptcy, Kendra has attracted top-level promoters such as Live Nation and AEG to the arena and networked with regional promoters to bring in sold-out shows like “Dancing with the Stars” to the Bob Hope Theatre. Kendra has also seen the Arena Football League Conference Championship and sold-out Arena Bowl, both aired on ESPN, hosted at the Stockton Arena, as well as two Primera Division soccer matches at Stockton Ballpark. She also works with year-round tenants the Stockton Heat (AHL Hockey – Calgary Flames) and Stockton Ports (single A affiliate, Oakland A’s). Finally, Oak Park Ice Arena offers activities from figure skating to youth hockey, and was recently approved for major renovations by the City of Stockton.
Stephanie Curran, General Manager, Spokane (Wash.) Convention Center and INB Performing Arts Center
Stephanie has spent several years on the IAVM Board of Trustees and is currently on their Executive Committee, where she has been instrumental in increasing fundraising contributions for the foundation. As the new general manager at the newly-expanded Spokane Convention Center, Stephanie is reinventing how business is done at the venue, as she and her team take the center to the next level in terms of service and deliverables. Stephanie has put her Master’s Degree from Gonzaga in Organizational Communication and Leadership to great use in her new role. She has also recognized the young homeless population in the community and created a mentoring program for the youth with the goal of providing skills and potential job opportunities, having already hired four participants in the program herself.
Kim Damron, Chief Operating Officer, Spectra Ticketing & Fan Engagement, Irvine, Calif.
Kim leads the development and execution of the Spectra Ticketing & Fan Engagement’s client services and operations strategy. In this role, she leads numerous functional and operational teams to deliver industry-leading ticketing, fundraising, marketing, and analytics services to more than 500 live entertainment and sports organizations. Kim has transformed the division’s StubHub relationship, which offers clients an integrated secondary ticketing solution. Kim recently led the integration of the New Era Tickets division as well, merging two areas of the business into one unit for operational efficiency. Kim also integrated the FanOne Marketing team into the Spectra Ticketing & Fan Engagement organization to create additional service opportunities for clients. Under Kim’s leadership as COO since the beginning of 2015, Spectra Ticketing & Fan Engagement acquired Ballena Technologies, built new partnerships with SeatGeek, ReplyBuy, and other event discovery partners, grew the division’s client community with more than 75 new partner organizations, and saw the launch of five regional ticketing businesses.
Sandra Dunn, General Manager, DCU Center/SMG, Worcester, Mass.
Sandy has held the position of general manager since 1995 for the SMG-managed Arena and Convention Center in Worcester. She oversaw the construction and grand opening of the Convention Center in 1997, as well as the $31.5-million expansion and renovation project of the 14,000-seat arena in October 2013. She has served on several volunteer boards and community outreach programs, including the governor-appointed Massachusetts Cultural Council Advisory Board, Worcester Municipal Research Bureau Board of Directors (Former Chair), Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Destination Worcester Executive Committee, and Economic Development Coordinating Council Committee. Sandy also holds the distinction of being the first female general manager in SMG’s history. Sandy played a key role in negotiating a $4.8 million naming rights partnership with DCU (Digital Federal Credit Union) in 2004, then renewed the deal in 2014. She was pivotal in bringing three professional sports franchises to the city.
Marty Elliott, Executive Director/General Manager of KSU Sports and Entertainment Park, Fifth Third Bank Stadium. Kennesaw, Ga.
Marty joined Kennesaw State University in 2012 after working 11 years as director of Major Events and Business Development for Clemson University. Marty currently sits on the IAVM Board of Directors as well as the Executive Committee. She distinguishes herself through her collaborative, thoughtful nature and a dedication to creating industry jobs for students and young professionals. Marty has hired and trained more than 4,000 students in order to introduce them to the industry she loves. Three hundred of those students have since assumed leadership roles, and at least 60 of them have become IAVM members. Her specific passion resides in creating an event from scratch and then promoting it. For example, Marty was instrumental in creating Atlanta’s only hot air balloon festival, Owl-O-Ween, which is billed as “Atlanta’s Largest Costume Party,” attracting more than 40,000 annually.
