Emily Cohen Belote<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Emily](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/EmilyCohen_Headshot-2.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Image\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tGlobal lead for country music programming
Amazon Music<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tIn her decade with Amazon Music, Cohen Belote has continued to expand the platform\u2019s influence within the country genre through artist development, programming and large-scale initiatives. In 2025, she led the selection and rollout of Carter Faith as an Amazon Music Breakthrough artist, helped shape the platform\u2019s Country Music Month programming via live activations and a Grand Ole Opry takeover, and grew its \u201cCountry Heat\u201d and \u201cBonfire\u201d discovery playlists. Just as significantly, she played a central role in shaping Amazon Music\u2019s strategy for the 2026 Stagecoach festival, leading the playlisting approach that anchored the campaign and using \u201cCountry Heat\u201d to connect fans with key artists and moments ahead of the festival.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nHayley Corbett<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Hayley](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/themes\/pmc-variety-2020\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\")
![\"Hayley](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Hayley-Corbett.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Kassidy Slaven\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tArtist manager
Megan Moroney<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tBefore managing Moroney, Corbett spent six years working alongside legendary veteran label executive and manager Fletcher Foster, where she built her foundation in artist development, touring, long-term strategy and day-to-day execution. Since joining Moroney\u2019s team in 2022, she has played a pivotal role in the singer\u2019s meteoric rise, which in the past year has included a sold-out North American tour, several major country radio hits, a Top 10 album with \u201cAm I Okay?\u201d and being named Variety<\/em>\u2019s Hitmakers Storyteller of the Year. With barely a pause for breath, Moroney dropped her third studio album, \u201cCloud 9,\u201d in March, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. She has an arena tour launching in May and leads nominations at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards.<\/p>\n\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re in a moment in music where more women than ever are succeeding, especially in Nashville,\u201d Corbett says. \u201cI see peers leading the charge and all-women teams moving the needle. Women are still underestimated \u2014 and that\u2019s not a weakness, it\u2019s an advantage. It pushes us to go further, break barriers, and continue to create more opportunities for the women coming up.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nKatie Dean<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"KatieDean
Credit:](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/KatieDean-PC-Chrissy-Yoder.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Chrissy Yoder\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tLabel head
Leo33<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tDean has helped shape Leo33 from the ground up, building its roster \u2014 including Grammy-winning flagship artist Zach Top \u2014 and shaping its creative vision. The Augusta, Ga., native held roles at AristoMedia and the Country Music Assn. before finding her footing in radio promotion. She spent nearly two decades at Universal Music Group Nashville, where she rose to lead the first all-female promotion team at a major label. She also played a key role in the success of artists such as Sam Hunt, Parker McCollum and Jordan Davis, and helped drive George Strait\u2019s 60th No. 1 song. In 2023, she launched Leo33, whose roster also includes Jason Scott & the High Heat, Jenna Paulette, Clay Street Unit, Ashland Craft, and\u00a0Trey Pendley.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cFor all its competitiveness, Nashville never loses its sense of community,\u201d Dean says. \u201cThis is a town full of ambitious, driven people, but it\u2019s not cutthroat in the way you\u2019d expect. It\u2019s competitive, but it\u2019s friendly competition. There\u2019s a shared understanding that when one person wins, it\u2019s a win for the format, for the genre, for all of us who care about keeping country music moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nLynette Garbonola<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Lynette](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Lynette-Garbonola.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Jamie Schramm\/CMA\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tVP, international
BBR Music Group\/BMG Nashville<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tGarbonola has been at the forefront of connecting artists like Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and Blake Shelton with new audiences across the globe, notably in Europe, Australia and Asia. She joined BBR in 2010 after spending 16 years at Warner Music Nashville, where she helped launch its new media\/digital department, rising to the role of VP. In 2025 she was honored by the Country Music Assn. with the Jo Walker Meador International Award for \u201coutstanding achievement by an individual in advocating and supporting country music\u2019s marketing development in territories outside the United States.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nBecky Gardenhire<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Becky](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Becky-Gardenhire_250617_2316-2.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Paul Brissman\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tCo-head and partner \u00a0
