DIRECTOR, FOCUSRITE PROFESSIONAL, PRODUCER AND ENGINEER

John began his career at Middle Ear Studios on South Beach, owned by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees. In 2004, he opened RedDoor Studios in Miami to produce new and established acts.

In 2006, John began his career as a Professor and Chair for the Recording Industry Department at Middle Tennessee State University, retiring in 2025 to serve as the Director of Focusrite Professional for the Americas.

www.johnmerchant.com

CO-FOUNDER, 2INDIE MUSIC AND SYNC EXEC, OUT OF OFFICE MUSIC

Sonnet Simmons’ original music has landed placements with major brands like Coca Cola, GoDaddy, Nivia, T-Mobile, and Microsoft, and TV shows like Younger, Riverdale, Katy Keene and many more. Co-founder of 2Indie Music, Sync exec for Out of Office Music, and Former VP of music licensing company Catch The Moon - Sonnet has been helping thousands of indie artists, singers, songwriters and producers around the world find success in sync. Sonnet is a mom of two toddlers and a Los Angeles native.

AUDIO ENGINEER, MUSICIAN, COMPOSER AND PROFESSOR

Heidi is a mix engineer and immersive sound designer known for translating artistic intent into powerful, precision-built mixes. She works fluently across stereo and spatial formats, delivering clarity, depth, and emotional impact. As a professor, Heidi teaches Advanced Mixing, Intro to Mixing and immersive audio at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, mixes live at SFJAZZ and The Freight, and collaborates with Women’s Audio Mission to elevate underrepresented voices in music. A classically trained French hornist and a GRAMMY-voting member, she brings both technical authority and a musician’s ear to every mix.

FOUNDER, STUDIO X RECORDING, ARTIST AND ENGINEER

Xarina is a San Jose-born recording artist, songwriter, and engineer currently based in Oakland, California. With a compelling journey that began at a young age, she has gained local recognition through her music, sharing stages with notable artists and rebranding herself from Outrageous Karina to Xarina. As the owner of Studio X Recording, she has created a safe creative space for artists, while also honing her own skills. With an impressive discography, sync placements, and recent releases, Xarina continues to make waves in the music industry, showcasing her unwavering passion and dedication.

CO-FOUNDER, BALANCED BREAKFAST

Stefan Aronsen is an Oakland-based creative professional committed to building community among fans, bands, and music industry professionals. As co-founder of Balanced Breakfast, he has helped grow a network across more than 30 cities focused on connection, collaboration, and support. His work spans marketing, design, photography, DJing, and hosting events, along with producing a podcast that shares the experiences of people in the music world. Outside of music, Stefan works full-time in marketing within the hospitality industry, where he brings the same creative energy and community-minded approach to his role.

VOCAL COACH

Blake is a seasoned performer and vocal coach with deep roots in music and theater. Starting on stage as a teen, he trained in Art Songs, Arias, and Musical Theater before performing across Germany, the U.S., and Brazil—in cabarets, operettas, and with symphony orchestras. While in Brazil, he found his calling as a voice teacher. Now based in San Francisco, Blake coaches singers across genres like Rock, Pop, Soul, Country, and Musical Theater, helping artists find their voice and express themselves through songwriting.

PRODUCER AND AUDIO ENGINEER, 4SIA MUSIC

A female queer 23 year old bay area native , collaborating with artists around the world. she is producing and audio engineering for multiple projects. In her solo EDM project 4SIA, she experiments with different genres blended into EDM. Now, she is solely producing indie pop and other genres for artists.

SVP OF A&R PUBLISHING, CREATE MUSIC GROUP

Carl LeGrett is a University of Dayton graduate with a background in marketing, social media, and promotions. His deep connection to hip hop producer culture led him to Flighthouse—the top entertainment brand on TikTok—where he helped unlock new markets and revenue streams for internet producers and songwriters. Now SVP of A&R Publishing at Create, Carl develops talent, builds collectives, and secures major opportunities for producers. His clients have contributed to over 30 Billboard Hot 100 placements with artists like Pop Smoke, Cardi B, Lil Durk, and more.

PRESIDENT, MUSIC FOR PETS AND VP, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Amman Ahmed is President of Music For Pets and VP of Business Development, following its 2023 acquisition by a major hip-hop label. Known as the “Petflix” of music, Music For Pets produces science-based, calming content for animals and now reaches over 50 million pets globally. Amman built the company from the ground up, blending wellness, tech, and entertainment to redefine digital content in the pet care space.

HEAD OF AI & AUDIO SCIENCE, SPLICE

Alejandro Koretzky is Head of AI & Audio Science Innovation at Splice, where he leads groundbreaking work at the intersection of music and machine learning. A 3X founder, musician, and former Fulbright scholar from Argentina, he holds an MSc in Electrical Engineering from USC and has contributed to key advancements like stem separation and Create by Splice. Alejandro’s work has earned media recognition and multiple patents. He’s also a startup advisor, Techstars mentor, and frequent speaker at leading institutions including NAMM, Berklee, AES, and Stanford’s CCRMA.

COMPOSER, PRODUCER, MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST, AND AUTHOR

Lucas is an Emmy-winning composer, producer, and tech innovator whose work spans film, sports, and symphonic music. He completed Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony using AI—a version now performed globally—and scored Super Bowl teases featuring Bradley Cooper and Brad Pitt. His credits include co-producing Lorde’s Hunger Games track, writing themes for MLS and FS1, and working on NBC’s Olympic coverage across 11 Games. Lucas is also a founding partner at Mindset Music, a VC firm investing in music tech. His first book, Unfinished, will be published by Bloomsbury in Fall 2025.

CHIEF MASTERING ENGINEER, COAST MASTERING

Michael Romanowski is a five-time GRAMMY-winning mastering engineer and a pioneer in immersive audio. As chief mastering engineer at Coast Mastering in Berkeley, his 30+ year career spans over 4,000 albums. He was an early adopter of surround and Dolby ATMOS, and has consulted for leading companies like DOLBY, SONY, and FRAUNHOFER. Michael is a frequent speaker at industry events including AES, NAMM, and SXSW, and has held key leadership roles within the Recording Academy.