OUR TEAM
STAFF
Executive Director
Amie Therrien has joined MMF Canada from Balsam Pier Music, an artist management and development company based in Toronto where she worked primarily with folk, roots, and Americana artists including The Young Novelists, The Bombadils, and Mike Edel. Amie has also worked in marketing and management at Coalition Music and as the Programming Coordinator at Folk Alliance International. She is Past-President of Folk Music Ontario, a former MMF Canada board member, and an alumna of Harris Institute for the Arts and the Artist Manager Program with Canada's Music Incubator. Based in Toronto, Amie is a citizen of the Métis Nation of Ontario, a part-time runner, kayaker, meditator, beader, and the proud owner of a Masters degree in Civil Engineering. She is passionate about building community in the music management sector and supporting and empowering that community with access to resources and networks to help managers and self-managed artists thrive.
Outreach Director
GABRIELLE RUBAINE email LinkedIn
Gabrielle is an agent of change. As a performing artist who opened for acts like Mos Def & Snoop Dog, she still found support lacking for black female hip hop artists, like herself. This became the catalyst for embarking on a career path on the business side of the industry. She’s since managed Remix Project alumnae, Honee Haye, acted as Marketing Director of #BigTicket - a curated monthly showcase for the hip hop community show showcasing artists like Junior-T and Haviah Mighty, and worked at FACTOR in a variety of roles all focusing on outreach and diversity - implementing initiatives that continue to this day.
She is the founder and owner of Rubaine Consulting, a strategic marketing and event production company which founded and continues to run the INT’L Women's Day Music Summit for creators in the rnb, soul, reggae, cultural and indigenous music genres providing a safe space, educational programming and showcasing opportunities for marginalized communities.
Gab received the 2018 "Women in Media" International Women's Achiever Award for curating the online hip hop radio show, "Queens of the Game" (2014-2017), supporting artists who identified as women or/and as LGBTQIA+. She is a George Brown College Marketing graduate, a member of MusicOntario R3 Advisory Committee and is the proud mother of two boys aged 13 and 2 years old.
Communications Manager
Larysa Musick was probably meant to find a career in the music industry, considering her last name. A multi-disciplinary artist and self-managed singer-songwriter, Larysa developed her knack for storytelling first as a spoken word poet and Artistic Director for Winnipeg Poetry Slam. She has also worked for various clients as a freelance marketing specialist and as a Marketing Coordinator for Botanical PaperWorks. In 2018, she graduated from the Creative Communications Program at Red River College Polytechnic with a major in Advertising and Marketing Communications. She's also an illustrator and author of a poetry coloring book. As a Communications Coordinator on the MMF Canada team, Larysa is determined to connect music managers and self-managed artists with the resources they need to build sustainable careers in the music industry.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (2023/2024)
CHAIR
SAVANNAH WELLMAN (Tiny Kingdom Music)
Savannah is a co-founder of Tiny Kingdom Music, a record label and artist management company based in Vancouver, BC, representing artists including Skye Wallace and Ben Rogers. Her 15+ years in the music industry started with a BFA in music performance, and developed at Music BC where she was the project manager for artist development initiatives including the PEAK Performance Project for 8 years. Her musical and industry knowledge have been called upon as a juror for the JUNO Awards, Prism Prize, SOCAN Songwriting Prize, FACTOR, and was selected as a participant in the 2020 Keychange initiative program. Tiny Kingdom also administers the Women in Music - BC chapter, a non-profit organization fostering gender equality in the BC music industry.
Vice-Chair Government & Community Relations
JERMAYNE CLAYTON (Awesome Productions & Management)
Jermayne Clayton is President of the Management Division and a driving force of Awesome Productions & Management; an up and coming artist management, label and publishing company. As President, Clayton is responsible for the ever-growing talented roster of electronic/dance artists/producers (Cyril Hahn, Adam K), Hip-Hop artists (Dom Vallie, DijahSB), Hip-Hop/R&B producers (Multi-platinum, Grammy and Juno nominated Producer Jordon Manswell), and artists (Juno nominated singer and songwriter Dylan Sinclair). Claytons love for music is undeniable - a passion that began at a young age. Rhythms from Sinatra, Gaye to Marley, continue to run through his Jamaican-Canadian blood inspiring him daily. Dedicated to amplifying Canadian talent, Clayton continues to drive each initiative with more passion than the last. With an artist-first mentality and keen musical ear, he is focused on building the brands of his roster - in a time where Canadian Music continues to be a shining light in todays' music industry.