WME Nashville<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tAs the first female to be named co-head of an agency in Nashville, Gardenhire has had an impressive journey at WME since she joined the company after graduating from New York University in 2002. She joined the Beverly Hills office of what was then the William Morris Agency as an assistant in the television department before moving to Nashville a year later. She was named a partner at WME in 2017, and the following year was honored with CMA\u2019s Talent Agent of the Year award. She represents some of country music\u2019s most successful and influential artists, including Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts, Trisha Yearwood, Jordan Davis, Sara Evans and Lukas Nelson, among others.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nMya Hansen<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Mya](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Mya-Hanson.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Image\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tA&R \u00a0
Sawgod Records<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tHansen signed Ella Langley to her first publishing deal at Sony Music Publishing in 2021 and has been working with the Nashville breakout star as her A&R and music confidant ever since. She joined the Sawgod team when Langley signed with the label in 2022 and has been a part of all the artist\u2019s projects, including her blockbuster sophomore album \u201cDandelion\u201d and Hot 100-topping single \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas.\u201d Hansen also manages singer-songwriter Gabriella Rose (Zach Bryan\u2019s duet partner on his song \u201cMadeline\u201d), who will join Langley on the \u201cDandelion\u201d tour and will release her debut album this year. \u201cI\u2019m really proud to see Ella become the first female artist to simultaneously lead the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts,\u201d Hansen says. \u201cIt\u2019s always cool to see the girls break barriers.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nMegan Hinde<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Megan](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Megan-Hinde.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Image\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tArtist manager \u00a0
Painted Rock Management<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tWhile working at the concert promotion company Peachtree Entertainment, Hinde \u201cfell into\u201d management with business partner Bradley Jordan after joining forces with a young country singer named Ella Langley in 2021. Jordan had booked Langley as an opening act in the previous years, and soon Painted Rock Management was born. Langley\u2019s profile rose dramatically around a long tour with country star (and duet partner) Riley Green, and in 2025, she was the most-nominated artist at the Academy of Country Music Awards and tied for most at the Country Music Assn. Awards. But it was all prelude for her sophomore album, \u201cDandelion,\u201d which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in April \u2014 not to mention the single \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas,\u201d which is currently the top song of 2026, according to Luminate.<\/p>\n
\n\tAsked about challenges facing women in her area of the business, Hinde says, \u201cEtiquette on the road can be a challenge outside of the corporate office environments for women. Accommodations and support for the women on either in side needs to be increased with programs and options added into advances. A healthy road environment is an empowered and professional one.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nJackie Jones<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Jackie](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Jackie-Jones_DF2A0795-1.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Drew Xeron Photography\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tSenior VP of artist & industry relations \u00a0
Recording Industry Assn. of America<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tIn her role at the RIAA, Jones has spent much of her energy in recent years confronting the impact of AI on the music industry \u2014 most notably companies trying to profit from copyrighted works without permission or compensation. She worked on the national advocacy campaign Stealing Isn\u2019t Innovation (to oppose the unlicensed use of creative works), was instrumental in securing Tennessee\u2019s Elvis Act (a victory in protecting artists\u2019 voice and likeness from AI deepfakes) and promoted the bipartisan federal No Fakes Act within the music community, bringing country stars Lainey Wilson and Martina McBride to testify before Congress. She also co-founded Family Alliance in Music to benefit caregivers in the industry, and produced the ACM Lifting Lives 60th Anniversary Gala, raising more than $1.3 million for music industry health and relief efforts.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nMeredith Jones Long<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Meredith](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Meredith-Long_1393-2.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Image\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tAgent \u00a0
