VenuesNow 2026 All-Star Honoree: Katie Pandolfo

Katie Pandolfo
General Manager
Crypto.com Arena

LIFE CHANGING DEAD CONCERT
“The Grateful Dead, 7/8/95, Soldier Field, Chicago, Jerry Garcia’s second to last show.”

In May of 2025, Katie Pandolfo was named general manager of Crypto.com Arena, home to the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and NHL’s Los Angeles Kings – a venue considered as a blueprint for downtown development and anchoring a mixed-use entertainment district. Pandolfo, who took over for longtime L.A. Live president Lee Zeidman after his retirement, was named to Pollstar’s 2026 Women of Live and we revisit a few of her interview answers here.

What philosophy guides you in your career?
“The idea of constant improvement and innovation, paired with relentless execution of the fundamentals. One of my favorite mantras is simple: do what you say you’re going to do. Listen. Be present. Embrace imperfect allies. Lead with transparency and maintain a true open-door policy. But above all, it comes down to unreasonable hospitality—going beyond what’s expected, creating an environment where people feel genuinely seen, valued, and cared for. That’s the standard.”

What advice do you have for those coming up in the business?
“Never beg for a seat when you can build your own table. Showing up matters. Be a great listener. Operate with integrity. Choose progress over perfection, consistency over intensity, and fundamentals over fads, and above all, lead by example. You have to be willing to reinvent. I’m energized by the opportunity to customize and elevate every touchpoint, to deliver unreasonable, out-of-the-box hospitality, and to turn Crypto.com Arena into the most welcoming arena anywhere. We should be constantly pushing the envelope in how we make people feel—because that’s what live events are really about.

“No matter the score of the game, no matter the concert, what people remember is how you made them feel. Our job is to ensure that feeling is incredible—so powerful that they want to come back again and again.

“Hospitality starts the moment someone buys a ticket and doesn’t end until they’re back in their car driving home. We have the opportunity to design that entire journey and make it exceptional. And just as important, every single person who works here needs to understand the role they play in creating those unforgettable experiences.”