CMA Hosts 13th Annual CMA EDU Leadership Summit
Photo: Addison Hilton/Courtesy of CMA
The Country Music Association welcomed its CMA EDU Class of 2026-2027 to Nashville for the 13th annual CMA EDU Leadership Summit, held Monday, July 20 through Wednesday, July 22 at CMA’s headquarters and locations across Nashville.
Photo: Addison Hilton/Courtesy of CMA
Over three immersive days, students participated in hands-on professional development, behind-the-scenes industry education, and conversations with artists, executives and CMA EDU alumni across multiple sectors of the Country Music business. This year’s class is made up of 34 students representing 24 universities across the country.
“CMA EDU is one of the most meaningful ways we invest in the long-term strength of the Country Music industry,” says Tiffany Kerns, CMA Senior Vice President, Industry Relations & Philanthropy. “When we created this program, the vision was to bring students and industry professionals together in one place, and to give emerging leaders access to the people, perspectives and relationships that can shape an entire career. It’s incredibly rewarding to see that vision continue to grow, with hundreds of alumni now working throughout the music industry. We hope every student leaves with new knowledge, genuine connections and the confidence to begin building a career of their own.”
Photo: Addison Hilton/Courtesy of CMA
On Monday, students were welcomed by CMA EDU alum Kate Watson (CMA Senior Director, Industry Relations) and Grace Martins (CMA Manager, Industry Relations), who introduced the class to the program before visiting Rock Nashville for a behind-the-scenes.
On Tuesday, Sarah Trahern (CMA CEO) opened the day with remarks, followed by a session led by Kerns. Students then heard from HARDY and members of his team, including Troy “Tracker” Johnson (Founder & Artist Manager, TRACK mgmt), Taylor Watson (Tour Manager) and Marisa Mineo (Head of Tour Marketing, The Neal Agency), during an artist team panel moderated by Madi White (CMA Manager, Integrated Marketing). The conversation explored how management, touring and tour marketing work together to support an artist’s career.
The afternoon continued with a management panel hosted by Sandbox Entertainment featuring Madison Moll (Digital Manager, Sandbox Entertainment Group), Lucia Kaminsky (President, Sandbox Entertainment Group) and Keith Bunn (Digital Director, Sandbox Entertainment Group) and moderated by Jordan Maynard (CMA Coordinator, Marketing). Students also heard directly from CMA EDU alumni working across the business, including Jackson Kiger (A&R Manager, Sony Music Publishing), Claire Martin (Agent Assistant, THE TEAM) and Landon Collins (A&R Analytics Manager, MCA). The day concluded with a writers round featuring Gloria Anderson, Caleb Mitchell and Braydon Watts.
Photo: Addison Hilton/Courtesy of CMA
Wednesday opened with a keynote conversation featuring Troy Tomlinson (Chairman and CEO, Universal Music Publishing Group Nashville). Students then participated in professional development opportunities including headshots, a Q&A with Kerns, and one-on-one conversations with Watson and Martins. The Summit concluded with a special “Live at CMA” conversation and performance from rising artist Stella Lefty, moderated by CMA EDU student Jade Blatter.
Applications for 2027-2028 program open Aug. 4. More information can be found here.
- CMA Hosts 13th Annual CMA EDU Leadership Summit - July 24, 2026
- Max McNown Readies Third Album - July 24, 2026
- Additional Acts Revealed For AMERICANAFEST 2026 - July 24, 2026