CAA Nashville<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tAn 18-year CAA veteran, Jones Long grew up loving mainstream country but has increasingly built a roster of crossover artists who fall between genre cracks, like her highest-profile clients, Brandi Carlile and Shaboozey. She was involved in booking Carlile\u2019s first U.S. arena tour this year. \u201cStanding side-stage at Brandi\u2019s opening night in Philadelphia, I felt the same electricity I experienced months later watching Carter Faith close out her first nationwide club tour with a sold-out show at Exit\/In,\u201d she says. \u201cDifferent stages, different scales, but the same unmistakable sense of momentum and connection.\u201d Wyatt Flores, Whiskey Myers and Hailey Whitters are among her fastest rising mid-level acts. Jones Long\u2019s helped found the Hubb, a program providing tools for a diverse lineup of interns.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nLucia Kaminsky<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Lucia](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Lucia-Kaminsky.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Image\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tPresident
The Sandbox<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tThe fittingly named Sandbox, founded by Jason Owen, is a multi-platform entertainment company that reaches into nearly every sector of music, film and storytelling, largely as a management firm. Kaminsky has led ambitious digital strategies for the company\u2019s client roster, which includes Kacey Musgraves, Kelsea Ballerini, Billie Eilish, Finneas, Little Big Town and others. Projects include Ballerini\u2019s first sold-out arena tour, Musgraves\u2019 recent sixth album, \u201cMiddle of Nowhere,\u201d and Eilish\u2019s \u201cHit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour Live in 3D,\u201d which Eilish co-directed with James Cameron. A multilingual native of Argentina, Kaminsky has previously held roles at the Walt Disney Co. (in Brazil), the Recording Academy and Warner Music Nashville. <\/p>\n
\n\tAsked about challenges facing women in this area of the business, Kaminsky says, \u201cOne of the challenges facing women in this industry that has remained at the forefront of my mind over the past few years is the ongoing struggle to balance a high-powered career with motherhood, for those who choose that path. Too often, motherhood is absent from professional narratives like this one as if it needs to be concealed. That needs to change.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWomen coming up in this industry deserve to see that it is not only possible to be both a mother and a leader, but that it is something to be proud of,\u201d she continues. \u201cWe need more visibility, honesty, and resources for working parents across the industry, along with a broader cultural shift toward acceptance and support. I am fortunate to work at a company that recognizes my role as a mother not as a limitation, but as a superpower.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nMeg Kehoe<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Meg](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Meg-Kehoe_3835.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Image\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tHead of media
Sony Music Nashville<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tOver the past year, Kehoe\u2019s role has expanded beyond overseeing the label\u2019s publicity initiatives to driving its licensing and sync strategies, and forging relationships with TV and film music supervisors to secure placements. A major success of the past year was her role in the rise of Variety <\/em>Hitmakers Storyteller of the Year Megan Moroney, who scored a sold-out North American tour last year and recently landed a No. 1 debut with her third album, \u201cCloud 9,\u201d with an even bigger Stateside trek to follow. Kehoe also helped to plan and execute the campaign around Luke Combs\u2019 latest album, \u201cThe Way I Am.\u201d Previously, she held senior roles at RCA Records for 14 years working closely with Pink, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Timberlake and Tate McRae.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nTiffany Kerns<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Tiffany](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Tiffany-Kerns.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Shiloh Colleen\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tSenior vice president of industry relations & philanthropy; executive director at CMA Foundation
Country Music Assn.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tKerns played a major role in elevating mental health as a priority for CMA, stewarding a multimillion-dollar investment that expands access to counseling, crisis support and wellness resources for artists, crews and industry teams. She also oversees several of CMA\u2019s professional development programs, including the CMA Women\u2019s Leadership Academy (a resource for mentorship, leadership training and community-building) and the expansion of CMA\u2019s Touring Mentorship Program, connecting emerging touring professionals with experienced leaders. She also works with CMA EDU, which provides college students with hands-on learning and industry access as well as overseeing the CMA Foundation, which advances music education opportunities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nLenore Kinder<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Lenore](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Lenore-Kinder.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Stacie Huckeba\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tSenior vice president \u00a0
The Team\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tKinder leads a formidable roster of artists that includes Wynonna Judd, Tanya Tucker, the War and Treaty, Weyes Blood, I\u2019m With Her and Sarah Kinsley. Before moving to the agency side, she spent roughly a decade as a promoter at AEG Nashville\/AEG Presents, where she started as a marketing intern in 2007 and later worked as a talent buyer and promoter. She joined Paradigm\u2019s Nashville office as an agent in 2018 (before the agency ultimately became part of Wasserman Music, which was renamed the Team earlier this year).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nRoxy King<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Roxy](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Roxy-King-Photo-by-Noah-Needleman.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Noah Needleman\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tSenior director of A&R\u00a0
