The Board
Ashaunna Ayars
Boasting an influential decade-long career rooted in brand and entertainment marketing, Ashaunna Ayars is the branding mastermind behind campaigns for some of the world's top music stars and brands. From historic icons to modern-day chart toppers, Ayars has leveraged her experience as senior vice president of marketing of Island Def Jam Music Group and Warner Bros. to drive results that stick. Over the years, Ayars has pushed the envelope as a dynamic connector, executing high-impact campaigns with multi-platinum-selling and Grammy-winning artists such as Mary J. Blige, Common, and others. A multifaceted, forward-thinking professional, Ayars’s true passion lies in her natural ability to transform ideas into results. A strategic thinker, she has developed and executed dynamic marketing strategies that run the gamut from influencer campaigns to product launches. Additionally, she has created and delivered original content across social, digital, outdoor, and point-of-purchase platforms for major artist brands, including Janet Jackson, Ne-Yo, Jason Derulo, Young Jeezy, Fabolous, Jill Scott, Swizz Beatz, and Janelle Monáe.
Jamil Davis
Jamil ‘Big Juice’ Davis — Los Angeles-native and Co-CEO of The Revels Group — has built his 15-year tenure in music through aligning himself with artists and friends alike, and always demonstrating the importance of “good vibes.” Davis began his career by Tour Managing artists such as Lil Wayne and Drake, all while still attending Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was during his time in college that Davis met business partner and fellow Co-CEO, Matt Bauerschmidt, as well as their flagship client, Gerald Gillum (G-Eazy).
Developing Gillum into a now global sensation, Jamil Davis and The Revels Group have shown no sign of slowing down. Recognized this past year as a member of Billboard’s esteemed 40 Under 40 top young power players in music, Davis has continued to grow The Revels Group roster, now including management clients such as, G-Eazy, Anthony Russo, Dounia, Carly Rose, Gibson Hazard, Julia Lewis, and Nik Dean.
Shawn Holiday
Shawn Tubby Holiday is Co-Head of Urban Music at Columbia Records. Previously, Shawn was Senior Vice President of Urban A&R for Columbia, where he played a key role in the label’s music partnership with the hit FOX TV series “Empire”, supervising multiple tracks and artist collaborations. He oversaw the release of Solange’s critically acclaimed album “A Seat at the Table” and brought T.I. to Columbia in 2014, shepherding his collaboration with Pharell Williams. Shawn holds a dual role at Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Prior to joining Columbia, Shawn was Senior Vice President/Head of Urban A&R at Interscope Records, where he worked with Keyshia Cole, 50 Cent and Diddy, and SVP of A&R at RCA Records.
Courtney Stewart
As founder of Right Hand Co, The Right Hand Foundation, and co-founder of Keep Cool Records, Courtney Stewart leverages a 360-degree approach to all aspects of his business and philanthropy. By sharing a similar spirit and vision to his clients and the causes he supports, the artist manager, record label executive, and humanitarian maximizes every opportunity for success from all angles. This ability to align with artists and collaborate closely not only fostered the breakout of six-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated superstar Khalid, but it also cemented Mr. Stewart among the industry’s future leaders recognized on Billboard’s prestigious “40 Under 40”, Variety’s 2018 & 2019 “Hitmakers” list, and Billboard’s 2020 “Power List.” “Success comes from sharing a common vision and goal,” he explains. “When I align with a client or a charity, we’ve got to be in sync and share the same passion and drive. When those two things come together, greatness is inevitable.”
Prophet
Willie “Prophet” Stiggers - Activist and Music Executive; Currently He is the CEO of 50/50 Music Group Management , which is a management, consultant, and publishing company. 50/50 has managed R&B superstar Layton Greene , first R&B artist on QC/Capitol/Motown and recently celebrating the success of a gold single and a number one record on the Urban and Rhythmic Charts. Prophet currently manages female rapper Asian Doll , who has gained over 100 million collective streams, Casper Bluff (Cash Money Records) Music Producer G-Styles On The Track (SONY/ATV) and DMV’s own Money Marr (1019GS/EMPIRE ). In 2008, Prophet partnered with his sister, Lakisha Spencer to continue to expand Little Debbie's Second Chance Homes . A group home agency based in Atlanta and Florida, named after their mother “Debbie”. Prophet created Joseph Ladder, the male component to the agency, JL are group homes for young men with a focus on teaching them how to become entrepreneurs. In 2017, He partnered with Go90 to Executive Produce “ Raising Heaven ” a 6 part docu-series around life of Youtube Sensation Heaven and Tianne King. The show, unlike other reality shows, focused on positivity and a Black family navigating through new found fame and success while remaining spiritually grounded and committed to their core values. Prophet 's mission has been to work with and represent talent who want to elevate the culture and use their platform to make a positive impact on this world. In 2020, Prophet co-founded # BreatheWithMe REVOLUTION and the #BreatheWithMeReFUND and is the Co-Founder/Co-Chair of the Black Music Action Coalition.
Caron Veazey
Caron Veazey is the Founder and CEO of Something In Common, a management and consulting agency focused in the music, film, art and culture spaces. Prior to forming Something in Common, Caron managed the career of Pharrell Williams from 2010-2019, and partnered with him as Co-Founder and General Manager of his creative collective, i am OTHER. Veazey architected some of Pharrell’s most historic music and cultural moments including: “Happy,” “Blurred Lines,” seven Grammy Awards, two Academy Award nominations, and unprecedented collaborations in the fashion, art, business, and philanthropic arenas.
A veteran record executive, Caron Veazey is proud to have been included on both the Billboard Women In Music list and the Billboard Hip-Hop & R&B Power Players list for multiple years, and also the first ever Billboard Change Agents issue for her advocacy work with the Black Music Action Coalition. Prior to expanding into artist management, Veazey held executive positions at major music companies including Sony Music, RCA Records, and Island Def Jam, among others.
Naima Cochrane
Naima Cochrane is a 20 year music industry veteran turned writer and historian with a mission to ensure that Black culture has context. During her music industry career, first as a music marketer and then as artist manager, she helped actualize the visions and build the brand stories of acts including Maxwell, Beyoncé, John Legend and Cynthia Erivo. Now, Naima channels her skill for storycrafting into journalism, commentary and research. In 2017, Naima’s viral #MusicSermon Twitter series helped establish a reputation as a trusted voice and resource for all things Black music and culture. Since then, her writing’s been featured in publications including Billboard, People, Vibe, Refinery 29 and The Undefeated, and she’s among the contributing writers for The Smithsonian’s Anthology of Hip Hop and Rap (2021). She also applies her experience and knowledge to work with partners including Nielsen, Spotify, LVMH, Amazon Music and more; from hosting and moderating Soundcloud’s Music Industry Education Series, to working behind the scenes as a researcher and writer for DJ Khaled’s “The First One” podcast, to co-anchoring DMX’s funeral coverage live on BET, to advising on marketing strategy and messaging for the long-awaited 2021 re-release of Aaliyah’s music catalog.
Naima leads BMAC's industry research and reporting team, including 2021’s inaugural Music Industry Action Report Card; a first of its kind public accounting of how music companies reinvest in and reflect the culture and community that drives so much of the industry's revenue.
Damien Smith
Artist Manager, Fullstop Management Damien Smith is an accomplished music industry veteran who has uniquely navigated the careers of some of the music world's most legendary and accomplished musicians such as; Raphael Saadiq, Earth, Wind & Fire, Jennifer Hudson, and Kanye West, while also creatively blazing new trails for artists like Anderson.Paak, 007 Shake, Rei Ami, and Offset.