produced by This Is Beyond
12-14 NOVEMBER 2025
NEW ORLEANS
OPEN HOUSE
BY SET
WEDNESDAY 12 NOVEMBER 2025
12:00-17:00
THE BARNETT - JDV BY HYATT
The first act. The scene-setter. The signal that SET has officially begun.
Open House isn’t just a warm-up – it’s where big conversations kick off, new connections form and ideas spark that will shape the rest of the show (and your biz year).
Flow between killer keynotes, sharp panels and scene-stealing conversations – all set to the soundtrack of NOLA with the who’s-who of the entertainment and travel industries.
800
ATTENDEES
ATTENDEES
14
SPEAKERS
SPEAKERS
1
ICONIC DAY
ICONIC DAY
SET SESSIONS
Expect no-fluff insights from the people shaping how entertainment travels – from global productions and touring to AI’s role in the road ahead. Think packed-out rooms, sharp Q&As and thought leadership that actually leads.
TOP-TIER ENTERTAINMENT AND F&B
Open House doesn’t do boring. We’re talking NOLA-style food and drink, live music and a vibe that sets the tone for the impeccable entertainment vibes ahead.
NETWORK LIKE A ROCKSTAR
This is where the SET crew first connects. Meet your people, network over cocktails, shake hands with someone you’ll make a booking with on the showfloor. This isn’t background chat – this is where the action starts
Pamela Aberg
Executive Director, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Pamela started working for Sony Pictures Travel in 1990 as a corporate agent. Her work experience at SPE Travel has covered virtually all facets of travel. Pamela now oversees production, publicity, events, groups & meetings, charters and the SPE Global Hotel programme.
She partners in the growth and development of SPE’s highly effective in-house travel programme, and continues to promote expansion and partnership with Sony’s sister companies such as Music & Electronics.
Gilad Berenstein
Founder, Brook Bay Capital
Gilad is one of the industry’s leading voices on a range of strategic and tech fronts. A board member and corporate advisor to Virtuoso, formerly to The Travel Corporation, and many travel start-ups, he runs an annual travel tech and innovation event within Virtuoso Travel Week and has led similar events for them in Dubai.
Gilad runs his own investment fund, Seattle-based Brook Bay Capital, focusing on travel & hospitality, AI/ML, and marketplaces, and is himself an experienced travel/tech startup founder, as the creator of UTrip – the first AI vacation planning tool.
Claire Brooks
Executive Director, AFCI
Claire is Executive Director at AFCI and a seasoned creative producer and advocate for emerging filmmakers, with a career spanning film, television and branded content. She began at Illumination Entertainment on the Despicable Me franchise before leading global activations for the NBA and producing immersive brand experiences for Nike.
Now focused on film and TV, Claire has produced acclaimed projects including Exhibiting Forgiveness (Sundance 2024) and the upcoming Otis & Zelma. With credits across Netflix and Homegrown Pictures, she’s dedicated to championing fresh voices and storytelling with cultural impact.
Elizabeth Crisante
Partner, CCO, Billboard UK, Billboard Canada & Rolling Stone Canada
Elizabeth is a visionary entrepreneur and global media executive shaping the future of cultural influence and brand innovation. As Co-Founder and Chief Commercial
Officer of Arts House Media Group AMG, she leads strategy, partnerships, and
commercial growth across a portfolio that includes Billboard Canada, Billboard UK, Rolling
Stone Canada, and the NXNE Music Festival.
Through these platforms, she brings global
brands into the heart of culture – amplifying impact through content, experiences, and
storytelling that resonates across industries and audiences.
Chris Fenton
Founder, FENTON
For fourteen years, Chris served as President of DMG Entertainment, where he pioneered the successful execution of co-productions between Chinese and American firms, providing unrivaled access to the world’s second-largest consumer market. He also led Media Capital Technologies (MCT) as President and CEO, raising capital for a nine-figure content fund that now co-finances all of Lionsgate’s movies.
Chris departed MCT shortly after closing the Lionsgate deal to launch his own firm, where he currently advises companies, investors, brands, and the U.S. government on how to navigate international challenges, adapt to disruption, and optimise global opportunities.
Kayla Carter Greear
Production Assistant, Luke Bryan
Kayla is an accomplished touring professional with over a decade of experience in live entertainment, specialising in production coordination for large-scale tours. Since 2013, she has been an integral member of Luke Bryan’s touring team, helping deliver world-class shows for millions of fans in stadiums, arenas and amphitheatres worldwide.
Recognised for her dedication and behind-the-scenes impact, Kayla has been nominated twice for the CMA’s Unsung Hero Award. Kayla’s career reflects her passion for live music, her ability to thrive in fast-paced environments, and her reputation as a reliable, detail-oriented leader within the touring industry.
David Norman
Tour Director, Tour Forensics
David is a touring powerhouse with more than four decades of experience steering global tours for artists including Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, Shawn Mendes and The Weeknd. Known for his sharp logistical mind and calm command under pressure, he’s managed every facet of life on the road – from finances and crew management to large-scale production operations – across six continents.