Mitzi Evans, Regional Director of Marketing, SMG/West Coast & Director of Marketing, Save Mart Center, Fresno, Calif.
Mitzi has served over 40 years as a veteran of the venue, touring, and marketing business. She has acted as a leader in the venue-marketing world by educating and training nearly 100 professionals through her regional involvement with SMG, as well as mentoring marketing students at Fresno State University. Mitzi has been instrumental in the success of the Save Mart Center, has contributed to the venue’s many industry awards, as well as helping to make it one of the top arena touring spots. Mitzi has been an integral part of creating the SMG Annual Marketing Awards, which recognizes excellence in advertising, public relations, sponsorships and promotions. She also helped create the SMG National Marketing Summit which has since become an annual event. For over eight years prior to joining SMG, Mitzi served as National Promotions Director with Ice Capades.
Ali Harnell, Senior VP / AEG Live - Messina Touring Group, Nashville
Ali has managed the Southeast region for AEG Live since 2004 overseeing all aspects of bookings and operations, as well as national touring activity for Keith Urban, Little Big Town and Hunter Hayes, among others. She also co-created and curates talent for the international country music festival C2C. In 2014 Ali was named IEBA's Promoter of the Year, made Billboard's prestigious Top 50 Women in Music list and also made Nashville Business Journal's Women in Music City list. In 2015 she was nominated for CMA Promoter of the Year and listed as a Nashville Power Player by Billboard.
Julia Karrenbauer, Senior Director of Business Development, Georgia World Congress Center Authority, Atlanta
Julia is responsible for the programming of all music events and self-produced events for Georgia Dome, Centennial Olympic Park, and Georgia World Congress Center, in addition to campus-wide marketing efforts, sponsorships and all nontraditional revenues. In the last two years, Julia has been in charge of four sold-out stadium shows in the Dome (Chesney/Church, Taylor Swift, Jay-Z & Beyonce, One Direction) with two more coming this summer: Beyoncé and Gun N’ Roses. Additionally, she brought the Gold-Cup Semi-Finals and two International Friendly matches to the venue. Julia also oversaw three sold-out Outkast shows, a Foo Fighters sell-out, the wildly popular Wednesday Wind Down music series and the Sweetwater 420 Music Festival at the Centennial Olympic Park. She will host two new music festivals in May 2016: Shaky Knees and Shaky Beats. Julia is currently working on developing new events for the GWCC, including two EDM shows to be held in the exhibit halls and a comedy show in the auditorium.
Pam Matthews, Executive Director, International Entertainment Buyers Association
Pam is a proven industry leader with 35 years of experience in the entertainment business. She began her career at age 15 as a runner for Mid-South Concerts in Memphis. Today Pam serves the live entertainment industry as executive director of one of its most influential trade organizations. Her background includes touring as an accountant for KISS and Ozzy Osbourne, working as part of the Pace Concerts team that designed, constructed and managed Starwood Amphitheatre, spending 12 years with the Judds and Wynonna as their director of touring and vice president/treasurer of business corporations, and serving seven years as general manager of the famed Ryman Auditorium. Pam was named IEBA’s executive director in 2013. Membership has grown 79 percent during her three-year tenure, and its 45th annual conference sold out in 2015.
Michele Montague, Assistant General Manager & Vice President - Events, Verizon Center/Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Washington, D.C.
Michele was promoted last year to assistant general manager and vice president of events at Verizon Center. In this role, Michele is responsible for booking all events in the facility and overseeing the box office and event production departments. She was also a key player in the success of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference. In addition to her job duties at the arena, Michele teaches at George Washington University, where she often allows those interested in the industry to shadow her at events for on-the-job insights. She works closely with interns as well to ensure they come away with a deep understanding of the business, offering classes and student group tours of the facility to speak about her career path in her chosen field.
