Hal Real is the Founder and President of World Cafe Live, an independent live music, restaurant, music education and community events venue located in Philadelphia, PA. In 2008, Hal assembled a team of artists and educators to launch LiveConnections, a nonprofit organization dedicated to music education that has reached more than 50,000 participants, mostly from Philadelphia schools. In 2020, the two organizations became one unified nonprofit under the World Cafe Live name.

Hal is a co-founder of NIVA (the National Independent Venue Association), serving as its corporate secretary and on the board. He is also a co-founder of NIVF (the National Independent Venue Foundation), serving as its President and on the board.

Currently Hal is the Board Chair of the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation and the Honorary Board of People’s Light (Malvern, PA). He also serves on the board of Freire (Charter Schools) Foundation. In the past, he chaired the Boards of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance and the Main Line Chamber of Commerce and was a member of the People’s Light and Fringe Arts boards, as well as the Chairman’s Council of the Philadelphia Zoo. Hal plays piano, loves dogs and is a graduate of Kenyon College and Temple University School of Law.

Tobi Parks is an entertainment and intellectual property attorney, majority owner and talent buyer of xBk, a Des Moines-based creative arts venue, and the creator and Executive Director of Station 1 Records, a non-profit 501(c)(3) artist development and entrepreneurship organization. She was Director of Copyright at Sony Music for 13 years where she worked with Sony’s frontline labels Columbia Records, Epic Records, and RCA Records. She has a long history working in media having worked for a number of years as a Programming and Promotions Associate for Clear Channel Broadcasting and as Director of Marketing and Public Relations with the PBS produced series, In the Life. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications and a Master of Arts in Media Literacy from Webster University in St. Louis and a Juris Doctor degree from Drake University Law School. She is a musician that has played bass in the NYC glam-punk band Bambï, Toronto-based The Cliks, St. Louis-based acts The Star Death, Is That You?, and Grandpa’s Ghost. As a solo performer and session player, she has worked with Cyndi Lauper, Margaret Cho, Darin Gray, Tim Garrigan, Keith Rowe, Mark Shippy, and video artist James Fotopoulos. She has composed for stage, television and film.

Laura Wilson is the Live Music Manager for The Bohemian Foundation in Fort Collins, Colorado where she oversees two club venues (Washington’s and The Armory), an outdoor summer concert series and Bohemian Nights, an annual three-day music festival. Previously, Laura was based in Philadelphia where she was a General Manager for Live Nation and Director of Programming and Assistant GM for World Cafe Live. Laura has previously served as the chair of the Reopening Task Force for NIVA.

As Senior Vice President of Publishing Administration at Warner Music Group in Nashville, Annie Brinn is responsible for overseeing licensing, rights management, and royalties for Warner’s U.S. record labels. Since joining the company in 2017, Annie has restructured the organizational design of the Publishing division and curated a team of highly innovative, passionate, and talented individuals who are focused on seeking ways to work more efficiently and develop new opportunities related to the exchange of music data and rights management. Previously, Annie served as Manager of Mechanical Licensing at Sony/ATV Music Publishing for more than a decade where she was responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Licensing Department.

Annie drives change within and outside of Warner Music Group in both her capacity as SVP of Publishing Administration and as one of the company’s most visible cultural ambassadors. As a member of Digital Data Exchange (DDEX) and serving as the Warner representative, Annie is continuously involved in industry-wide decisions relating to the development of the exchange of sound recordings and musical works between record labels and music publishers. Moreover, Annie’s work within the Nashville and wider Tennessee LGBTQ communities transcends her day-to-day role. She has been the company’s Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce (LGBTNCC) delegate for more than three years, coordinating sponsorships and engaging staff in Pride-related events. Her experience in the LGBTNCC led Annie to establish Warner’s first-ever LGBTQ Employee Resource Group for Nashville-based employees, an integral step in advancing the corporate diversity and inclusion strategy. She steered the company’s stand against discrimination laws in Tennessee, collecting signatures of all executive leadership in open letters to the state legislature that urged Governor Bill Lee’s administration to block bills that posed a threat to members of the state’s LGBTQ community. Furthermore, Annie continues to give back to her community by serving as a member of the University School of Nashville Edgehill Society where she assists in fundraising efforts that draws support from alumni like herself. She is also a member of the Victory Fund, an organization dedicated to electing openly LGBTQ people at all levels of government and serves on the Nashville Fundraising Committee. In October 2020, Annie became a Member of the Board of Directors of the National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF), a nonprofit organization aimed at creating an emergency relief fund and other funding channels to support the National Independent Venue Association and its members.

Annie is a Nashville native and holds a B.S. in Communications with an emphasis in Music Industry Studies and Minor in Psychology from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. She and her wife reside in Nashville with their son, Ryman, whose namesake not only pays homage to the legendary Ryman Auditorium but also its founder, Thomas Ryman, who was (and still is) revered as one of Nashville’s most prominent humanitarians and philanthropists.

