WIM Atlanta Presents: Five City Music Tour
Intimate discussions and live performances featuring women leaders in music
across Atlanta, New York, Nashville, Miami and Los Angeles
Wednesday, June 16
7:00 P.M - 8:00 P.M. ET
Join Women In Music (WIM) Atlanta as we connect with four fellow WIM Chapters to feature women leaders and performers in five of the top music cities in the U.S. — Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville and New York.
Kicking off the event will be a keynote from Advisor, Investor, Former COO and President of Focus Brands, Kat Cole! Next, you’ll choose to join us in one of two curated Discussion Rooms for conversations centered on key topics in our industry; or visit the Performance Room to experience a featured artist from each of our five partner cities.
ASPIRING PROFESSIONALS ROOM
Discussion will center around “Music Biz 101” topics with industry pros:
Sarah Goldstein (NY), Manager, Publicity at Elektra Music Group
Gabriela Ortega (Miami), Senior Label Manager at Warner Music Latina
ESTABLISHED PROFESSIONALS ROOM
Discussion will center around leveling up your business acumen throughout the music industry’s pipeline featuring industry pros:
Fadia Kader (LA), Head of Media Partnerships at Clubhouse
Lauren Summerford (Nashville), Director of Digital Marketing at Sweet
PERFORMANCE ROOM
What’s a music event without live music? Take some time to experience and celebrate talented women musicians from each of our partner cities throughout the night:
Host — Nina Brown, Co-Host of the Frank Ski Show (KISS 104.1 in Atlanta and 96.3 WHUR in DC)
Atlanta — Ruby Velle, Singer/Songwriter, Activist, & Creative Director
Los Angeles— Ella Rosa - Singer / Songwriter
Miami — Séssi, Singer-Songwriter, Recording Artist
Nashville — Katrina Burgoyne, Artist
New York City — Nicki Richards, Artist and CEO, Hydrus Music Inc.
Bios
Kat Cole - Advisor, Investor, Former COO and President of Focus Brands
Kat Cole is an investor and advisor to high-growth businesses and brands. Most recently, she was COO and President of Focus Brands, the owner, franchisor and operator of global limited service food brands, with billions in product sales in over 50 countries, she led the company’s 7 brands: Cinnabon, Auntie Anne’s, Moe’s, Schlotzsky’s, McAllister’s, Carvel and Jamba with 6500 operations globally as well as the multi-brand licensing and CPG business. In other roles at Focus Brands, before becoming COO, she was president of Cinnabon and Group President of the multi-channel licensing division at Focus. Prior to Focus Brands, Kat was Vice President at Hooters, leading the company’s global growth through franchising, training, and operations.
Kat is a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, a member of the Board of Directors of growth stage Venture and Private Equity backed companies (Milk Bar and Slice) as well as on the Board of HumanCo SPAC. Her investment and advisory portfolio includes over 40 early stage companies, with a focus on omni-channel consumer product businesses. Kat is a past member of the United Nations Global Entrepreneurs Council, was featured on CBS' "Undercover Boss”, and was named one of Fortune’s 40 under 40. She is a college dropout, yet has her MBA in International Business from Georgia State University and an Honorary Doctorate from Johnson and Wales University. She is past chair of the board of the Women’s Foodservice Forum, and has led women’s development initiatives in the US and Rwanda.
Kat is an outspoken advocate for women’s issues, human rights, and democratic processes, such as voting rights.
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Sarah Goldstein - Manager, Publicity at Elektra Music Group
Sarah Goldstein is a publicist at Elektra Music Group, where she oversees national press campaigns for artists across multiple labels. Prior to EMG, Sarah worked in Business Affairs at Razor & Tie. She is a graduate of the University of Miami.
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Gabriela Ortega - Senior Label Manager at Warner Music Latina
Gabriela Ortega aka “Gaby” is a 17-year veteran in the Latin music industry who got her start as an intern at MTV Networks in her hometown of Miami, Florida. In 2004, after graduating from Florida International University where she majored in Journalism and Mass Communication she landed a full-time job at the company and spent over a decade working within the Viacom family. In her last six years there, she was a key player within the Talent & Music department managing the music and artists relations strategy for the network’s US Hispanic channel, MTV Tr3s. In that role, Gaby championed many initiatives that further developed the careers of many Latin artists such as J. Balvin, Prince Royce, Maluma, and many more. During this time, Gaby obtained her MBA from Nova Southeastern University where she graduated with honors.
In 2016, she joined Warner Music Latina where she managed all aspects of US signed artists’ international recorded music career. Some of the artists included Jesse & Joy, De La Ghetto, Sofia Reyes, Cosculluela, Piso 21, Danny Ocean, etc. Gaby worked alongside artist management and foreign markets to develop launch plans as well as ongoing marketing campaigns and artist development strategies. Now her day-to-day consists of, developing, planning and executing key releases in the US market for artists like Justin Quiles, Zion & Lennox, Myke Towers, and Vice Menta. Her expertise in the Latin American market also allowed her to work general market releases in the Latam region for super stars like Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Twenty One Pilots, Bruno Mars, and more.
