Ventura 2025 - SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20
3:00 PM - 7:30 PM - Registration / Sign-In - Sessions and showcases posted by the lobby entrance.
5:00 PM - 7:15 PM - Dinner / Happy Hour - Bar and Restaurant (on your own)
6:30 PM - Open Mic Signup - Top of the Harbor Ballroom
6:45 PM - 7:30 PM - Orientation - Top of the Harbor Ballroom
7:30 PM - Songwriter Showcase #1 - Top of the Harbor Ballroom
9:45 PM - Open Mic - Top of the Harbor Ballroom
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21
9:00 AM - 11:05 AM - Song Listening Sessions
- Country/Folk/Americana — Bobby Rymer - Chef’s Table (Restaurant)
- Country/Folk/Americana — Christina Wiltshire, Warren Sellers - Santa Rosa Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Richard Harris, Asha Dillion - San Miguel B Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Peter Lloyd, Katie Pool - San Miguel A Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Julia Keefe, Michael “MG” Gross - Santa Cruz Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Eric Hurt, Brittany Whyte - Bayview Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Christina Chung, Nick Haussling - Top Of The Harbor Ballroom
11:10 AM - 12:30 PM - Panel Discussions
- Durango All-stars — Stories and tunes from Durango’s finest - Top of The Harbor Ballroom
- One On One Sessions with Christina Chung, Sam Boot, Gabi Kochlani, Liz Sharpe
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM - Lunch – Restaurant and Bar, Durango Special Menu (on your own)
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM - Panel Discussions
- Songwriting Workshop - TBA - Top of The Harbor Ballroom
3:15 PM - 5:20 PM - Song Listening Sessions
- Country/Folk/Americana — Steve Bloch, Adam Zelkind- Chef’s Table (Restaurant)
- Country/Folk/Americana — Lindsey Will, Butch Baker - Santa Rosa Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Tricia Fontneau-Ramos, Lava Hong, Kristen McFarren - San Miguel B Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Sam Boot, Wyler Sanca, Nick Mara - San Miguel A
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Mike Torres, Michael “MG” Gross - Santa Cruz Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Cliff Downs, David Fisher - Bayview Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Rehan Manickam, Jarred Causly, Adèle Ho - Ballroom
5:00 PM - 7:15 PM - Dinner / Happy Hour - Restaurant and Bar (on your own)
7:15 PM - Songwriter Showcase #2 - Top of the Harbor Ballroom
9:45 PM - Open Mic - Top of the Harbor Ballroom
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM Panel Discussion
C’sing the Day - Scott Krippayne, Bryan Reynolds, Patricia Bahia, Ian McCartor discuss the collision of commerce, craft, and connection in cultivating a creative career - Top The Harbor Ballroom
10:00 AM - 11:20 AM - Panel Discussion
- Music For Sync – Lava Hong, Nick Hassling, Brittany Whyte, Asha Dillion, Jarred Causly, Kristen McFarren, David Fisher, Adèle Ho (moderated by Nitanee Paris) - Top The Harbor Ballroom
- One On One Sessions with Christina Chung, Sam Boot, Gabi Kochlani, Liz Sharpe
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM – Lunch - Bar and Restaurant
12:30 PM - 2:35 PM - Song Listening Sessions
- Country/Folk/Americana — Steve Garvan, Warren Sellers - Chef’s Table
- Country/Folk/Americana — Julia Keefe, Steve Bloch - Santa Rosa Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Peter Lloyd, Asha Dillion - San Miguel B Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Sam Boot, Katie Pool - San Miguel A
