2026 Impact NextGen Honoree: Liz Kim

LIZ KIM
Senior Tour Director | AGE: 37
Live Nation

Mileage Matters:
“I love to run — I am a better friend, teammate and employee when I get my run in!”

Stories of seminal early concerts abound in the live industry. A show seen as a teen sparks something inside someone and their vocation is suddenly clear. What’s often left out of these stories of the genesis of a passion is the rather quotidian question of “How did all these kids get to these shows?”

Live Nation senior tour director Liz Kim makes sure to give credit.

“I grew up going to concerts thanks to my mom and stepdad, who would drive my friends and me to shows anywhere in Southern California on any night of the week. San Diego on a Wednesday? No problem,” she says. “I come from a family of teachers and doctors, and even though it’s still hard to explain exactly what I do, I know they’re proud of me and support me every step of the way.”

Indeed, she herself gives a rather broad definition of her role, noting, “My job is to primarily keep our tours and clients on track, whatever that means — there is no real limit to what that may entail.”

This year, the tours and clients she’s kept on track include Harry Styles’ blockbuster “Together Together Tour,” Tate McRae’s global arena run and No Doubt’s Sphere run, “which was especially meaningful to me as my dad was a huge fan of Gwen and the band.”

To get there, she’s worked under a smorgasbord of mentors who read like a who’s who of power players: Colin Lewis, Omar al-Joulani (who told Kim her job “would require some Excel work,” which says is a “serious understatement”), Tara Traub and Rich Best. 

She lauds them all for being caring and kind and respectful. Those traits have not always been preeminent in the culture of the live game, but Kim says she’s seen great strides in that direction during her time in the business.

“We’ve come a long way since I entered the live industry. In my experience, the culture around fear and intimidation has evolved for the better, and I’m encouraged that it continues to trend in that
direction,” she says. “As an industry, though, I think we can improve our approach to stressful situations by remembering what concerts mean to people. They’re a chance to come together, disconnect from the noise, and be present in a world where it’s becoming increasingly difficult to do so. I’m not suggesting it’s easy—or that I’m a particularly zen person. We’re in a 24-hour business and are often available at all times of day, whether we’re in the office or at a show. But when we keep the bigger picture in mind, I think that mindset is contagious.”