BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Leading Through Crisis
When a crisis happens on the job site, leadership matters. This session brings together three experienced event professionals who have been on the front lines of high-pressure situations to share what they’ve learned about leading teams, making decisions, communicating clearly, and keeping people moving forward when the unexpected happens.
Hear real-world experiences from Jake Perry, Brandon “Soss” Sossamon, and Tim “Tuba” Smith of C3 Presents as they explore the thought processes, tools, and leadership practices they rely on when navigating challenging situations. From immediate response and team communication to safety, operations, and the decisions that have to be made in the moment, this conversation offers practical insight into leading through crisis—before, during, and after the moment.
SPEAKERS
Brandon Sossamon
Brandon Sossamon, widely known as ‘Soss’, is a 30+ year veteran in the Production field. Having experience in both sound and lights, Soss took his talents to the road and progressed to Tour Management and Tour Accounting handling global tours ranging from Industrials to A-List acts in stadiums. In 2012, Soss left the road and took a full time job with C3 Presents overseeing the Production of their global festivals and events. Today, Soss is the Director of Production for C3 Presents, managing a team of contractors and full-time employees, building on the successes of events year over year.
Tim Smith
Tim “Tuba” Smith is the Director of Festivals and Strategic Initiatives at C3 Presents, the world’s premier music festival producer. With over 20 years of experience, he has proven to be one of the top event producers in the industry.
On top of leading three marquee events (Lollapalooza Chicago, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival and Sueños Music Festival) he also actively administers standards, best practice, and protocols across all C3 events. Tuba is a recognized expert and industry leader in event safety and crowd management, site design, production, government relations, finance, and operations.
As a proud alumnus of the University of Kansas, Tuba continues to give back to the institution that provided the foundation for his career. In 2017, he founded the KU LEAP Program to increase awareness and access to college students about career options and professions available within the entertainment industry.
Jake Perry
Director of Operations & Sustainability at C3 Presents, brings over 20 years of leadership in global event operations to his title. With a career spanning into experiential events, international development and major productions like Global X Games, Perry now focuses on some of the world’s most iconic music festivals including Austin City Limits Music Festival, Lollapalooza (and its international editions in Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, France, Sweden, and India) Bonnaroo, and many more.
Chris Lisle
MODERATOR
Originally from Nashville, TN, Chris Lisle has over 33 years experience in the entertainment industry. He has worked in a variety of roles including Production Designer, Lighting Designer, Production Manager, and Show Producer. Some of Chris’ clients have include: Alice Cooper, Robert Plant, Brooks and Dunn, Jason Aldean, Jake Owen, Parker McCollum, Judah and the Lion, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, The NFL Draft, Miranda Lambert, One Republic, Dave Koz, Danny Gokey, Sugarland, Billy Currington, Peter Frampton, Nick Carter, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Chris Young, Jennifer Nettles, Lee Brice, Kip Moore, Chase Rice, Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, IEBA, Sara Evans, Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Lee Ann Womack, Phil Vassar, The Recording Academy (Grammy’s), and many others.
Chris is the co-founder and Executive Director of ECCHO Live (formerly Touring Career Workshop), a non-profit that serves as “Human Resources for Live Event Professionals”. Chris is a former adjunct instructor at Belmont University, teaching classes on Production Design and Tour/Production Management.
Chris is a 2016 graduate of Leadership Music, and is a member of the CMA, ACM, and the ESA (Event Safety Alliance). Chris currently serves as a Board Member for both the CMA’s and ACM’s.
In his spare time, Chris enjoys spending time with his wife and children relaxing on the water at Tims Ford Lake in TN.