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Lindsey Will, David Fisher - Santa Cruz Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Richard Harris, Nick Mara - Bayview Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Gabi Kochlani, Adèle Ho - Ballroom
2:40 PM - 3:45 PM - Panel Discussions
- Publishing — Julia Keefe, Bobby Rymer, Lindsay Will, Butch Baker, Peter Lloyd, Christina Wiltshire, Sam Boot, Eric Hurt, Tricia Fontneau-Ramos - Top Of The Harbor Ballroom
- DIY — Steve Garvan, TBA - San Miguel B Room
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Song Listening Sessions
- Country/Folk/Americana — Cliff Downs, Bobby Ryner-Chef’s Table
- Country/Folk/Americana — Eric Hurt, Butch Baker - Santa Rosa Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Christina Wiltshire, Brittany Whyte - San Miguel B Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Tricia Fontneau-Ramos, Wyler Sanca - San Miguel A
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Christina Chung, Lava Hong, Jarred Causly - Santa Cruz Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Rehan Manickam, Kristen McFarren - Bayview Room
- Pop/Rock/Sync — Mike Torres, Nick Haussling - Ballroom
6:00 PM - 7:15 PM – Dinner / Happy Hour - Restaurant and Bar
7:30 PM – Concert - Top Of The Harbor Ballroom
- Featuring Emily Shackelton, TBA
Ventura 2025 - Special Guests
Butch Baker, Nashville: Co-founder, Hori Global Music Publishing
Steve Bloch, Nashville: Publisher and independent A&R consultant, Steve Bloch Music
Sam Boot, LA: Creative Manager, Honua Music
Jarred Causly, LA: Sr. Music Supervisor, Saatchi and Saatchi
Christina Chung, LA: Creative Coordinator, Honua Music
Asha Dillion, Toronto: SVP, Music Creative and Production at The Wilders
Cliff Downs, Nashville: A&R and Publishing, MCD Music Publishing
David Fisher, San Francisco: Chief Creative Director, Songs for Film & TV
Tricia Fontneau-Ramos, LA: A&R Manager, Hollywood Records, Disney Music Publishing
Steve Garvan, Sand Point, ID: Owner, Garvan Management and Consulting
Michael "MG" Gross, San Francisco: Managing Partner, Squeak E.Clean
Richard Harris, LA: Demolition Music, producer, writer, Expo alum
Nick Haussling, LA: Music Supervisor, Walton Isaacson
Adèle Ho, LA: Music Supervisor, Little Spark Music
Lava Hong, LA: Associate Music Supervisor, Trailer Park Group
Eric Hurt, Nashville: VP A&R/Publishing, EMPIRE
Julia Keefe, Nashville: Head of A&R, Edgehill Music
Gabi Kochlani, LA: A&R Executive, Publisher, Founder The Grey Administration
Peter Lloyd, LA: Director A&R, Creative Music Publishing and Music Synergy, Hollywood Records, Disney Music Publishing
Rehan Manickham, LA: A&R Manager, Engineer, Legion Management, Anomaly Publishing
Nick Mara, LA: Director, Creative Sync, Honua Music Group
Kristen McFarren, LA: Associate Manager, Creative Music at Fox Entertainment
Nitanee Paris, LA: Partner/Director of A&R, Artist Max
Katie Pool, LA: Manager Creative Strategy, Paramount
Bobby Rymer, Nashville: Owner/General Manager, Writer's Den Music Publishing
Wyler Sanca, Seattle: Senior Music Coordinator Creative Music Strategy, Paramount
Warren Sellers, Irvine: Noted Expo alum and staff songwriter
Liz Sharpe, Nashville: Creative Manager and songwriter, Songs For Film & TV
Emily Shackelton, Nashville: Hit songwriter and artist with two number 1 hits for Carly Pearce, "Every Little Thing" and "What He Didn't Do".
Mike Torres, LA: A&R Manager at Position Music
Brittany Whyte, LA: Music Supervisor and owner, Whyte Room Music ("Pretty Little Liars", "The Handmaids Tale")
Lindsay Will, Nashville: Senior Director of A&R at Round Hill Music
Christina Wiltshire, Nashville: Senior Director A&R, Warner Chappell Music
Adam Zelkind, Santa Barbara: 8-time award-winning songwriter and producer with thousands of sync placements.