OUR TEAM
Laurie B. Kirby, Esq.
Owner & President of FestForums®
Laurie B. Kirby, Esq. owns and produces FestForums®, the B2B conference for festival producers, organizers, and industry leaders to learn and network all in one place. The conference includes various panels, exhibitors, awards, concerts and parties galore presented in a relaxing convivial environment. We discuss technology, sustainability, safety, wellness, marketing, operations, and many more topics with mixers and a trade show designed to cultivate networking.
Laurie was the former President and Chief Creative Officer of the IFFS (International Film Festival Summit) and the IMFCON (International Music Festival Conference & Lineup Magazine. She was also the Executive Producer of the Newport International Film Festival, the Barbados Film Festival, and The Ojai Film Festival. She has consulted for film festivals and filmmakers as well as served as a producer and consultant on independent films.
Laurie was an attorney for over twenty years and established The Legends Tour, the senior division of the LPGA. She was General Counsel to The Audubon Society of RI. She has represented professional athletes, newscasters, musicians, golf properties and nonprofits. She began her career as the assistant prosecutor and trial attorney in Middletown, RI.
Laurie is a frequent speaker, interviewer and moderator at dozens of festivals and corporate conferences, including NIVA, SXSW, Mill Valley Film Festival, Future of Festivals in Berlin, Event Tech Live, SMA Sponsorship Mastery Summit, IFEA, BizBash, TourLink, San Francisco Music Tech Conference, Maui Music Tech Conference, Sponsor Secrets, Canadian Music Week, IEG, Event Expo, The Mill Valley Film Festival, Pollstar, The Catalina Island Film Festival, Film Festival Flix, The Napa Valley Film Festival, The Wolff Den, and The Lady’s Filmmaker Festival on all aspects of the industry. Additionally, she is often quoted as an industry thought leader in publications such as Variety, Indiewire, Forbes, The Street, AMP and Music Festival Business. She has also been a contributor to Indiewire, Eventbrite & Sonic Bids.
Laurie has served on, and presided over non-profit boards throughout her career including The Lobero Theater, Newport International Film Festival, and The Montecito and Newport County YMCA’s.
She currently resides in Montecito, California and has three grown children and one adorable granddaughter.
For more information go to: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-kirby-esq-a830b517/
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Phoebe Choi
Speaker & Marketing Director
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Holly Owen
Media & Events Coordinator
Advisory Board
Our Advisory Board is composed of the finest industry leaders representing all aspects of film, music, food and beverage from across the globe. They provide guidance and expertise on emerging issues and the ever-fluctuating festival trends.
CAT CORA
Celebrity Chef, Restauranteur, Author, TV Host
MICHAEL MCDONALD
Singer, Songwriter, Recording Artist
RAYMOND ROKER
Co-Founder/Director of New Initiative, Dream Machine Innovation Lab
MICHAEL MIKEL
Burning Man Advisory Board Member
KEVIN LYMAN
Owner & CEO, Kevin Lyman Group, Vans Warped Tour
MELL LEIS
Head of Music & Entertainment, WMT Digital
MICHAEL JENSEN
Founder / President
Jensen Communications, Inc.
LESA UKMAN
Founder, Lesa Ukman Partnerships and ProSocial Valuation Service
ROY YAMAGUCHI
Chef & Founder, Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine - Hawaii Food & Wine Festival
MAUREEN FORD
President, National and Festival Sales, Live Nation
DAVID ALAN BERHAHL, II
Co-Founder, Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival
RAY PARKER JR.
Musician, Singer, Songwriter, Record producer and Actor
DANIELLE MADEIRA
CEO & Founder, Madeira and Partners, LLC
DAVID SILBAUGH
Talent Buyer & Production Supervisor, Summerfest
JACQUELINE SABEC, ESQ.
Partner, King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano, LLP
TOM RUSSELL
Co-Founder, Governors Ball and Partner, Founders Entertainment
Keith Goldberg
Consultant
ALLEN COOK
Vice President of Software, CES Technologies and Founder, TOURtech
BRUNO CHATELIN
Owner Consultant, Major Buzz Factory and COO, FilmFestivals.com
C R CAPERS
Founder, Harlem Film House and Hip Hop Film Festival
DOUG RICHTER
Founder, Meritage Entertainment
KIM PELONIS
Owner, Lost Chord Guitars and Lost Coast Records, LLC
STEPHEN NEMETH
Founder, Rhino Films
GARY MEYER
Publisher/Director, EatDrinkFilms
JON ANDERSON
Singer and Songwriter
In Memoriam
FestForums has been so fortunate to have had the guidance and support of these three giants in the festival industry.
George Wein, founder of Newport Folk and Jazz was a pioneer in the festival industry and past winner of our Lifetime Achievement Award. Michael Lang (co-founder, Woodstock) and Robert Richards (Commercial director, Glastonbury) have been FestForum Advisory Board members from the beginning of FestForums , and more importantly, dear friends, and for that, we will never forget you.
For more information about speaking or sponsoring this special event please contact admin@FestForums.com.
MARTY CALLNER
Director, Producer, Filmmaker

JESSE COLIN YOUNG
American Singer & Songwriter

GEORGE WEIN
Founder of the Newport Jazz Festival

MICHAEL LANG
Founder of Woodstock Music & Arts Festival

ROBERT RICHARDS
Commercial Director of Glastonbury Festival