Marketing

Vanessa Mering took a summer job at Alesis while studying at UCLA. That position was her introduction to the music industry for which she has been a vital part of ever since. With a focus on marketing campaigns for a wide range of innovative products, Vanessa worked at M-Audio and Line 6 before being hired by Harman.

Marcel Messner grew up surrounded by the sound of music, so it is no surprise that he is now part of the industry himself – the music business runs in his blood! His father, Hans-Peter, already had a distinguished career in the industry. Hans-Peter joined GEWA music in the mid-1980s and took over the company a few years later. Marcel is now also working in the business and is leading the company to new shores as CEO.

Masahiro Minowa is the Representative Director, CEO, and CIO of Roland Corporation, where he leads one of the world’s most influential music technology companies with a vision centered on innovation and collaboration. Since joining Roland in 1996, Minowa has held a range of leadership roles across planning, development, and executive management, contributing to the company’s global growth and technological advancement. He was appointed CEO in 2024. Throughout his career, Minowa has emphasized the importance of collaboration across cultures and disciplines, believing that true inno

Michael Newsom proudly serves as the Marketing Director for LR Baggs. The position brings together Michael’s passion for music and love of gear. As a kid, he played in bands with his brother and together they developed as musicians. They even signed a record deal at a young age. However, when given the chance to work with gear, Michael jumped at it. He was hired by Lloyd Baggs when he was just 19 years old. Lloyd was making guitars back then but switched his focus to pickups and acoustic pedal effects, which Michael takes great pride in marketing!

Tamara Osheroff enjoyed a 30-plus career in marketing and formed a well-respected agency with her partner. When her husband, Christian Dean, brought up the idea of buying a music store she did not realize she would soon share his passion for the role of helping others with their music journey. Tamara jumped into the role of marketing for the store, refreshed their website, developed a Social Media plan, and worked with staff to create videos aimed at telling The Magic Flute story. She has always felt that their staff is at the heart of their story and a main focus. The staff at Th

Tolga Özoğlu is a music industry marketing executive and former professional drummer with more than 20 years of leadership experience at Zuhal Müzik, Turkey’s leading MI retailer, which has served the industry for nearly 50 years with more than 10 stores nationwide. He holds a degree in Business Administration from Anadolu University and an MBA from Istanbul University. Tolga began his career on the sales floor in the drums and percussion department, developing a deep, ground-level understanding of the musical instruments business. He later joined Roland Turkey as a V-Drums Produc

Kairalis Pacheco proudly refers to her father as her hero. As a musician in Puerto Rico, he spoke out about some of the struggles his community experienced with the police and politicians. His music, Reggaeton, brought people together and helped bring about change. He took the time to teach guitar to his daughter, which is a true gift Kairalis treasures. In addition to music, she developed a passion for photography and landed her dream job at Micheo Music in the Marketing Department creating content using both talents.

Stephanie Patterson has earned a unique reputation as Fox Product’s “oboe meme queen,” combining her love for the instrument with social media savvy and humor.

Kevin Philbin is the Director of Sales & Marketing for KHS America, located in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. His musical journey began as a child growing up with a dad who played drums. When Kevin was 10 years old he received a Gibson Guitar from Jack’s Music in Red Bank, New Jersey. He would later work for Gibson in Nashville for over 16 years, playing a key role in several product launches and marketing campaigns. In 2012, Kevin became the Marketing and Communications Manager for KHS America with a focus on the school market. Among his roles at KHS was the growth and development of

Angelica Primachenko grew up immersed in the rich harmonies of church music, with her father serving as musical director. Surrounded by hymns and worship songs from childhood, she developed a deep love for music, later refining her skills with gospel and opera vocal training while also learning the piano. Songwriting became an expressive outlet, and her musical path led her to study at a prestigious music academy in Missouri, where she gained both artistic and business acumen. Her journey eventually took her to the Baroque Violin Shop in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she thrives as the

