Our workforce development programs are for future leaders who want to enter the festivals and major events industry.
Since 2023, COFAME has delivered over 30 trainings to 20 Future FAME Leaders across the United States.
90% of Future FAME Leaders who complete the training programs are now building thriving careers and businesses in the festivals and major events industry.
Coming soon
Apply by August 10!
In partnership with The FAM, Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity, BRIC Foundation, South Bay Workforce Investment Board, and more
In partnership with The FAM, Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity, Goldenvoice, AEG Presents, The Rose Bowl, and more
In partnership with Diversify The Stage, Well Dunn Foundation, shesaid.so, and Roc Nation School of Music, Sports and Entertainment at LIU Brooklyn
In 2026-2027, COFAME is partnering with Coachella Valley Unified School District, California Department of Education, BRIC Foundation, Empire Polo Club, Goldenvoice, and AEG Presents to launch a groundbreaking live entertainment career readiness-to-entry program for high school youth, college students, adults, and employees in the Coachella Valley.
Stay tuned for more details.
The Future FAME Leaders Training Program prepares LA County residents for careers in the festivals and major events industry. Thanks to the Los Angeles Department of Economic Opportunity and the South Bay Workforce Investment Board, this 8-week, 144-hour program is available at no cost to LA County residents.
This training program is led by Coalition of Festivals and Major Events (COFAME) and The FAM, and built on BRIC Foundation competencies, which align with the California Department of Education Career Technical Education (CTE) Model Curriculum Standards.
Participants are expected to meet the full commitment, which requires allocating at least 20 hours a week between August and October for:
Deadline: August 10, 2026, 11:59:00 PM EDT. You will be required to sign in to a Google account to apply.
In 2025, COFAME partnered with The FAM and Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity to expand its initiative and further develop a career-ready workforce for the live industries.
The 2025 Future FAME Leaders Training Program built upon our 2023 edition with additional education and work-based learning components that align with BRIC Foundation's AME-HRTP competencies, so participants could gain exposure to production and project management careers in festivals and live events, as well as earn a digital badge and certificate of completion to support future career pathways.
Thank you to core service training providers South Bay Workforce Investment Board, Entertainment Industry Foundation, Group Effort Initiative, as well as BRIC Foundation, Entertainment Equity Alliance, and California Department of Education for enabling us to prepare Californians to join the live industries as well as supporting our live events and their host communities throughout California.
Thank you to Goldenvoice, AEG Presents, and The Rose Bowl for inviting the 2025 Future FAME Leaders to a behind-the-scenes experience of Chappell Roan at The Rose Bowl as well as Camp Flog Gnaw's Recipe for Success event.
Daniel Bisuano
Isaiah Cruz
Noi Kertis
TJ Cho
Tori Iturralde
Trinity Reagan
Zerlinda Lee
Aaron Raus
Evan Tzeng
Jazmine Coleman
Lindsay Alamillo
Nick Alley
1. Introduction to Festivals
Evan Tzeng (COFAME)
2. Talent Curation & Booking
Eric Barleen (Another Planet Entertainment)
Paul Peck (Fandiem)
3. Marketing, Content & Communications
Leesa Allmond (The Team)
4. Creative
Will Irons (Iron Bloom)
5. Stage Production & Management
Kierrah Matthews (Goldenvoice)
6. Site Operations & Permitting
Emma Marcus (Another Planet Entertainment)
Genna Waugh (SEED Events)
Mary Beth Elam (Old Soul PS)
7. Talent Relations & Hospitality
Kessa Pellum (Same Same But Different Festival)
8. Sponsorships & Partnerships
Ali Neuberger (Superfly)
9. Sustainability & Community Relations
Joyce Han (Another Planet Entertainment)
In 2022 and 2023 – with support for and from our founding impact partners – COFAME launched the first edition of its Future FAME Leaders Training Program to solve two major talent pipeline problems the live industry faces:
1. Demystify the live industry with training programs to prepare a career-ready workforce.
2. Diversifying festival management to include underrepresented individuals.
From over 200 applications, COFAME identified 14 Future FAME Leaders to join 28 Current FAME Leaders for a series of #RealTalk sessions and 1-on-1 mentorship conversations.
Thank you to our impact partners Diversify The Stage, Well Dunn Foundation, shesaid.so, and Roc Nation School of Music, Sports and Entertainment at LIU Brooklyn for amplifying the program and inviting their communities to join the first cohort.
Aaron Raus
Anita Obasi (shesaid.so)
Brenda Ceja (Well Dunn)
Chinaecherem Nwaubani (Well Dunn)
Christlie Jean-Baptiste (Roc Nation @ LIU)
Erin Furton
LaTisha Stephens (Diversify The Stage)
Marissa Solis (Diversify The Stage)
Tyler Butler (Well Dunn)
Patrize Richards (Roc Nation @ LIU)
Quella Gu (Diversify The Stage)
Temi Joseph (Well Dunn)
Vix Brand (shesaid.so)
unnamed participant
Barcley Boyd
Bryan Berge
Evan Tzeng
Kyle Casey
Lily Huerkamp
Naraya Mercado
Tucker Saitta
1. Festival Production & Budgeting
Kyle Casey (Function of Gravity)
Katelyn Scott (Fox Pocket)
Jen Stiles (Founders)
2. Community Relations & Permitting
Erin Bilbo (Goldenvoice)
Jeff Cuellar (Sixthman)
Naraya Mercado (Founders)
3. Site Infrastructure, Design & Operations
Melanie Dorf (Goldenvoice)
Adam Galay (Noise Academy)
Kierrah Matthews (Goldenvoice)
4. Security, Safety & Access Control
Inez Lopez (Goldenvoice)
Sully Sullivan (Warped Tour)
Kyle Casey (Function of Gravity)
5. Stage Production & Management
Jon Baden (AEG Presents)
Bryan Berge (Function of Gravity)
Barcley Boyd (Function of Gravity)
6. Talent Curation & Booking
Danny Bell (Goldenvoice)
Paul Peck (Fandiem)
Jonathan Azu (Culture Collective)
7. Talent Relations & Hospitality
Saira Anderson (Hulaween)
Talia Ortisi (Goldenvoice)
Lily Huerkamp (Coalition of Festivals)
8. Marketing & Communications
Megan Adams (Outside Lands)
Leesa Allmond (Superfly)
Kaaj Patel (Goldenvoice)
9. Sponsorships & Partnerships
Alex Machurov (Fandiem)
Prue Marek (Live Nation)
Katelyn Scott (Fox Pocket)
10. Sustainability, Impact & Wellbeing
Jocelyn Gan (A Greener Festival)
Sunny Sohrabian (LA28 Olympics)
Evan Tzeng (COFAME)
Help build a stronger festivals and major events industry.