IBMA Recognizes 2026 IBMA Leadership Bluegrass Graduates

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Official Leadership Bluegrass Class of 2026 photo

The International Bluegrass Music Association has revealed the 2026 graduating class of IBMA Leadership Bluegrass.

The 2026 program took place March 2-4 at CMA with Jeff Westerinen serving as course facilitator and Nancy Posey serving as assistant facilitator. The three-day program provides participants with in-depth learning, networking opportunities, and the tools to address the evolving challenges and opportunities within the bluegrass music industry.

Each year, participants are chosen through a selection process, with both current and future leaders from the bluegrass community. The 2026 class includes representatives from Québec, British Columbia, Switzerland, Australia, and across the U.S. Marking the 25th year of the program, IBMA Leadership Bluegrass has a network of more than 500 alumni.

The 2026 IBMA Leadership Bluegrass Graduates:
Chassady Abernathy – Sound Biscuit / Appalachian Road Show / ETSU (Ellijay, GA)
Evie Andrus – East Tennessee Bluegrass Association, President / University of Tennessee, Lecturer of Appalachian Music / Pellissippi State Community College, Adjunct Music Faculty / Laurel Theater, Managing Director (Knoxville, TN)
Jessica Blankenship – Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum (London, KY)
Kathryn Boucher – Spartanburg Philharmonic (Spartanburg, SC)
Madeleine Cody – The Cody Sisters (Brooklyn, NY)
Amy Sue Combs – International Bluegrass Music Association (Bowling Green, KY)
Joe Dan Cornett – North Chapel Music (White House, TN)
Gina Dilg – Square Dance Agency (Radford, VA)
Helen Foley – California Bluegrass Association (Sonoma, CA)
Tanya Guenther – NimblePie Creative Co. / NimbleFingers Bluegrass & Old-Time Workshops & Festival (Mile Ranch, British Columbia, Canada)
Byron Hill – Byron Hill Music (Franklin, TN)
Tyler Hughes – The Crooked Road (Big Stone Gap, VA)
Stephen M. Johnson – Represent / GPA Government and Public Affairs (Owensboro, KY)
Sarah W. Larsen – Black-Eyed Suzies / Little Fiddle Studio (Stevesville, MD)
Joanne Ledesma – Musicbizgal.com (Glendora, CA)
Isaac McCarthy – The Ohio State University / Bluegrass Pride (Gerrardstown, WV)
Will McSeveney – Skyline Records (Nashville, TN)
Bridget Rees – Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival (Megan, New South Wales, Australia)
Benjamin Russell – Gordon Rees / Delta Hayride Association (Nashville, TN)
Mark R. Schuster – IBMA Foundation (Langley, WA)
Elliot Siff – The Bluegrass Journeymen Academy / Elliot Siff Productions (Golden, CO)
Carly Speno – Bonfire Entertainment (Laval, Québec, Canada)
Randy Steele – tnjams.com (Chattanooga, TN)
Shelly Surdoval – The Recording Academy (Franklin, TN)
Urs-Rainer von Arx – Swiss Bluegrass Music Association / Country Ramblers (Zürich, Switzerland)
Liz Wolfe – BluegrassJamsNearMe.com (New York, NY)

The 2026 IBMA Leadership Bluegrass Planning Committee included Greg Blake, Jeff Burke, Dustin Boyd, Dave Howard, Jordan Laney, Erin Moorman, and IBMA Staff Liaison Haley Grimm.
Lorie Hollabaugh
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