Carol Moore, Executive Director, Newnan (Ga.) Centre
Carol has always been an outstanding contributor and team player on the multiple committees and boards she has sat on over the years, where she has an amazing ability to deliver challenging information with grace and humor. She has worked on the board of the IAVM, the executive committee, and chaired many other IAVM committees, all while giving back to her own venue and the community it serves. Carol is on the CVB Board, an officer in the Rotary Club, a member of the United Way Committee and is also part of Meals on Wheels, just to name a few of the committees and boards she has been a part of in her long career. Her contributions have varied from opening four buildings to working in almost every sector, from arenas and convention centers to amphitheaters and performing arts centers.
Kim Mahoney, Assistant Professor, Sports Management, University of New Haven, New Haven, CT
Kim is currently an assistant professor in sports management at the University of New Haven College of Business, teaching primarily in the areas of event and venue management. She previously served on the faculty of the University of South Carolina and Ohio State University. Kim has over 20 years of experience in various segments of the sports and entertainment industry and continues to do consulting work on a variety of special projects. After beginning her career at the Georgia Dome while in graduate school, she worked as an intern at the Charlotte Coliseum. She has since been involved in the opening of three venues including a convention center, a football stadium and an arena. Her work as a regional manager with Show Pros Entertainment Services, Inc. saw her working in stadiums, arenas, speedways and amphitheaters. Dr. Mahoney previously served as an assistant commissioner with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) and as executive director of the OHSAA Foundation. Most recently she served as the director of communications and program development with Columbus Arena Sports & Entertainment (CASE), which oversees the day-to-day operations of Nationwide Arena and the Jerome Schottenstein Center.
Nathalie Ollson, Director of Event Operations, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Toronto
Nathalie leads a team of dynamic event operations professionals in the execution of hundreds of world-class events each year at Air Canada Centre, Ricoh Coliseum, BMO Field and more. She set the bar high in 2015 with the record-setting NBA All-Star Weekend and the World Junior Hockey Championship. During the World Juniors, Air Canada Centre (ACC) hosted 18 games in 10 days, with approximately 300,000 fans attending. More recently, NBA All-Star Weekend saw approximately 80,000 fans enter ACC, Ricoh Coliseum and EnerCare Centre. Nathalie was also responsible for the planning and implementation of True North, MLSE’s All-Star entertainment hub that hosted over 10,000 guests and boasted performances by Gwen Stefani, Usher, Flo Rida, and Snoop Dogg. Nathalie’s dedication saw a new precedent attained for venue service at these logistically challenging and highly attended events.
Susan O’Malley, University of South Carolina, Department of Sport and Entertainment Management, Senior Clinical Instructor/The Sports and Entertainment Company Consultant, Columbia
Susan served as the president and CEO of Washington Sports and Entertainment from 1991 to 2007, where she managed a $650-million business, including the Verizon Center, three sports franchises (Washington Wizards, Mystics, Capitals), the US Airways Arena and Ticketmaster. She was named president of the Washington Wizards in 1991, where she became the first female president of an NBA franchise. In her first year as president, the Wizards had the largest ticket revenue increase in the history of an NBA franchise, as well as the highest renewal rate of season tickets ever by the franchise. During her time leading WSE, over 21.2 million fans came to approximately 1,800 events at the Verizon Center. After leaving WSE, Susan earned her law degree from Georgetown University, where she also taught a sports business marketing class, and was awarded the Adjunct Professor of the Year Award. She was also St. Joseph's University's first sports marketing professor. Susan recently joined the Department of Sport and Entertainment Management at the University of South Carolina as a full-time faculty member. She also consults with The Sports and Entertainment Company (Sports-EntCo).
Angélica Oropeza, General Manager, Arena Ciudad de México, Mexico City
Angelica is responsible for making the Arena Ciudad de México a profitable, perfectly operating venue, all while making sure its visitors are happy. Her job sees her helping people live the experience of attending the facility through segmented content. Her commitment keeps the calendar and sand occupied at 85-percent capacity. She is the only female director in ZIGNIA, which is a huge responsibility in México since most of the companies are still dominated by men in these positions. Arena Ciudad de Mexico was ranked sixth by Pollstar in worldwide ticket sales for 2015.