Universal Music Publishing Group Nashville<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tOver the past year, King signed Megan Moroney and writer-producer Alysa Vanderheym (Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs), while writers on her roster have contributed to the Grammy-winning hit \u201cAmen\u201d by Shaboozey and Jelly Roll (co-written by Nevin Sastry and Seth Ennis), Blake Shelton\u2019s \u201cTexas\u201d (co-written by Kyle Sturrock) and Cody Johnson\u2019s \u201cThe Fall\u201d (co-written by Ray Fulcher). Before joining UMPG, King worked at Concord Music Publishing and on the global music rights management team at Songtrust. \u201cWhat I love most about Nashville is the shared respect for the songwriter,\u201d King says. \u201cIt\u2019s incredibly meaningful to live and work in a town that genuinely values and celebrates them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nTracy Martin<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Tracy](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/TracyMartin_credChrisAshlee2.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Chris Ashlee\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tPresident \u00a0
The Core Entertainment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tLeading a management company that has scaled up to include a label and hire 30 full-time employees, Martin has not only seen artists like Bailey Zimmerman and Nate Smith grow from the ground up, but also veterans like Dan + Shay and Tyler Hubbard, who\u2019ve come over looking for fresh energy. After starting her career with TV networks in Canada (and four years as president of the Canadian Country Music Assn.), Martin loves her base of five years in Music City. \u201cNashville is one of the few places where the business and the creative are completely intertwined. Artists, writers, managers, agents: everyone\u2019s in it together and actually around each other. It keeps you sharp.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nKatie McCartney<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Katie](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Katie-McCartney-Headshot.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Image\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tExec VP\/general manager \u00a0
MCA Records<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tAs the recently rebranded MCA brought in a wave of new toppers last year, McCartney came over from an eight-year run helping to build Monument Records from the ground up, and is now bringing that track record to a company that still has one of the biggest and most illustrious rosters in Nashville. She\u2019s been the engine behind transitioning the company into \u201ca more modern, artist-first model \u2014 prioritizing long-term storytelling, global strategy and platform-native fan engagement,\u201d she says. Successes in her first year have included the ascent of ACM best new male artist Tucker Wetmore, the further development of Parker McCollum as a real artist as well as hitmaker, the introduction of critical favorite Carter Faith and the signing of flagship artist Vince Gill to an unprecedented lifetime contract.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nGemma McInturff<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Gemma](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Gemma-McInturff-2025-Headshot.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Image\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tLabel partnerships lead \u00a0
Spotify<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tIn her role at the world\u2019s largest paid streaming service, McInturff develops campaigns and global strategies for top releases across major and independent labels. Highlights of 2025 included building Spotify\u2019s global marketing campaign for Morgan Wallen\u2019s \u201cI\u2019m the Problem\u201d and recent albums by Tucker Wetmore, Luke Combs and Kacey Musgraves, the latter including a special fan event in Nashville. The Melbourne, Australia, native worked for a dozen years at indie record labels, digital marketing firms and recording studios before joining Spotify in 2022. \u201cNashville is a community that prioritizes two things: humans and songs,\u201d she says. \u201cKnowing that every day I\u2019m fighting for songs to be heard alongside people who take care of one another is something I will never take for granted.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nMandelyn Monchick<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Mandelyn](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Mandelyn-Monchick.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: CeCe Dawson\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tArtist manager \u00a0
Red Light Entertainment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tMonchick has played a major role in one of country music\u2019s biggest success stories of the past decade: Lainey Wilson\u2019s breakout run from a promising new artist to a superstar in both country music and on television, via her recurring role in \u201cYellowstone,\u201d her feature film debut \u201cReminders of Him\u201d and as host of the 2026 CMA Awards. At the CMA Awards, she won entertainer of the year, female vocalist of the year and album of the year for her latest effort, \u201cWhirlwind.\u201d Wilson also headlined her first global tour and played stadium dates alongside Chris Stapleton. Plus, she was top billed at the Stagecoach and Country Calling festivals in 2026. A boot brand, Golden West, and the Lainey Wilson Jewelry Collection were icing on the cake.<\/p>\n