She is also the co-founder of the “Girls Gone Boss” podcast- a driven women’s guide to love, life and business. Gaby currently resides in Miami and is a member of the Women in Music Organization and a founding sister of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc.
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Lauren Summerford - Director of Digital Marketing at Sweet
After an eight-year stint at Warner Music followed by building a boutique agency, Lauren is currently the Director of Digital Marketing at Sweet & recently completed her MBA from Lipscomb University.
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Nina Brown - Co-Host of the Frank Ski Show (KISS 104.1 in Atlanta and 96.3 WHUR in DC)
Nina Brown, co-host of ‘The Frank Ski Show’ has been a top-rated radio program since 1985, with record breaking performances in Baltimore, Atlanta and Washington, DC. Nina’s extensive career includes both radio and television, where she was an on-air talent at NBC's WXIA-TV, 11Alive News in Atlanta. She has spent much of her 16 year career working side-by-side with Frank Ski, creating engaging content as a producer and on-air co-host. Nina brings vast experience as an interviewer and journalist to the show, connecting with celebrities and listeners alike with her relatable and transparent personality.
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Ruby Velle - Singer/Songwriter, Activist, & Creative Director
Billboard charting artist, Ruby Velle was born in Canada, raised in the Gainesville, FL, and has been making a name for herself in the Atlanta, GA scene as a cultural alchemist expressing matters of the soul. Her singles have been shared as both iTunes and Starbucks "Pick of the Week" tracks.
As a frontwoman to a band, “Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics,” she has shaped the hearts and minds of the public in a positive way as her words of empowerment ring out loud and clear. In 2018, Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics released their sophomore album “State of All Things” to industry acclaim and a fan base championing their indie/DIY mentality.
Ruby has performed alongside some legendary musicians such as Corey Glover, Bernard Purdie, Lee Fields, Gary Clark Jr., Fred Wesley, and Binky Griptite.
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Ella Rosa - Singer / Songwriter
British artist Ella Rosa is a singer, songwriter, and storyteller drawing emotionally earnest inspiration from her own life experiences, ranging from the nuances of family and personal relationships to the trials and tribulations that come with pulling up roots and moving countries. The young artist started her career as an opera singer in Henley-on-Thames, England then slowly transitioned into R&B. With her admiration of artist like Erykah Badu, Amy Winehouse, Lauryn Hill and more, Ella paints the perfect picture musically through soulful vocals, underlined with jazz undertones, an apt metaphor for a resilient and upbeat approach to life as one of the “UK’s Top 50 Artists.”
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Séssi - Singer/Songwriter, Recording Artist
Working alongside Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum producer, Gavriel “Vein” Rafael, Séssi’s music carries the weight of a relatable emotional past, blasted through the lens of a gritty NY upbringing. Séssi’s sense of community and spirituality, combined with her dedication to being a source of inspiration for those fighting for their dreams keeps her going.
As a teenager, Séssi saw her dream of becoming a star nearly materialize after placing top 100 for X Factor; but getting cut short of the TV show ignited an even bigger flame within her. The self-taught video producer created YouTube covers in her room, and eventually attained a degree in Music Business. A series of fortunate and unfortunate events have shaped Séssi to become the artist she is today; a woman of thick skin with very deep emotions and grounded roots.
Writing for other artists, local touring and being accessible as a featured artist has always
been Séssi’s biggest hustle. Her passion and talent for singing and dancing are undeniable, the product of a music-laden upbringing and a personality that screams, “I’m here to stay.”
The uniting voice of a new, struggling generation desperate to be heard, Séssi is ready to take the world by storm.
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Katrina Burgoyne - Artist
Following the footsteps of Keith Urban and Morgan Evans. Raised in regional New South Wales Australia, Katrina Burgoyne is Nashville's newest up and coming singer/songwriter to watch.
Katrina’s Australian success includes;
4 top 10 charting Australian country singles including no.1 on CMT Australia with her song “Tennessee”.
Two CMAA Golden Guitar Nominations (Equivalent to CMA awards)
Top 10 ARIA charting album (Equivalent to Billboard)
As a songwriter, Katrina has secured indie and major label cuts across three continents (North America, Australia and UK) and four countries (Australia, New Zealand, USA and Ireland). Burgoyne has seen her songs top the iTunes Charts in New Zealand, Australia, the Shazam chart in Ireland and featured on Fresh Country and New Nashville Spotify playlists.
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Nicki Richards - Artist and CEO, Hydrus Music Inc.
Nicki Richards is an A-list touring, recording and performing Artist. She has recorded and/or performed with top artists such as Madonna, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Mick Jagger, Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, Celine Dion, Rob Thomas, Chaka Khan, Brandon Victor Dixon, Jimmy Cliff, Chris Botti, Ray LaMontagne, Sara Bareilles, Chromeo, The Goo Goo Dolls, Florence + The Machine (to name a few). She is also a Producer and Arranger with several albums under her belt. Nicki's work spans genres and languages- pop, dance, jazz, rock; the list goes on and on.
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