Live Entertainment Management Alumni

Emilia James, M.A. ‘22, is the Manager of Nashville Membership at the American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP). James scouts new talent signings for ASCAP and helps develop and support a diverse roster of songwriters in the Country and Christian music genres. Through her previous work with independent music publishing companies, James developed a reputation in Nashville as a champion for creatives. James is a member of the Country Music Association, the Gospel Music Association, and the Association of Independent Music Publishers.  

Prior to working in Nashville, James had a career in musical theatre performing in several regional theatre productions. When the pandemic shuttered that industry, James decided to switch focus and earned her Master’s in Arts Presenting and Live Entertainment Management from Frost Online.  

Rachel Fishman, M.A. ‘21, is a dynamic Marketing and PR Manager with a passion for live entertainment. Currently spearheading initiatives at CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, Rachel played a pivotal role in the grand reopening and successful launch of newly renovated clubs and suites, elevating the Arena's profile in the competitive entertainment landscape. 

With a rich background in venue marketing from Madison Square Garden and BSE Global, overseeing iconic venues such as Barclays Center and NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum, Rachel brings a wealth of experience to her current role. Her expertise spans marketing, public relations, social media management, and tour promotion, making her a versatile asset in the industry. 

Rachel's career highlights include collaborating with renowned artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Earth Wind and Fire, Lionel Richie, Jonas Brothers, 5 Seconds of Summer, Blink-182, Thomas Rhett, and many more. Her ability to seamlessly blend strategic marketing tactics with a deep understanding of the live entertainment market has consistently driven success for her projects. 

A New York native and proud University of Miami alum, Rachel completed her Master of Arts degree in Live Entertainment Management online while honing her skills in the industry. Her dedication to her craft, coupled with her creativity and strategic vision, continues to position her as a leader in the world of live entertainment marketing and PR. 

Natalia Ramírez, M.A. '17, is a Colombian GRAMMY-Nominated audio engineer, arts manager, and musician. Natalia Ramírez graduated with her Masters in Arts Presenting and Live Entertainment Management at the Frost School of Music, where she was chosen for the "Frost School of Music Outstanding Graduate Student Award" in 2017.

Natalia's resume is already overflowing with credits tuning for records from industry-shaping international artists such as Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Will Smith, Marc Anthony, Pablo Alborán, Laura Pausini, Rachel Platten, Natasha Bedingfield, Mau y Ricky, Fonseca, Kany García, and many others. Natalia was the studio coordinator for the GRAMMY-winning album A Quien Quiera Escuchar by Ricky Martin, one of the biggest albums of 2015 which topped Billboard charts and was certified Platinum. In 2016, Natalia was nominated for 2 Latin GRAMMYs and 1 GRAMMY as recording engineer for Fonseca’s album Conexión and Andrés Cepeda’s Mil Ciudades, while in 2017 she got a Latin GRAMMY nomination for “Record of the Year” as an engineer in ‘Vente Pa’ Ca’, single by Ricky Martin featuring Maluma.

Natalia works for the Art House Society as Studio Coordinator and Vocal Engineer. Alongside Julio Reyes and the Art House team she continues to manage and handle some of the world's biggest projects hosted at Art House Society, the results of which continue to top billboard charts and are a shining example of her work in the upper echelon of the recording industry.

Gustavo Padrino, B.M. '15, M.A. '17, is the Event Settlement Accountant at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, where Gustavo prepares show settlements for Broadway, self-presentations, rentals, and educational programs, including co-promotions with Live Nation and AEG Live. Previously, Gustavo worked with the Programming department in the talent booking process, supporting the Programming Director with artist research, offer letters, show budgets, and contract analysis.

Gustavo was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and is a University of Miami alumnus, where he earned a B.M in Music Instrumental Performance, a minor in Music Business & Entertainment Industries, and an M.A in Arts Presenting & Live Entertainment Management. Gustavo is working towards his goal of becoming a CEO of a Performing Arts Center.

Taylor Rambo, B.M. ’14, M.A. ’17, was a performing arts manager in Washington, D.C. with experience in arts administration, collaborative piano, fundraising, and live event production. He has served as the Major Gifts and Campaign Manager at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, a national center dedicated to American voices and artists, and a pioneer of the regional theater movement. At Arena Stage, he supports the organization’s capital campaign by engaging patrons to invest in the provocative, exhilarating theater and groundbreaking educational programs for all ages that Arena provides to nearly 300,000 audience members and 20,000 young people each year. He also has served on the steering committee of Emerging Arts Leaders DC, a volunteer-led collaborative that provides professional development, networking, and information resources relevant to emerging arts professionals in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area.

As a pianist, Taylor has performed in various live performances and recording projects, most notably as the former accompanist with musical theater cabaret LaTiDo Productions, and as a collaborator on Frost Alumnus Kyle Guffey’s (B.M. ’17) debut EP Good Mood, released in 2018.

Prior to joining the team at Arena Stage, Taylor served in various administrative and fundraising roles on the staff of The American Pops Orchestra, The Washington Ballet, and APAP, the Association of Performing Arts Professionals.

Laura of Miami gained professional momentum when she co-hosted the University of Miami radio station WVUM, which was deemed “The Best College Radio Station in the Country” by MTV.

Today, she pioneers the return of organic radio play, as co-founder of Klangbox.fm; replacing mathematical algorithms in song selection with knowledgeable people in front of a microphone.

Laura was called Miami New Times Best Female DJ in 2014 and Miami New Times Best DJ 2012.

“My favorite part about going to Frost was learning how to hone my professional skills while actively using them. I was already working in my industry I would get booking contracts from talent agents, agreements from venues, sponsorship proposals, etc and be able to go over them in class with my professors and fellow students.”

David LeBlanc, M.A. ‘11 one of the first graduates from the Arts Presenting and Live Entertainment Industries Program at the University of Miami Frost School of Music, was the assistant to the Rhythm Road program in the tour department of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City.  The Rhythm Road is a program that sends American music groups on international tours to promote cross-cultural exchange through music.  LeBlanc has handled the day to day activities of the program and has coordinated with other departments within Jazz at Lincoln Center, primarily daily budget tracking of expenses and processing invoices, contracting and processing payments for musicians, preparing visa applications for artists international travel, coordinating artist’s domestic travel for concerts in Washington DC and NYC and updating tour itineraries. He was also the point of contact for the program with internal departments such as finance, legal, and the production department to arrange back-line needs for education sessions and domestic concerts.