VenuesNow 2026 All-Stars Hub: Honoring The Live Industry's Top Building Executives

The annual VenuesNow All-Stars list honors the top executives transforming the venue business showcasing leadership, success and innovation. The honorees are chosen by Pollstar’s editorial team with input from the industry while taking into account Pollstar’s industry-leading box office, along with recognizing best-in-class venue operations, programming, development, hospitality and design.

This year’s VenuesNow All-Stars will be celebrated at a reception taking place Sept. 28, the evening before the 2026 VenuesNow Conference launches at the Sheraton Grand Seattle. In celebration of VNC’s return to the Emerald City, the 2026 All-Stars list also includes executives based in Seattle. This month’s print issue of Pollstar also features a venue-specific market focus devoted to Seattle and its live entertainment scene, which means everything from the Crocodile club to Climate Pledge Arena to Lumen Field.

Josephine “Jojo” Vaccarello, the newly-named President of MSG Entertainment, graces the cover of the 2026 All-Stars issue. Her 28-year journey through almost every part of MSG’s live division now includes the dazzling, game-changing Sphere in Las Vegas, an example of the continuing tech-driven evolution of the live entertainment landscape.

2026 VenuesNow All-Stars Cover Honoree
Josephine Vaccarello
President of MSG Entertainment

2026 VenuesNow All-Star Honorees

KARL ADAMS
Head Of Venue Operations
Live Nation Entertainment

SUE BIRD
Co-Owner
Seattle Storm

ALISON BIRDWELL
President & CEO
Aramark Sports + Entertainment

MASSIMO BIZZARRO
General Manager
T-Mobile Arena

ALEX “AC” CRAIG
General Manager & Production Manager
The Orion Amphitheater / tvg Hospitality

CHELSEA CUNNINGHAM
Vice President, North American Venues
AEG Presents

GARY DESJARDINS
Senior Vice President & General Manager
PPG Paints Arena / Oak View Group

MICHAEL DORF
Founder & CEO
City Winery

AUDREY FIX SCHAEFER
President of the Board, NIVA
Communications Director, I.M.P.

TREVOR GOOBY
Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer
Seattle Mariners

ANDY GORCHOV
General Manager
Allegiant Stadium/Legends Global

AMY GRACA
SVP, Head of Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment

JOSH HARRIS
Founder/Managing Partner
Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment/Washington Commanders

SEAN HENRY
CEO
Nashville Predators, Bridgestone Arena, Ford Ice Centers, F&M Bank Arena and Sabertooth Sports & Entertainment Enterprises

ZACH HENSLEY
Vice President of Operations
General Manager Lumen Field & Event Center
Seattle Seahawks/First & Goal Inc.

ALEX HODGES
CEO
Nederlander Concerts

MATT HOMAN
President
Trail Drive Management Corp.

LAURIE JACOBY
EVP & Chief Entertainment Officer
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

ALLEN JOHNSON
Chief Venues Officer
Orlando Venues

DONNA JULIAN
Executive Vice President & Chief Venue Officer
Hornets Sports & Entertainment

BETH KNOX
President & Chief Executive Officer
Seattle Sports Commission

JOSH LABELLE
Chief Executive Officer
Seattle Theatre Group

TOD LEIWEKE
CEO
Seattle Kraken / One Roof Sports & Entertainment

JONATHAN MALLIE
Global Director, Managing Director of the Americas
Populous

STEVE MATTSON
President, OVG Hospitality
Oak View Group

KELLY MCCORMICK
Senior VP of Programming, OVG West
Oak View Group

JUSTIN MILLER
Vice President, North American Venues
AEG Presents

JOSE MOLA
Vice President, Stadium & Campus Operations
Hard Rock Stadium / Miami Dolphins

PATRICK NAGLE
Executive Director
Allstate Arena & Rosemont Theatre

BELINDA OAKLEY
CEO
Sodexo Live! North America

KERRY PAINTER
Executive Director
Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex

KATIE PANDOLFO
General Manager
Crypto.com Arena

TAMEKA RISH
Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer
AMB Sports & Entertainment

KEITH ROBINSON
Principal & Creative Director
MANICA

JW ROTH
Founder, Chairman, and CEO
VENU Holding Corporation

JORGE SANTANA
General Manager, Hospitality
SoFi Stadium / Legends Global

JORDAN SILBERMAN
President Of Venues
Monumental Sports & Entertainment

ASHLEE STOKELY
Head of Stadium, Operations & Experience
Nissan Stadium / Tennessee Titans

ELMER STRAUB
SVP, Entertainment Production & Operations
313 Presents

TINA SUCA
Senior Vice President, Venue Operations
OCVIBE

ROBERT THOMAS
Executive Director
VenuWorks

EMMANUEL “MANNY” THOMAS
General Manager
Hard Rock Live Hollywood (Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino)

RON VANDEVEEN
Chief Programming Officer
MetLife Stadium

JOSEPHINE VACCARELLO
Executive Vice President, Live
MSG Entertainment Corp. & Sphere Entertainment Co.

ALLAN VELLA
President & CEO
Fox Theatre – Atlanta

CRAIG WAIBEL
General Manager & Chief Soccer Officer
Seattle Sounders

KELLI YELOUSHAN
Vice President of Event Management
Vinik Sports Group / Tampa Bay Lightning

Daily Pulse

2026 VenuesNow All-Star Honorees