Sarah Trahern talks final CMA Fest, Nissan Stadium farewell
The CEO of CMA reflects on the end of her CMA tenure and the final CMA Fest at Nissan Stadium.
The Country Music Association has named Nashville music industry veteran Brittany Schaffer as its next chief executive officer.
Sharing the news on July 8, the CMA said Schaffer will succeed outgoing CEO Sarah Trahern, who will retire after 13 years as the organization’s leader. Schaffer will reportedly join the organization on Sept. 8 as part of a “strategic transition plan,” before officially taking over on Jan. 1, 2027.
“Country Music meets people where they are, and it changes lives every day,” Schaffer said in the official statement. “That starts with songwriters and artists and everyone who carries this music to fans around the world. Serving them is the honor of a lifetime.”
“Our search committee set out to find a leader who understands the responsibility of representing this industry, not just the opportunity of it,” added CMA Board Chairman Jay Williams (WME Nashville Partner and Co-Head). “We met with an exceptional group of candidates, and we believe Brittany is exactly the leader to carry this organization into its next era, and to make sure country music’s influence continues to expand well beyond Nashville.”
Schaffer comes to the new role with a reported 15 years of executive-level music industry experience, “spanning entertainment law, partnership strategy and academic leadership in entertainment education.”
Her most recent title was Dean of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business at Belmont University, where she helped spearhead the expansion of the Curb College on Music Row, and the Center for Mental Health in Entertainment.
Schaffer also served as an entertainment attorney at Loeb & Loeb LLP and spent time at Spotify as head of artist and label partnerships in Nashville.
Trahern announced her intention to retire at the start of 2026.
“Sarah Trahern will leave CMA and this community stronger than she found it,” Schaffer said. “I’m grateful for her mentorship and friendship, and for a transition marked by the same professionalism and intentionality that defined her tenure. Together with CMA’s talented staff and members, we’ll build on that foundation. We’ll reinforce the connectivity within this community, bring renewed energy to our signature events, and find new ways to connect country music with fans around the world. And if we get that right, somewhere a song will find somebody who needs to hear it. That’s the heart of this work, and I can’t wait to get started.”
The CMA was founded in 1958 to promote the growth of country music as an art form and industry. Each year, it organizes high-profile events like the CMA Awards and CMA Fest, and takes part in various philanthropic initiatives.
“Leading this organization for 13 years has been the honor of my life, and I have this community to thank for that,” said Trahern. “I’m grateful to our search committee for the time, care and integrity they brought to this process, and I trust the thoughtfulness they poured into it. I wish Brittany every success as she steps into this role, and I look forward to cheering this entire industry on for many years to come.”
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