CMA Creates Two New Positions, Announces Three New Hires

Pamela Hothorn/CMA – Emily Arvanitis

The Country Music Association is bringing three new members into the positions of live events coordinator, director of integrated marketing, and director of sales development and strategy, the company announced Jan. 7.

Emily Arvanitis will serve as the CMA’s new live events coordinator, reporting to CMA senior director of live events Chris Crawford. Arvanitis comes from an executive assistant position with Sandbox Entertainment, prior to which she interned as part of the CMA’s Live Events team.

Courtesy of Michelle Kirk – Michelle Kirk

Michelle Kirk is jumping into the newly created role of director, integrated marketing, where she will develop strategies and campaigns for the CMA Fest, CMA Awards, CMA Country Christmas, CMA Songwriter Series, and the CMA Foundation, as well as other events. She will also manage relationships with partners including the ABC television network. Her previous position was as Brand Partnerships Agent at WME. She reports to CMA senior director of strategic partnerships Emily Evans.

Megan Sykes has been appointed to the newly created position of director, sales development and strategy, where she will also report to Evans. She comes from CAA where she was an agent of music brand partnerships. In the new role she will build new corporate alliances and sponsorships and strengthen relationships for CMA Events and the CMA Foundation.

Pamela Hothorn/CMA – Megan Sykes

The CMA elected a new board of directors in December, which saw a plethora of changes to the org’s leadership. Jody Williams (of BMI) was named chairman of the board, as former chairman Bill Simmons (of The Fitzgerald Hartley Company) completed his term. Kurt Johnson (Townsquare Media) will take the position of CMA president and Mary Hillard Harrington (Red Light Management) is the new board president. The appointments went into effect Jan. 1.

The CMA Awards were held at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena in November. Big winners included Keith Urban, Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, Brothers Osborne and Cole Swindell.