Amy Kreider has been passionate about music from a young age. She played piano, viola, and flute and later studied music business and marketing in college. These passions came together wh...
Jennifer Lantz lights up with joy when reflecting on the early days of Bandwagon Music, the store she co-founded with her husband in 2016 in Nashville. Initially established as a repair s...
Lisa MacDonald is the Director of Vertical Marketing for Yamaha, focused on serving the needs of key customer groups, especially music educators and houses of worship. She played violin i...
Laura Madigan fondly recalls the welcoming atmosphere she felt the first time she walked into Shure’s headquarters in Niles, Illinois—an energy she still enjoys daily. A lifelong lover of...
Bryana Marshall was captivated by the flute she discovered in a closet—her mother’s—and began her musical journey playing saxophone and bassoon along the way. After studying music educati...
Brenda Martinez began her musical journey at the age of eight, first on piano, then branching out to horn and guitar, all while performing in bar bands by age fourteen. Her love for Latin...
Kristin Masarik loves the moment when a young student comes into Heid Music with their parents to pick up an instrument for their school's band program. They are bewildered and nervous, y...
Jennifer Mayes feels a great connection with those involved with the Women of NAMM (WoN). The networking and friendships she finds with the group bring her background and passion for musi...
Elizabeth Mayton has a diverse background in both music education and religious studies. She integrates her academic knowledge into her musical journey. Whether as a cantor in her church ...
Iris Meneley combined her business acumen with her husband’s musical passion to co-found Texas Amps & Axes, a music school and retail store in Prosper, Texas, established in 2015. Iri...
Crystal Morris started in the music industry as a child working with her dad at his booth at the NAMM show. In 2000, Gator Cases was launched at a NAMM Show when they saw a need for cases...
Natalie Morrison grew up in a very musical family, both of her parents were percussionists and her brother played saxophone. She was never pushed into music, but it was important to her p...
Mallory Nees learned to harmonize at a young age, thanks to her parents, who both had a passion for music. They purchased Mallory a keyboard when she was 7 years old to prepare her for pi...
Gail O'Brien Stewart grew up in a family that greatly appreciated music and as a child she often attended live concerts. In elementary school she went to a young people’s concert where se...
Jessica Palmer, as a passionate music maker throughout school and a music education major in college, was impressed by West Music's approach towards supporting band directors. As a young ...
Stephanie Patterson has earned a unique reputation as Fox Product’s “oboe meme queen,” combining her love for the instrument with social media savvy and humor.
Kendra Peterson is the retail manager for Ward-Brodt Music in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. The store was established in 1927 and has built a strong reputation for service, particularly for schoo...
Kristy Porter was inspired by her father to pick up the guitar, and this passion ultimately shaped her career. A trip to the Oxnard, California Guitar Center for guitar strings changed he...
Kelsea Robson faced a devastating car accident temporarily putting her college education and career aspirations on hold, but her determination and passion for music never wavered. Kelsea ...
Amanda Rueter is the Vice President of Ernie Williamson Music, which has four retail locations. The company was established in 1935 and purchased by Springfield Music in 2002. The company...
Judy Schaefer is the Director of Marketing for PRS Guitars, a position that perfectly aligns with her lifelong connection to music. Raised in a musically rich environment, her mother inst...
Shawna Shaner is the store manager and controller for Robert M. Sides Music stores in Pennsylvania and New York. With a fascinating background in medicine and law, Shawna grew up in a thi...
Angela Slawson is the perfect person to ask whether the music products industry differs from others. Having worked in the food industry and at Disney, Angela, now with Yamaha, finds the m...
Beth Smith was in her school’s band room when she overheard her director mention getting paid for a job involving music. She inquired and learned there was an opening at the local music s...
Sondra Blanchard comes to music through theatre. She has worked in regional theatre and internationally as an actor, coach, writer, and director. Over the past 10 years, she has specializ...
Cassandra Sotos is the owner of AmpRx, which creates products, such as the BrownBox, to provide a safe range of optimized voltage reduction levels to improve sound and help protect ears a...
Sarah Strickland is the School Services Manager for Elefante Music in New Jersey. Her journey began in the rental program before she transitioned into teaching. In 2020, Sarah was promote...
Stacey Swanson was in high school when her band director changed her life by suggesting she switch from the flute to the bassoon. The complexity of the instrument allowed Stacey to carefu...
Julie Tan recalls seeing few women during her first NAMM show in 1989. As her fascinating career developed within the industry, so too has the number of women in high-level roles. Her lov...
Samantha Tranchida is very proud of her role at Quinlan and Fabish Music in the Chicago area as she assists young students in discovering the instrument they will play in school. The expe...
Julie Wagnitz manages the school road reps for Heid Music in Wisconsin, supporting the team that interacts most with the local band directors. Her passion for music developed in large par...