Elisa Padilla, Chief Marketing Officer, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Sports & Entertainment
Elisa oversees all marketing efforts for Barclays Center, the Brooklyn Nets and New York Islanders, including branding, advertising, merchandising, database research, creative, websites, community, game presentation, event marketing and social media. In 2012, Elisa led the rebranding strategy of the Nets from New Jersey to Brooklyn. She is also the creator of the award-winning branding campaign Hello Brooklyn. That same year, she played a key role in establishing the brand identity for Barclays Center by branding its seven programming franchises. Most recently, Elisa was a key player in the Islanders move to Brooklyn beginning with the 2015-16 season, where she led the brand positioning for the team’s relocation and entry into the market. In overseeing game presentation, Elisa has elevated the in-arena entertainment experience during the team’s first season in Brooklyn. She has been the point person overseeing the planning and execution of all off-ice initiatives during the Islanders 2016 Playoff run.
Beth Paul, General Manager Greenville (S.C.) Arena District/ Bon Secours Wellness Arena
Beth is breaking the mold in the entertainment industry in South Carolina. She is the only female to hold the position of general manager of an arena in the state, and among the few females to lead an arena nationwide. Beth has been actively involved in developing the Greenville community most all of her adult life. In addition to her GM position, she actively participates in charity work, including Meals on Wheels and Habitat for Humanity, among others.
Pam Plageman, Regional Vice President, Spectra by Comcast Spectacor, Cincinnati
Pam possesses over 30 years of experience in hospitality and venue management, including nine years at Spectra, where she is currently a regional vice president. Her passion resides in high-volume, upscale catering events, and she owns a proven track record of exceeding financial/budgetary goals year after year. Pam, in conjunction with the local CVB Partner and Duke Energy Convention Center team, was an integral part of the Duke Energy Center bringing the World Choir Games to Cincinnati. She and her team devised a plan to serve more than 90,000 meals over 14 days, which ultimately landed Spectra and the Duke Energy Convention Center the new business. Pam and her team also volunteer their time to prepare and serve Thanksgiving dinner to approximately 6,000 people in need each year. Whether she is jumping behind a line at the venue’s Starbucks and taking drink orders, or helping to wrist-band eager patrons as they enter a concert, Pam is always going above and beyond to provide exceptional customer service and stellar guest experiences.
Ellen Schwartz, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, AEG Facilities, Los Angeles Convention Center
Ellen’s leadership was integral to the Los Angeles Convention Center’s (LACC) successful transition from public to private management. Her vision, business acumen, knowledge of the industry, and ability to motivate others resulted in unprecedented success for the facility since privatization. As a talented professional with over 25 years of experience in the trade show and event industry, Ellen consistently increases revenue while retaining and building client relationships. Under Ellen’s leadership, filming revenue increased 56 percent and overall rental by 11 percent in FY 2015. She has been instrumental in solidifying the partnership between LACC and the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board (LATCB) resulting in a 5 percent increase in occupancy in FY 2015, all while surpassing competition and industry standards. 2016 will see an over-30-percent increase in Citywide Conventions compared to 2015, and her efforts directly contributed to over $13 million in operating profit since AEG assumed management..
Karen Swan, Director of Group Marketing, Target Center/AEG, Minneapolis
Karen is known for her dedication to her clients in the Twin Cities, as well as her willingness to share knowledge and experience with others. She began her career in 1974 at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minn., working for Gigi Pilhofer and Bob Reid. When Target Center was getting ready to open in 1990, Tim Leiweke approached Karen about coming to work for Ogden Entertainment. She has not looked back since, serving as the only director of Group Sales for the venue. In 2005 she was awarded the Gigi Award of Excellence, one of the first five recipients ever given this award, which honors individuals who have made significant contributions to professionalize and educate event marketers within the live entertainment industry.
