Two Ticketmaster/Live Nation executives have been elected to The House of Blues Music Forward Foundation’s board of directors.
Today, the foundation revealed that the Senior Vice President of Talent for Live Nation U.S. Concerts, Emily Simonitsch, and the chairman of Ticketmaster Canada and Executive Vice President of Venues and Promoters for North America, Patti-Anne Tarlton, will join the board.
Simonitsch, who was honored on Billboard’s “Latin Power Players” list for three years and has been named one of the “Power 25 Hispanic Women In Entertainment,” has been responsible for booking artists like Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, and Romeo Santos on both a national and regional scale. In a press release, Simonitsch noted that she is “pleased” to join the board of directors, which includes Live Nation President of Clubs and and Theaters Ron Bension and Live Nation Chief Financial Officer Kathy Willard.
“The nonprofit’s focus on expanding inclusivity within all facets of music is an important goal, and I look forward to helping champion a more diverse industry,” Simonitsch said.
Tarlton, who became the first female executive to be inducted into the Canadian Music and Broadcasting Hall of Fame for her controbutions in the country’s live event business, has contributed to various industry associations and publications, while also being an active advocate for the live entertainment industry. Since she was named on the list of “The Most Powerful Executives In The Industry” by Billboard in 2017, Tarlton aims to “motivate young people generally and women of all ages to reach for influential positions across the music industry.”
“Music Forward is dedicated to serving youth, providing leadership and vocational skills that become a bridge to success for the next generation of industry leaders — which must include diversity of backgrounds, experiences and be representative of the communities we work in,” Tarlton said. “I couldn’t be more excited to join the board for this exceptional organization.”
Music Forward, which focuses on youth – ages 12 to 22 – in under represented communities in the music industry, provides workshops and showcases to help the new generation of potential industry leaders and innovators. The foundation has helped impact over one million people and invested $25 million into music programs over the past 25 years. To learn more information about the foundation, visit their site.