Excited to contribute to the impactful work of the National Independent Venue Foundation, Jillian Sacher brings a wealth of music industry and marketing experience to the board. Currently serving as Tour Marketing Executive for Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in New York City, she specializes in developing strategic marketing campaigns and ticketing initiatives representing a diverse roster of music clients. With a background that includes marketing leadership positions at Live Nation Entertainment as well as virtual concert startups, Jillian has a proven track record of driving successful touring engagements, mentoring and empowering talent, and fostering mutually beneficial industry partnerships.

Prior to her tenure with Live Nation, Jillian worked for several independent concert promoters, instilling a foundational knowledge of the live industry and an enduring entrepreneurial spirit. At just 12-years-old, Jillian started working as a freelance music reporter and ultimately began the pursuit of a life-long career in entertainment. While studying to receive her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Professional Writing at The College of New Jersey, Jillian served as a student talent buyer.

She lives in New Jersey with her husband, two children, and their German Shepherd Dog — for Jillian, family is the center of everything. She is dedicated to leveraging her expertise and relationships to support the foundation’s mission.

Taneshia Nash Laird, is president & CEO of Newark Symphony Hall, the vintage 1925 performing arts center in Newark, NJ. As a social change agent, Taneshia centers cultural equity in her work. In her career in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors, she has been a city and state official for economic development, a regional director for the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce, the executive director of the Arts Council of Princeton, and co-founder of the MIST Harlem venue in NYC.

An in-demand speaker about the intersection of arts, entertainment and economic development, Taneshia is president of the board of Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, the influential community arts nonprofit co-founded 25 years ago by siblings Danny, Russell and Joey “Rev. Run” Simmons. She is an adjunct professor in the B.S. in Entertainment and Arts Management degree program at Drexel University and a visiting professor in the M.F.A. in Creative Arts & Technology at Bloomfield College.

Taneshia is the proud mother of two daughters: the aspiring ballerina and budding cellist elementary schooler she calls the Little One and a K-Pop obsessed high schooler and violinist known as the Big Girl.

David M. Mayeri is the Founder and CEO of Berkeley Music Group (BMG), founded in 2012 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates The UC Theatre Taube Family Music Hall in Berkeley California. David also serves as BMG’s Major Gift Fundraiser. BMG’s mission is to present a vibrant and diverse range of live performances to advance the understanding and appreciation of music, culture and education in the Bay Area. The UC Theatre is a multi-tiered, all-ages 1,400 capacity community minded independent live music venue providing inclusive, diverse, and culturally rich music programming as well as transformative youth education programs. David is the Former COO of Bill Graham Presents and has over 40 years of experience developing, renovating, managing, and running live entertainment venues including The Fillmore in San Francisco and Denver, The Warfield in San Francisco, The Punch Line Comedy Clubs in San Francisco and Sacramento, Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, and the Sleep Train Pavilion in Concord. David also runs a venue development & operations consulting company DMM & Associates. In addition to the BMG Board, David serves on the Boards of the Bill Graham Memorial Foundation, and the newly formed National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF).

Rev. Moose is a highly accomplished music industry leader with experience in artist development, marketing, advocacy, non-profit management, and international program development. Through Marauder, he helps companies, organizations, and government entities develop strategies and in-person events that drive systemic change and foster growth within the independent music sector. Moose is the founding and emeritus executive director of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF). In 2018, he brought Independent Venue Week, the esteemed series that spotlights locally owned and operated performance spaces, to the U.S. market. Before founding Marauder in 2015, he expanded The Syndicate’s international reach and developed CMJ’s initiatives working with foreign music export bodies. He has earned recognition from the Clio Awards (Clio Music Impact 2021), the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (Outstanding Advocacy on Behalf of the Performing Arts 2021), and A2IM (Humanitarian 2021 & 2022; Independent Champion 2025).

Kerri Park is currently the Executive Director for the Philadelphia Music Alliance, supporting city wide initiatives to honor the legacy of Philadelphia music and enhance the foundation and opportunities for future generations. Prior to this role, Kerri dedicated the formative years of her career to World Cafe Live, a nonprofit independent venue in West Philly, joining the opening team in September 2004. Motivated by a lifetime of seeking out live music experiences and a deep love for all things Philadelphia kept her rooted in operations, but the addition of a strong presence in multiple departments lead to her promotion as General Manager in 2018. Kerri assisted in navigating the merger of 501c3 music education organization LiveConnections with World Cafe Live in 2019 and then serving as Chief Operating Officer where she continued to push the bounds of what a music venue can and should be. During pandemic, she joined a force of dedicated independent owners/operators in supporting the formation of the National Independent Venue Association in April 2020, where she is currently the PA Chapter President. Kerri was honored to be named one of Pollstar’s Women of Live for 2024. She is also a LEADERSHIP Philadelphia Fellow, a member of the Advisory Board for the Director of Nighttime Economy for the City Philadelphia, and a volunteer for the National Independent Venue Foundation programming committee with a focus on the creation and implementation of their VOX workforce development initiative.