Johan Sahlin grew up surrounded by music, inspired by his father’s love of the guitar and the Rolling Stones. One of his fondest memories is attending a Rolling Stones concert with his dad, an experience that cemented his lifelong passion for music. Johan channels that same spirit of creativity and connection as Chief Marketing Officer for Strandberg Guitars, a company known for its innovative instruments that “challenge the norms” of guitar design. In his role, Johan oversees marketing and artist relations, helping to shape the global presence of the brand while supporting the un

Judy Schaefer is the Director of Marketing for PRS Guitars, a position that perfectly aligns with her lifelong connection to music. Raised in a musically rich environment, her mother instilled a love for music in the family, encouraging Judy to learn piano and guitar. Attending concerts with her mother only deepened her passion. In 2005, Judy was hired by PRS Guitars for a summer job, and she’s been with the company ever since. She honed her skills in social media and content creation, which ultimately led her to the director role, where she also manages artist relations—a rewardi

John Schauer grew up in Indiana where his father offered him some sage advice; “if you listen, you will know what to say.” The quote stayed with John as he developed a career in the music industry. In 1987 he joined the Yamaha team in the corporate communications department.

Shawn Bruce played piano and guitar as a teenager, not knowing at the time he would have a 20-plus-year career with the Piano Technicians Guild! With a background as a newspaper reporter and with such organizations as the auctioneers association, Shawn understood the importance of communication and marketing. He was hired by the PTG in 2001 with a focus on the monthly journal and the exhibits element of the annual conference. Shawn has since developed a great appreciation for the volunteers and staff who work long and hard hours to provide services meaningful to their members.

DJ She Beatz was raised in St. Louis, Missouri by parents who deeply appreciated music. She began performing at an early age as a dancer, singer, and pianist.

Angela Slawson is the perfect person to ask whether the music products industry differs from others. Having worked in the food industry and at Disney, Angela, now with Yamaha, finds the music industry filled with passionate and dedicated individuals united by a shared goal—to inspire more music makers. She loves the collaborative environment at Yamaha and the team’s commitment to learning more about their customers and their experiences. Angela continues to thrive in her role, bringing fresh insights and enthusiasm to Yamaha’s mission.

Korinne Smith is an accomplished classical musician who has combined her lifelong passion for music with a deep desire to educate and inspire others to reach their musical goals. Her journey began in childhood, singing in church before discovering the flute in elementary school—an instrument that became her lifelong companion. Inspired by an influential music teacher, Korinne pursued degrees in music education and flute performance, earning both her master’s and doctorate while serving as a band director in Rochester, New York.

Umur Sungurlu graduated from Koç University with a degree in Business Administration in 2014. During his studies, he completed a semester of marketing coursework at UCLA, spending four months in Los Angeles — a city that continues to inspire his creative perspective. Born into a family deeply rooted in music, Umur explored multiple instruments from an early age, with piano as his primary instrument. He studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts through his fourth year before shifting his focus toward theater and acting, performing in various musical and stage productions.

Yoshiaki Tanaka, though not a musician himself, has always harbored a deep appreciation for music and a steadfast commitment to music education.

Leng Tshua has played an important role in the piano industry both in the United States and his home country, Singapore. His passion for music began when he was inspired by his aunt playing the piano. Her enthusiasm and those melodies stayed with young Leng, who went on to take lessons. He entered the piano industry in 1993 when he was hired by Sherman Clay in Washington state. The retail store was the perfect setting for Leng to learn the inner workings of the piano as well as his skills in sales and marketing. After running his own store, the Steinway Piano Gallery of Tucson, Ar

Morgan Walker worked in the marketing side of the sports industry before being hired by Korg USA, in 2014, to focus on public relations and managing special events. She grew in her position, becoming the Director of Market and Communications for Korg. With a steady stream of innovative products from Korg’s brands, Morgan takes great pride in the work she does to bring those products to their customers. Morgan is also a Council Member for Women of NAMM (WoN) and played a key role in the WoN leadership summit in October 2022. WoN is dedicated to increasing female representation in t