Ali Harnell

President & Chief Strategy Officer, Live Nation Women

Ali Harnell, President & Chief Strategy Officer for Live Nation Women, spearheads women’s initiatives and female-led/female-driven programming for global live entertainment leader, Live Nation. Since joining Live Nation in 2019, Harnell has produced Oprah’s “2020 Vision” Tour, Katie Couric’s “Going There” book tour, and commissioned and executive produced the Grammy-nominated song “A Beautiful Noise,” the musical collaboration between Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile to celebrate women’s suffrage and cries for social justice. Harnell spent 15 years as SVP at AEG Presents prior to joining Live Nation. At AEG she oversaw national tours, ran the Southeast regional division of the company, and co-founded and curated international country music festival Country2Country in 2013 which has expanded from the UK to Europe to Australia.

Harnell began her career in New York City working for legendary concert promoter Ron Delsener as a talent buyer before moving to Nashville in 1996 as Vice President of Pace Concerts Southeast. There she revived concert activity at the historic Ryman Auditorium, booked Starwood Amphitheater, and co-created Nashville River Stages Music Festival.

Harnell has twice been named IEBA’s Promoter of the Year and was named Venues Today’s Woman of Influence. She is a five-time Billboard Women in Music honoree, a four-time Billboard Nashville Power Player, and has been named on the Nashville Business Journal “Women in Music City” list five times. Harnell has received multiple nominations for CMA and ACM Promoter of the Year, Pollstar’s Talent Buyer of the Year, and the Bill Graham Promoter of the Year. She is an active fundraiser for multiple nonprofits producing largescale benefit events annually.

Harnell serves on the Boards of MusiCares, Music Artists Coalition, Lifebeat – Music Fights AIDS, IEBA, and Academy of Country Music.

The Music Industry Advisory Board aims to ensure that students have access to a diverse set of successful music professionals, so they are aware that there is more to the industry beyond being on the main stage. Our mission is to close the gap for the next generation of music industry professionals to create a more inclusive and diverse future.