Lee Krabel is the Vice President of Publishing at SMACK Songs, where he plays a pivotal role in developing and supporting top songwriting talent. Throughout his career, he has worked with renowned writers such as Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne. Before joining SMACK Songs, Lee held key positions at HoriPro Entertainment Group and Sea Gayle Music. A proud graduate of Belmont University, he brings a wealth of industry expertise.

Matt Turner is the VP of A&R at Concord Music Publishing in Nashville. With over 18 years of music publishing experience, Turner began his career at ole, now Anthem Entertainment, before moving on to work at independent publishing powerhouse, Big Loud, where he worked with hit songwriters like Craig Wiseman, Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins, the Warren Brothers, Matt Dragstrem and more. While at Big Loud, he was involved in the early writing career of Morgan Wallen as well. After Big Loud, Turner became Senior Director at Downtown Music Publishing, representing their writers and catalog. A few years later, Downtown was purchased by Concord, and he now serves as VP of A&R representing hit songwriters like Josh Miller, Andy Albert, Jon Nite, Abram Dean, and Aaron Eshuis. Turner has placed songs on records for such artists as Morgan Wallen, Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw, Jon Pardi, Kenny Chesney and many more.

From the moment his mother handed him a ukulele, Gary Nichols set out on a lifelong musical journey. By the age of five, he was already playing guitar and singing in church, and as a teenager, he was cutting his teeth on stage alongside his uncle Larry in local bars. That early start laid the foundation for a career that has spanned genres, stages, and studios—always fueled by his deep love for music and storytelling. Gary’s songs have been recorded by artists including Andy Griggs, Randy Travis, James Otto, Ronnie Milsap, and his longtime bandmates in The SteelDrivers. As a solo artist, his debut single Unbroken Ground broke into the Billboard Top 40, marking his arrival as a voice to be reckoned with. In 2016, he earned a Grammy Award with The SteelDrivers for The Muscle Shoals Recordings, which won Bluegrass Album of the Year. Beyond his own artistry, Gary has established himself as a sought-after producer and artist developer. He has written, consulted, and produced projects for rising talents such as Kensie Coppin (Fame Records) and The Band Loula (Warner Music Nashville). His reputation as both a creative visionary and a mentor continues to shape the next generation of artists. This past year, Gary completed a 34-city run on the Broken Branches Tour, sharing the stage with The Band Loula, Zach Top, and country superstar Dierks Bentley. While his road-tested presence remains a hallmark, his focus now also extends to the studio, where he continues writing, producing, and preparing new music of his own—slated for release in 2026. With a career defined by authenticity, versatility, and an unwavering commitment to the craft, Gary Nichols stands as a true musician’s musician: a storyteller at heart, equally at home behind the microphone, the mixing console, or center stage under the lights.

Alissa Moreno was born on a small Navajo reservation then grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She co-wrote the Grammy nominated hit "Every Day" for Rascal Flatts, she has a new song "Walking Blind" on The Voice winner, Javier Colon's new album and two on his previous "When" and "That's My Little Girl." She wrote the John Oates/Time Jumpers single "Santa Be Good To Me" and the Grammy winning Morgan Heritage hit single "Pineapple Wine" for their Grammy nominated album Avrakedabra. She wrote “The Yee-Haw Song” for Duck Dynasty’s Uncle SI and The Psychotics, and had a #1 success with international star Alexander Kogan translating in English to “Beautiful World”. Her songs "Far From Here" and “Hold On” were the show ID for the Lifetime series "Army Wives," and she co-wrote/co-performed ABC's "Hope and Faith" theme song. Her song "Next Time" is featured on the Interscope Records release "Laguna Beach: Summer Can Last Forever". Her music is featured in television and film with numerous songs licensed to shows like "The Vineyard", "The Hills," "Laguna Beach," "How I Met Your Mother," "Guiding Light", "Will and Grace" "Criminal Minds", commercials such as Tide, Belk, Young and The Restless Promo, and Central Way Numbers, and many others including the films "Daltry Calhoun" and Slamdance hit "Mall Cop". She was the vocal coach to Ben Affleck for his award winning role in "Hollywoodland". Alissa currently lives in Nashville, and has written with and been recorded by numerous artists.

Casey LeVasseur is no stranger to the music industry. She spent much of her childhood in the crowds of local dives, studios and publishing houses learning the craft and business from some of the very best producers, managers and writers. Her list of teachers and mentors includes her father, Hall of Fame songwriter, Jeffrey Steele. She is head of A&R/Artist Management at 3 Ring Circus Music & Records in Nashville,TN and has played an active role in the development of several hit writers as well as had a hand in many song placements from Miley Cyrus to Keith Urban, Eric Church, Cher and the like.

Rick Marshall is The MLC’s Assistant General Counsel of DSP Relations. Before joining The MLC, he worked for Warner Music Group as the Senior Director of WMG’s Catalog Legal Affairs Team. Rick also served for several years as an Attorney-Advisor in the Office of the General Counsel at the United States Copyright Office. While at the Office, he worked on the music-related initiatives that ultimately paved the way for the passing of the Music Modernization Act in 2018. Rick has also worked for the RIAA as a law clerk in their Business, Legal, and Legislative Affairs departments and has served as Sr. Staff Attorney to the Chief Judge at Florida’s First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee, Florida. He holds a Legal Masters degree in Intellectual Property Law from The George Washington University Law School.

Meghann Bridgeman is the CEO of the Alabama Entertainment Office, which was formerly the Alabama Film Office. She took over the role in January 2025 and leads the state's efforts to support and promote entertainment productions, with a focus on fostering creative industries and driving economic growth. As a performing artist herself, Meghann was a dancer with the Alabama Ballet and Ballet Austin and studied dance at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. She holds an MBA from SMU's Cox School of Business and a Master's in Arts Administration from SMU's Meadows School of the Arts.

Allison grew up in Wayne County, Tennessee, and has called the Shoals home since 2006. She's been married since 2004 and has built a life here that she truly loves.   Allison began her banking career in 1999 and has seen firsthand how much the industry has evolved over the years. What's remained the same, though, is her passion for helping people reach their financial goals. Whether it's buying a first car or home, building a savings plan, or preparing for retirement, Allison loves being part of her customers' journeys toward financial confidence and freedom. She says there's nothing more rewarding than knowing she's helped make life a little easier for someone.   Outside of work, Allison enjoys spending time with family and listening to just about every kind of music-though she'll admit she isn't musically talented herself!

A graduate of the prestigious University of Miami's Frost School of Music, Bobby Curlee Jr. set his sights on Nashville from the outset of his career. His journey began in music retail and distribution, where he honed his skills working with independent artists like the legendary John Prine, focusing on elevating their marketing and promotional strategies. As the digital revolution unfolded, Bobby quickly recognized the potential of the World Wide Web. Over the past 25 years, he has leveraged this insight to build an impressive career, collaborating with industry giants such as BMI, Sony, Nissan, and Amazon AWS. Throughout his tenure, Bobby has been instrumental in spearheading global initiatives in consumer marketing, content management, and streaming technologies. In his latest venture, Bobby has founded Octava Media Group. This new chapter marks a return to his roots, focusing once again on independent artists. With Octava, Bobby aims to bridge the gap between artistic passion and cutting-edge technology, empowering musicians to thrive in today's complex digital landscape spanning the intersection of music, technology, and marketing.