\n\tAsked about challenges facing women in the business, Monchick says, \u201cThe biggest challenge is breaking through bias and being taken seriously early on. I want to see more executives actively championing and developing young talent on both sides of the business and a culture that values long-term development over quick wins.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nMilly Olykan<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Milly](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Milly-Olykan-2024-color.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Image\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tSenior VP of artist development & global touring \u00a0
Live Nation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tOlykan joined Live nation\u2019s concert division at the beginning of 2025 to lead global strategy for the country and Americana divisions, after having served as the CMA\u2019s VP of international relations for six years. (She also worked on CMA Fest and was the festival\u2019s interim director for two years.) Her experience as a prime mover for country in the global space goes back to a previous stint leading AEG Presents\u2019 country touring efforts in the U.K.; she also helped found the Country to Country (C2C) Festival. Her first year with Live Nation found her working with the company\u2019s international promoter network to open new markets, from Brazil (where Cody Johnson headlined a 50,000-strong rodeo) to South Africa (where the Cape Town Country Music Festival has launched).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\nAnnie Ortmeier<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Annie](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Annie-Ortmeier-Head-Shot-2026-@RyanRCampHR.jpg?w=240\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Image\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tCo-president\u00a0
Triple Tigers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\tSince being named co-president of indie label Triple Tigers Records alongside Kevin Herring in 2023, Ortmeier has overseen a strong roster that includes Scott McCreery and Russell Dickerson, who have respectively lodged No. 1 songs at country radio over the past year thanks to bespoke promotional strategies. With a background that includes stints at Universal Nashville and Big Machine Label Group, Ortmeier recently helped launch Tigers\u2019 second country radio promotion arm Akando Music and spearheaded an increase in global sales, including a combined five weeks of non-U.S. chart-toppers. Most of all, she\u2019s proud of \u201cthe resilience and strength of our small but mighty team,\u201d she says, \u201cwhich consistently enabled us to rise to the ever-changing occasion and keep creating and achieving new goals.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n\tGlobal lead for country music programming \n\tIn her decade with Amazon Music, Cohen Belote has continued to expand the platform\u2019s influence within the country genre through artist development, programming and large-scale initiatives. In 2025, she led the selection and rollout of Carter Faith as an Amazon Music Breakthrough artist, helped shape the platform\u2019s Country Music Month programming via live activations and a Grand Ole Opry takeover, and grew its \u201cCountry Heat\u201d and \u201cBonfire\u201d discovery playlists. Just as significantly, she played a central role in shaping Amazon Music\u2019s strategy for the 2026 Stagecoach festival, leading the playlisting approach that anchored the campaign and using \u201cCountry Heat\u201d to connect fans with key artists and moments ahead of the festival.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tArtist manager \n\tBefore managing Moroney, Corbett spent six years working alongside legendary veteran label executive and manager Fletcher Foster, where she built her foundation in artist development, touring, long-term strategy and day-to-day execution. Since joining Moroney\u2019s team in 2022, she has played a pivotal role in the singer\u2019s meteoric rise, which in the past year has included a sold-out North American tour, several major country radio hits, a Top 10 album with \u201cAm I Okay?\u201d and being named Variety<\/em>\u2019s Hitmakers Storyteller of the Year. With barely a pause for breath, Moroney dropped her third studio album, \u201cCloud 9,\u201d in March, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. She has an arena tour launching in May and leads nominations at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cWe\u2019re in a moment in music where more women than ever are succeeding, especially in Nashville,\u201d Corbett says. \u201cI see peers leading the charge and all-women teams moving the needle. Women are still underestimated \u2014 and that\u2019s not a weakness, it\u2019s an advantage. It pushes us to go further, break barriers, and continue to create more opportunities for the women coming up.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tLabel head \n\tDean has helped shape Leo33 from the ground up, building its roster \u2014 including Grammy-winning flagship artist Zach Top \u2014 and shaping its creative vision. The Augusta, Ga., native held roles at AristoMedia and the Country Music Assn. before finding her footing in radio promotion. She spent nearly two decades at Universal Music Group Nashville, where she rose to lead the first all-female promotion team at a major label. She also played a key role in the success of artists such as Sam Hunt, Parker McCollum and Jordan Davis, and helped drive George Strait\u2019s 60th No. 1 song. In 2023, she launched Leo33, whose roster also includes Jason Scott & the High Heat, Jenna Paulette, Clay Street Unit, Ashland Craft, and\u00a0Trey Pendley.