Michele L. Swann, General Manager/CEO of the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum & Exhibit Hall Authority, Atlanta
Michele is known for leading Cobb Galleria Centre, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Galleria Specialty Shops, and ArtsBridge Foundation through tremendous growth in facilities, programs, and services. Both the convention center and performing arts center have realized an operating profit since opening. Michele has worked in public venue management for more than 30 years. She is a past Trustee of the IAVM Foundation and past vice president of Region Five. First hired in 1995 as assistant general manager, Michele was promoted to general manager/CEO of the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum & Exhibit Hall Authority in 1999. In 2015 the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum & Exhibit Hall Authority was awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA). It was the 21st consecutive year they received this award. Michele exemplifies qualities of leadership, integrity, dedication, motivation, and teamwork, all while inspiring other women to achieve their own goals.
Rachel Traversari, Senior Director of Marketing, Durham (N.C.) Performing Arts Center
As Senior Director of Marketing of DPAC, Rachel has been part of the Nederlander/PFM operating team since DPAC’s opening in 2008. Under Rachel’s direction, DPAC’s subscription base has grown from its humble beginnings of 6,000 subscribers to over 15,000 currently, which it has maintained for the past three seasons. Its signature eight-show subscription series, SunTrust Broadway at DPAC, is the largest one-week subscription in the country. DPAC successfully hosts 100 to 150 Broadway performances per year, drawing up to 350,000 guests, which has helped the venue rank among the top five theaters in America in national attendance rankings since 2011. Rachel’s marketing initiatives include the production of an annual season announcement TV special from NYC, which is broadcast locally in the Raleigh/Durham, N.C. market. She also worked to establish the Triangle Rising Star awards in central and eastern North Carolina, sending winning contestants to the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (The Jimmy’s) in New York. Rachel’s commitment beyond marketing is a testament to her dedication to the arts education of talented youth in her home community.
Rena Wasserman, Senior Vice President of Production & Operations for Nederlander Concerts, Los Angeles
As Senior Vice President of Production & Operations for Nederlander Concerts, Rena oversees the company’s award-winning venues as well as business development. She also focuses on expansion initiatives for the company and business opportunities, both locally and in new markets. Rena is a community leader and actively participates in several charitable organizations. For the past three years she has co-produced the Light Up The Blues Concerts benefitting Autism Speaks, alongside Stephen and Kristen Stills. The annual benefit continually sells out and raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization. From 2005 to 2015, Rena was the general manager for the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles under Nederlander’s stewardship. During her tenure the venue consecutively won “Best Small Outdoor Venue of the Year.” Additionally, Rena has been nominated multiple times for North America’s “Facility Executive of the Year” by Pollstar Magazine, and has won this prestigious honor four times. Prior to joining Nederlander Rena worked for 20 years at The Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles under the direction of Bill Graham Presents.
Kathy Willard, CFO, Live Nation Entertainment, Los Angeles
When Ticketmaster merged with Live Nation Entertainment, Kathy worked to reap financial benefits from that event. Kathy oversees the financial operations of the world’s largest live entertainmernt, ticketing and eCommerce company. She was appointed CFO in September 2007 following nine years at the company in various roles, including executive vice president and CAO. Prior to her current post, she was CFO of Clear Channel Entertainment, a spinoff of which became Live Nation. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with highest honors from the University of Oklahoma and is a CPA.
Sally Williams, Vice President Business and Partnership Development/GM at Grand Ole Opry Entertainment/Ryman Auditorium, Nashville
Sally has been the general manager at the iconic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville since 2008. She has over 25 years of experience in the venue management and music industry. Sally has been recognized for her skills multiple times, by Pollstar as Executive of the Year/Venue of the Year, Women in Music City, Source Awards, and the Academy of Country Music, to name but a few. She is currently involved in taking country music to Broadway as producer of “Moonshine: That Hee Haw Musical.” Sally is influential not only as the holder of a top position at a must-play country music venue, she also shares her time to speak at conferences and participate in round table discussions, giving back to the industry and ensuring the future for other women to follow in her footsteps.