Country Music Association (CMA) CEO Sarah Trahern, a powerhouse in the music industry known for her transformative leadership, has been announced as the headline speaker for the upcoming ECCHO Live Workshop, scheduled for next month.
Trahern, who has led the CMA since January 2014, will bring her extensive experience in both the television and music industries to the event, which focuses on the intersection of wellness and leadership.
Bringing ten years of CMA leadership expertise to illuminate the critical connection between wellness practices and executive success.
The workshop, set for January 15-17, 2025, will draw upon Trahern’s unique career trajectory that began at C-SPAN, where she covered presidential campaigns and congressional races while also producing the literary program “Booknotes.”
Her shift to Nashville in 1995 marked the beginning of her journey into the country music scene, a path that eventually led to her current position overseeing the CMA’s strategic initiatives and television properties including the CMA Awards, CMA Country Christmas, and CMA Fest.
“Sarah’s ability to navigate both the business and creative sides of the industry makes her an ideal speaker for our workshop participants,” said ECCHO Live founder Maria Ramirez.
Trahern’s educational background, which includes a Georgetown University degree and a Vanderbilt Executive MBA completed in 2004, underscores her commitment to continuous learning and professional development.
As president of the CMA Foundation, Trahern has championed music education programs across the United States, a passion she traces back to her early classical violin training.
Her advocacy earned her Billboard’s “Executive of the Year” award in 2017 and the Global Music Cities Public Service Award in 2021, recognizing her work promoting music’s role in improving communities.
Workshop attendees can expect insights from Trahern’s leadership playbook, which has earned her consistent recognition on Billboard’s power lists and as a Nashville Business Journal “Woman in Music City.”
Before taking the helm at CMA, Trahern served as General Manager at Great American Country where she successfully managed strategic direction and programming while developing her executive expertise.
Registration for the three-day workshop is now open, with early bird pricing available until November 30.
The event will feature interactive sessions focusing on sustainable leadership practices and wellness strategies for executives in creative industries.
Trahern’s presentation will highlight how she revamped CMA’s membership structure to broaden its audience appeal, a key factor in the organization’s continued relevance in the music industry.
The workshop will also include a special session on how musicians can develop diverse income streams to build sustainable careers in today’s evolving industry landscape.
Aspiring singers and rappers will particularly benefit from her insights on how to establish a personal brand while balancing artistic integrity with commercial success.