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cFor all its competitiveness, Nashville never loses its sense of community,\u201d Dean says. \u201cThis is a town full of ambitious, driven people, but it\u2019s not cutthroat in the way you\u2019d expect. It\u2019s competitive, but it\u2019s friendly competition. There\u2019s a shared understanding that when one person wins, it\u2019s a win for the format, for the genre, for all of us who care about keeping country music moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tVP, international \n\tGarbonola has been at the forefront of connecting artists like Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and Blake Shelton with new audiences across the globe, notably in Europe, Australia and Asia. She joined BBR in 2010 after spending 16 years at Warner Music Nashville, where she helped launch its new media\/digital department, rising to the role of VP. In 2025 she was honored by the Country Music Assn. with the Jo Walker Meador International Award for \u201coutstanding achievement by an individual in advocating and supporting country music\u2019s marketing development in territories outside the United States.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tCo-head and partner \u00a0 \n\tAs the first female to be named co-head of an agency in Nashville, Gardenhire has had an impressive journey at WME since she joined the company after graduating from New York University in 2002. She joined the Beverly Hills office of what was then the William Morris Agency as an assistant in the television department before moving to Nashville a year later. She was named a partner at WME in 2017, and the following year was honored with CMA\u2019s Talent Agent of the Year award. She represents some of country music\u2019s most successful and influential artists, including Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts, Trisha Yearwood, Jordan Davis, Sara Evans and Lukas Nelson, among others.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tA&R \u00a0 \n\tHansen signed Ella Langley to her first publishing deal at Sony Music Publishing in 2021 and has been working with the Nashville breakout star as her A&R and music confidant ever since. She joined the Sawgod team when Langley signed with the label in 2022 and has been a part of all the artist\u2019s projects, including her blockbuster sophomore album \u201cDandelion\u201d and Hot 100-topping single \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas.\u201d Hansen also manages singer-songwriter Gabriella Rose (Zach Bryan\u2019s duet partner on his song \u201cMadeline\u201d), who will join Langley on the \u201cDandelion\u201d tour and will release her debut album this year. \u201cI\u2019m really proud to see Ella become the first female artist to simultaneously lead the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts,\u201d Hansen says. \u201cIt\u2019s always cool to see the girls break barriers.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tArtist manager \u00a0 \n\tWhile working at the concert promotion company Peachtree Entertainment, Hinde \u201cfell into\u201d management with business partner Bradley Jordan after joining forces with a young country singer named Ella Langley in 2021. Jordan had booked Langley as an opening act in the previous years, and soon Painted Rock Management was born. Langley\u2019s profile rose dramatically around a long tour with country star (and duet partner) Riley Green, and in 2025, she was the most-nominated artist at the Academy of Country Music Awards and tied for most at the Country Music Assn. Awards. But it was all prelude for her sophomore album, \u201cDandelion,\u201d which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in April \u2014 not to mention the single \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas,\u201d which is currently the top song of 2026, according to Luminate.<\/p>\n \n\tAsked about challenges facing women in her area of the business, Hinde says, \u201cEtiquette on the road can be a challenge outside of the corporate office environments for women. Accommodations and support for the women on either in side needs to be increased with programs and options added into advances. A healthy road environment is an empowered and professional one.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tSenior VP of artist & industry relations \u00a0 \n\tIn her role at the RIAA, Jones has spent much of her energy in recent years confronting the impact of AI on the music industry \u2014 most notably companies trying to profit from copyrighted works without permission or compensation. She worked on the national advocacy campaign Stealing Isn\u2019t Innovation (to oppose the unlicensed use of creative works), was instrumental in securing Tennessee\u2019s Elvis Act (a victory in protecting artists\u2019 voice and likeness from AI deepfakes) and promoted the bipartisan federal No Fakes Act within the music community, bringing country stars Lainey Wilson and Martina McBride to testify before Congress. She also co-founded Family Alliance in Music to benefit caregivers in the industry, and produced the ACM Lifting Lives 60th Anniversary Gala, raising more than $1.3 million for music industry health and relief efforts.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tAgent \u00a0 \n\tAn 18-year CAA veteran, Jones Long grew up loving mainstream country but has increasingly built a roster of crossover artists who fall between genre cracks, like her highest-profile clients, Brandi Carlile and Shaboozey. She was involved in booking Carlile\u2019s first U.S. arena tour this year. \u201cStanding side-stage at Brandi\u2019s opening night in Philadelphia, I felt the same electricity I experienced months later watching Carter Faith close out her first nationwide club tour with a sold-out show at Exit\/In,\u201d she says. \u201cDifferent stages, different scales, but the same unmistakable sense of momentum and connection.\u201d Wyatt Flores, Whiskey Myers and Hailey Whitters are among her fastest rising mid-level acts. Jones Long\u2019s helped found the Hubb, a program providing tools for a diverse lineup of interns.