Vice-Chair Business Development
JILL SNELL (Jayward Artist Group)
A 30-year veteran in the Canadian music industry, Jill spent the first 15 years of her career at major labels in artist development and marketing (Island/A&M/BMG). Desiring a more hands on and grass roots approach, the subsequent 15 years were dedicated to independency during which time, Jill co-founded four indie labels/project management companies; The Orange Record Label (Uni), Angeline (Fontana), Road Angel (Warner) and 3 years ago created a new label and management company called Jayward Artist Group (co-owned with her flagship mgmt. client Tebey) with distribution by The Orchard, and with radio promotion by Sony Music Canada. The decision to create a formal management company came from 10+ years of managing artist projects and fully managing Tebey’s career since 2011. Jayward mgmt roster (artist/project) has included: Tebey, Matt Lang, Doc Walker and Kyra Daniel.
Treasurer
MICHAEL GORMAN (Straight Up Management)
Beginning with an internship at Chris Smith Management (Nelly Furtado, Fefe Dobson), Michael gained valuable experience before moving on to become General Manager of Last Gang Entertainment. During his four years at Last Gang, Michael was involved with launching the budding careers of Metric, Crystal Castles, Death From Above 1979 and Mother Mother towards international and mainstream success.
In 2008, Michael brought this wealth of experience with to Pandyamonium Management in guiding the multifaceted careers of JUNO Award winners Serena Ryder, Jully Black, and Dear Rouge.
Michael is the founder and President of Straight Up Management, where he is working with under-represented, yet extraordinarily talented artists such as drag superstar Tynomi Banks, Charmie, as well as major brands and influencers.
Secretary
ELISE ROLLER (Misfit Music Inc.)
Elise Roller, the Women in Music Canada Entrepreneur of the Year and Manitoba’s recipient of the Kevin Walters Legacy Award in 2023, is founder, CEO, and artist manager at Misfit Music Inc. The Misfit management roster includes artists Leonard Sumner, Sierra Noble, and Super Duty Tough Work while Misfit’s innovative Artist Evolution program serves hard-working artists who require team support offering holistic mentorship, strategic planning, and equipping music creators with the confidence, skills, and tools needed to manage their own careers. Roller has been actively involved in the global music scene since 2008 experiencing many roles as a singer/songwriter, member of touring bands, tour manager, stage manager, talent buyer at Pride Winnipeg, and as the Industry Development Coordinator at Manitoba Music.
DIRECTORS (2023/2024)
ALEXANDRA IDIART-BENAVIDES (The Vault)
Alexandra is the co-founder of The Vault, a record label, artist management company and music services agency operating in North America via Montreal & in Europe via Paris, and representing artists like JaRon Marshall (Black Pumas) and Hansom Ēli. Alexandra’s 10+ years in the music industry started working as a radio host, in music programming and marketing, followed by 5 years developing the North-American market for French companies, Tôt Ou tard / Zouave Spectacles and Wagram Stories, respectively. Since 2022, The Vault collaborates with events, as much in the production of festivals and conventions, as in their content programming (curation of conferences, panels and extending exclusive invitations to international music professionals), like M for Montreal, Cannes Lions, Lune Rouge and more. Alexandra has been a CARAS Academy Delegate for a few years and is frequently called upon as a juror for the JUNO Awards and FACTOR. She's also a member of MMF UK.
KATRINA LOPES (KL Management)
Kat’s roster includes platinum selling, Juno Award winning artist/producer Shawn Desman, pop duo/production team RadioClub, and singer/songwriter/producer Kayla Diamond.
Together with her clients KL has garnered accolades including MMVA Video of the Year, SOCAN #1 Awards, SOCAN Pop Song of the Year, and numerous platinum/gold singles.
She serves on the board for Manifesto, a youth arts organization; Music Managers Forum Canada (MMF); Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA); is a mentor via Femme It Forward, Shesaid.so, and Bespoke; teaches music industry classes to young men in custody via F-You: The Forgiveness Project; is an innovator w/ Keychange, a global network working towards a total restructure of the music industry in reaching full gender equality. And was named an honouree on the global “Alternative Power 100 Music List 2020”.