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tPresident \n\tThe fittingly named Sandbox, founded by Jason Owen, is a multi-platform entertainment company that reaches into nearly every sector of music, film and storytelling, largely as a management firm. Kaminsky has led ambitious digital strategies for the company\u2019s client roster, which includes Kacey Musgraves, Kelsea Ballerini, Billie Eilish, Finneas, Little Big Town and others. Projects include Ballerini\u2019s first sold-out arena tour, Musgraves\u2019 recent sixth album, \u201cMiddle of Nowhere,\u201d and Eilish\u2019s \u201cHit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour Live in 3D,\u201d which Eilish co-directed with James Cameron. A multilingual native of Argentina, Kaminsky has previously held roles at the Walt Disney Co. (in Brazil), the Recording Academy and Warner Music Nashville. <\/p>\n \n\tAsked about challenges facing women in this area of the business, Kaminsky says, \u201cOne of the challenges facing women in this industry that has remained at the forefront of my mind over the past few years is the ongoing struggle to balance a high-powered career with motherhood, for those who choose that path. Too often, motherhood is absent from professional narratives like this one as if it needs to be concealed. That needs to change.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cWomen coming up in this industry deserve to see that it is not only possible to be both a mother and a leader, but that it is something to be proud of,\u201d she continues. \u201cWe need more visibility, honesty, and resources for working parents across the industry, along with a broader cultural shift toward acceptance and support. I am fortunate to work at a company that recognizes my role as a mother not as a limitation, but as a superpower.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tHead of media \n\tOver the past year, Kehoe\u2019s role has expanded beyond overseeing the label\u2019s publicity initiatives to driving its licensing and sync strategies, and forging relationships with TV and film music supervisors to secure placements. A major success of the past year was her role in the rise of Variety <\/em>Hitmakers Storyteller of the Year Megan Moroney, who scored a sold-out North American tour last year and recently landed a No. 1 debut with her third album, \u201cCloud 9,\u201d with an even bigger Stateside trek to follow. Kehoe also helped to plan and execute the campaign around Luke Combs\u2019 latest album, \u201cThe Way I Am.\u201d Previously, she held senior roles at RCA Records for 14 years working closely with Pink, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Timberlake and Tate McRae.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tSenior vice president of industry relations & philanthropy; executive director at CMA Foundation \n\tKerns played a major role in elevating mental health as a priority for CMA, stewarding a multimillion-dollar investment that expands access to counseling, crisis support and wellness resources for artists, crews and industry teams. She also oversees several of CMA\u2019s professional development programs, including the CMA Women\u2019s Leadership Academy (a resource for mentorship, leadership training and community-building) and the expansion of CMA\u2019s Touring Mentorship Program, connecting emerging touring professionals with experienced leaders. She also works with CMA EDU, which provides college students with hands-on learning and industry access as well as overseeing the CMA Foundation, which advances music education opportunities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tSenior vice president \u00a0 \n\tKinder leads a formidable roster of artists that includes Wynonna Judd, Tanya Tucker, the War and Treaty, Weyes Blood, I\u2019m With Her and Sarah Kinsley. Before moving to the agency side, she spent roughly a decade as a promoter at AEG Nashville\/AEG Presents, where she started as a marketing intern in 2007 and later worked as a talent buyer and promoter. She joined Paradigm\u2019s Nashville office as an agent in 2018 (before the agency ultimately became part of Wasserman Music, which was renamed the Team earlier this year).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tSenior director of A&R\u00a0 \n\tOver the past year, King signed Megan Moroney and writer-producer Alysa Vanderheym (Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs), while writers on her roster have contributed to the Grammy-winning hit \u201cAmen\u201d by Shaboozey and Jelly Roll (co-written by Nevin Sastry and Seth Ennis), Blake Shelton\u2019s \u201cTexas\u201d (co-written by Kyle Sturrock) and Cody Johnson\u2019s \u201cThe Fall\u201d (co-written by Ray Fulcher). Before joining UMPG, King worked at Concord Music Publishing and on the global music rights management team at Songtrust. \u201cWhat I love most about Nashville is the shared respect for the songwriter,\u201d King says. \u201cIt\u2019s incredibly meaningful to live and work in a town that genuinely values and celebrates them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tPresident \u00a0 \n\tLeading a management company that has scaled up to include a label and hire 30 full-time employees, Martin has not only seen artists like Bailey Zimmerman and Nate Smith grow from the ground up, but also veterans like Dan + Shay and Tyler Hubbard, who\u2019ve come over looking for fresh energy. After starting her career with TV networks in Canada (and four years as president of the Canadian Country Music Assn.), Martin loves her base of five years in Music City. \u201cNashville is one of the few places where the business and the creative are completely intertwined. Artists, writers, managers, agents: everyone\u2019s in it together and actually around each other. It keeps you sharp.