LAURIE LEE BOUTET (Wednesday Management)
Having moved to London, UK at the age of 18, Laurie Lee started off her career in the music industry writing a music blog featuring local artists, A&R recommendations and must see shows of the week. This led to a position as an A&R Scout for Virgin/EMI Records, and eventually brought her home back to Canada where she worked in A&R at Universal Music Canada.
For the past seven years, Laurie Lee has been busy building Wednesday Management, home to emerging Canadian artists such as The Beaches, Venbee, Alex Porat, Ralph & Connor Seidel.
LEELA GILDAY (Self-Managed Artist)
If you’re from the North, Leela Gilday’s music is home. If you’ve never been, it will take you there. Born and raised in Denendeh, she writes about the people and the land that created her. The power in her voice conveys her feelings of love and life in a rugged environment and vibrant culture. Leela’s family is from Délįne on the shore of Great Bear Lake and her rich vocals dance across the rhythmic beats of traditional Dene drumming and smooth contemporary melodic lines. This Juno Award-winner has toured every province and territory and several countries internationally. She believes music has an inexplicable effect on people. It is a place where she can share light and dark: the most vulnerable moments. She is a storyteller, and through this, reflects the world onto itself. Her fifth album “North Star Calling” - is a raw, intimate and beautifully revealing journey.
MATT MAW (Red Music Rising)
From Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Matt is an artist manager now based downtown Toronto. Matt brings over 10 years of multi-faceted music industry experience to his role leading Red Music Rising, along with a passion for artist development and a mission to amplify Canada’s Indigenous artists on the global stage. Throughout his career, Matt has worked with some of Canada’s most celebrated artists, Indigenous and otherwise, including Tanya Tagaq, The Jerry Cans, Riit, Jeremy Dutcher, Broken Social Scene and BANNERS, among others. An honours graduate of the Harris Institute for the Arts, Matt has previously worked alongside organizations including Arts & Crafts Productions, Six Shooter Records and New Constellations.
MIRA SILVERS (FORT Entertainment)
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised around the world, Mira Silvers has happily worked and thrived as an outlier by carving out spaces for herself, her artists, and others. Her career has seen a steep trajectory as it has been deeply intertwined with the rise of hip-hop, a culture in which she is humbled to be a guest in. Over the past decade, she has worn many hats in the music industry: artist manager, agent, creative, publicist, journalist, festival buyer, and tour manager.
Now, at FORT Entertainment, she reps an eclectic range of American, British, and Canadian musicians. Mira and her team have had the pleasure of collaborating with international clients such as: TDE, Grammys, Red Bull Music, COLORS, Audi, NYLON, Highsnobiety, SSENSE, Fila, Burberry, Adidas, Balmain, Tidal, FADER, Teflar, Kitsuné, Vans, Nike, and the defunct Red Bull Music Academy, to name a few.
FORT artists spent the entirety of 2019 touring, including North American tours with Earl Sweatshirt, Kali Uchi’s x Jorja Smith, JPEGMAFIA, and headline tours in Europe. Other musicians, her artists have toured with include: Kilo Kish, Kelela, Rejjie Snow, Masego, Solange, Danny Brown, Sango, Snoop Dogg, & more.
In 2020, Backxwash won the 2020 Polaris Music Prize in a historic win. Polaris, also, long listed Somali-Canadian electro producer OBUXUM. Syv de Blare, a Montrealer living in NYC, has signed to 4AD’s imprint ‘b4’ and is working on an explosive campaign for her debut EP in Q1/Q2.
As an outlier, Mira is passionately driven by innovation and is keen to bringing on new and diverse perspectives and solutions to the table. Moving forward, one of her many missions is to use the skills she has developed whilst working within the Canadian and US music industries, to help development for the new generation of artist managers. She absolutely believes that Canada is in a unique position to use this opportunity to build an innovative platform to champion Black/Brown artists and artist managers — and she would love to hear from and work with MMF members, industry, and non-industry voices to harness and unleash that potential.
PIERS HENWOOD (Amelia Artists)
Recently awarded the Music Managers Forum "Honour Roll" award, recognizing outstanding career achievement in artist management, Piers Henwood is a GRAMMY- and JUNO-nominated manager and musician. Since forming Amelia Artists in 2002, Piers has co-managed the careers of past and present clients including Bedouin Soundclash, Tegan and Sara, Buck 65, Luca Fogale, The Funk Hunters, The Librarian, as well as his own bands Astrocolor and Jets Overhead.