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tExec VP\/general manager \u00a0 \n\tAs the recently rebranded MCA brought in a wave of new toppers last year, McCartney came over from an eight-year run helping to build Monument Records from the ground up, and is now bringing that track record to a company that still has one of the biggest and most illustrious rosters in Nashville. She\u2019s been the engine behind transitioning the company into \u201ca more modern, artist-first model \u2014 prioritizing long-term storytelling, global strategy and platform-native fan engagement,\u201d she says. Successes in her first year have included the ascent of ACM best new male artist Tucker Wetmore, the further development of Parker McCollum as a real artist as well as hitmaker, the introduction of critical favorite Carter Faith and the signing of flagship artist Vince Gill to an unprecedented lifetime contract.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tLabel partnerships lead \u00a0 \n\tIn her role at the world\u2019s largest paid streaming service, McInturff develops campaigns and global strategies for top releases across major and independent labels. Highlights of 2025 included building Spotify\u2019s global marketing campaign for Morgan Wallen\u2019s \u201cI\u2019m the Problem\u201d and recent albums by Tucker Wetmore, Luke Combs and Kacey Musgraves, the latter including a special fan event in Nashville. The Melbourne, Australia, native worked for a dozen years at indie record labels, digital marketing firms and recording studios before joining Spotify in 2022. \u201cNashville is a community that prioritizes two things: humans and songs,\u201d she says. \u201cKnowing that every day I\u2019m fighting for songs to be heard alongside people who take care of one another is something I will never take for granted.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tArtist manager \u00a0 \n\tMonchick has played a major role in one of country music\u2019s biggest success stories of the past decade: Lainey Wilson\u2019s breakout run from a promising new artist to a superstar in both country music and on television, via her recurring role in \u201cYellowstone,\u201d her feature film debut \u201cReminders of Him\u201d and as host of the 2026 CMA Awards. At the CMA Awards, she won entertainer of the year, female vocalist of the year and album of the year for her latest effort, \u201cWhirlwind.\u201d Wilson also headlined her first global tour and played stadium dates alongside Chris Stapleton. Plus, she was top billed at the Stagecoach and Country Calling festivals in 2026. A boot brand, Golden West, and the Lainey Wilson Jewelry Collection were icing on the cake.<\/p>\n \n\tAsked about challenges facing women in the business, Monchick says, \u201cThe biggest challenge is breaking through bias and being taken seriously early on. I want to see more executives actively championing and developing young talent on both sides of the business and a culture that values long-term development over quick wins.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tSenior VP of artist development & global touring \u00a0 \n\tOlykan joined Live nation\u2019s concert division at the beginning of 2025 to lead global strategy for the country and Americana divisions, after having served as the CMA\u2019s VP of international relations for six years. (She also worked on CMA Fest and was the festival\u2019s interim director for two years.) Her experience as a prime mover for country in the global space goes back to a previous stint leading AEG Presents\u2019 country touring efforts in the U.K.; she also helped found the Country to Country (C2C) Festival. Her first year with Live Nation found her working with the company\u2019s international promoter network to open new markets, from Brazil (where Cody Johnson headlined a 50,000-strong rodeo) to South Africa (where the Cape Town Country Music Festival has launched).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tCo-president\u00a0 \n\tSince being named co-president of indie label Triple Tigers Records alongside Kevin Herring in 2023, Ortmeier has overseen a strong roster that includes Scott McCreery and Russell Dickerson, who have respectively lodged No. 1 songs at country radio over the past year thanks to bespoke promotional strategies. With a background that includes stints at Universal Nashville and Big Machine Label Group, Ortmeier recently helped launch Tigers\u2019 second country radio promotion arm Akando Music and spearheaded an increase in global sales, including a combined five weeks of non-U.S. chart-toppers. Most of all, she\u2019s proud of \u201cthe resilience and strength of our small but mighty team,\u201d she says, \u201cwhich consistently enabled us to rise to the ever-changing occasion and keep creating and achieving new goals.\u201d<\/p>\n
Amazon Music<\/strong><\/p>\nHayley Corbett<\/h2>\n
Megan Moroney<\/strong><\/p>\nKatie Dean<\/h2>\n
Leo33<\/strong><\/p>\nLynette Garbonola<\/h2>\n
BBR Music Group\/BMG Nashville<\/strong><\/p>\nBecky Gardenhire<\/h2>\n
WME Nashville<\/strong><\/p>\nMya Hansen<\/h2>\n
Sawgod Records<\/strong><\/p>\nMegan Hinde<\/h2>\n
Painted Rock Management<\/strong><\/p>\nJackie Jones<\/h2>\n
Recording Industry Assn. of America<\/strong><\/p>\nMeredith Jones Long<\/h2>\n
CAA Nashville<\/strong><\/p>\nLucia Kaminsky<\/h2>\n
The Sandbox<\/strong><\/p>\nMeg Kehoe<\/h2>\n
Sony Music Nashville<\/strong><\/p>\nTiffany Kerns<\/h2>\n
Country Music Assn.<\/strong><\/p>\nLenore Kinder<\/h2>\n
The Team\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nRoxy King<\/h2>\n
Universal Music Publishing Group Nashville<\/strong><\/p>\nTracy Martin<\/h2>\n
The Core Entertainment<\/strong><\/p>\nKatie McCartney<\/h2>\n
MCA Records<\/strong><\/p>\nGemma McInturff<\/h2>\n
Spotify<\/strong><\/p>\nMandelyn Monchick<\/h2>\n
Red Light Entertainment<\/strong><\/p>\nMilly Olykan<\/h2>\n
Live Nation<\/strong><\/p>\nAnnie Ortmeier<\/h2>\n
Triple Tigers<\/strong><\/p>\n
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