Beyond the tour bus, David is a passionate educator and mentor, helping shape the next generation of live entertainment pros through his work with music schools, nonprofits and industry boards. A true bridge between artistry and operations, he continues to champion professionalism, education and collaboration across the touring world.
Clint Runge
CEO & Founder, Archrival
Clint is CEO & Founder of Archrival, a youth culture agency that reinvents how brands win the hearts and minds of young adults. Clint and his team light the fires for clients such as Red Bull, Marriott, Netflix, Adidas, Mr. Beast and Spotify by going against the grain of traditional marketing to build brand love, loyalty and sales with teens to twenty-somethings.
His insight has been featured in Forbes, Inc. Magazine, Teen Vogue and Vogue Business and recognised as a lens into the future consumer by organisations including The New York Times, YouTube and Google.
Alyssa Scott
Founder, ALTO Travel
Alyssa is the Founder and Principal of ALTO TRAVEL, a boutique consultancy specialising in corporate, entertainment and luxury travel. With a career built behind the scenes of some of the world’s biggest tours and productions, she’s worked with artists including Beyoncé, Drake and Coldplay, delivering seamless itineraries and next-level service for crews, talent and executives alike. Known for her precision and calm under pressure, Alyssa has become a trusted partner to managers, agents and production teams across the live entertainment industry.
Before founding ALTO TRAVEL, Alyssa honed her craft managing complex logistics for multi-city tours and high-profile events around the globe. Her expertise bridges the worlds of luxury and live entertainment, helping clients move effortlessly while she keeps the show – and everyone on it – in motion.
Ramey Shippen
Founder, RSS Travel
Ramey’s music touring career began in 1999, on Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca” World Tour. From there she went on to work with some of the biggest artists in the music industry – such as The Rolling Stones, Rihanna, Seal, Diana Ross, Madonna, Aerosmith, Motley Crue and Kanye West, among many others.
Ramey knows exactly what a tour, production, and management team need in a travel agent – and her mission is to provide the travel team she wishes she had when she was the touring client!
Sophie Taitt
Founder, Taitt Media
Sophie is a Global Media Expert with over 20 years of international production experience and deep expertise in scaling businesses, expanding internationally, and building diverse teams.
Having produced in over 30 countries worldwide, she has led Production for Netflix in both EMEA and Latin America as well as for BBC Studios as Head of Production in London.
Migde Velazquez
Senior Production Executive, Amazon Studios
Migde is an award-winning producer who has played an integral role in delivering a diverse range of projects for high-profile clients like the BBC, National Geographic and Discovery Channel.
Having successfully guided 300+ projects from concept through completion around the world, she's cultivated the versatility and vision to assess, develop and manage development and programming.
In an era of global uncertainty, spiraling costs and fast-paced tech, the logistics of large-scale entertainment travel have never been more complex – or more vital. From red carpets in Beijing to behind-the-scenes negotiations with Disney, Marvel, and Robert Downey Jr.'s team, our speaker brings a decades-deep playbook for pulling off the impossible.
You’ll learn:
- Why physical presence still holds unparalleled power in a world leaning into AI, Zoom and virtual production
- The truth about macro headwinds – from geopolitical instability to visa chaos and shrinking incentives – and a fresh take on how to overcome them
- How the strategic SCIMP framework can help you pitch, plan and deliver world-class travel experiences for the most discerning talent, teams and productions – and why, in 2025, being there in person is the ultimate edge
With the travel and entertainment industries more in-demand – and desirable – than ever, it’s no surprise we’re seeing heavy tech investment driving incredible innovation, specifically in the AI space. But while this explosion of investment and innovation is exciting, it’s easy to feel out-of-pace with the latest developments. Happily, AI wunderkind Gilad Berenstein – founder of AI-powered travel platform UTrip – is here to bring you bang up to date.
You’ll learn:
- How the very latest tech innovations are transforming entertainment travel, from finance to social commerce
- The key trends to know right now, and how they’re set to shape the future of entertainment and travel
- Practical ways to embed new technologies into your day-to-day operations, without overwhelm
Far more than a viral song or fleeting festival, music is both an economic engine and a cultural catalyst – and its power is ever-increasing. And when travel and entertainment join forces? The impact is exponential. In this fascinating keynote, Elizabeth Crisante, Chief Commercial Officer and co-owner of Arts House Media Group (Billboard UK, Billboard Canada and Rolling Stone Canada) unpacks music’s power and demonstrates how you can use it to your advantage – from concert tourism and creator-driven storytelling to luxury travel integration.
You’ll learn:
- How to intentionally integrate music into luxury travel, entertainment, and hospitality to create loyalty, increase visibility, and drive measurable economic results
- How to align music activations with brand values
- Which music partnerships produce the longest-term impact
- How to make music activations work (without alienating non-fan guests)
From tech to travel, the cultural forces shaping hospitality and entertainment brands and business building are ever-evolving – making meeting your consumers where they’re headed increasingly tricky. Luckily, in this dynamic deep-dive session, Clint Runge – the CEO & Founder of Archrival, a leading agency and authority on youth culture – will give you an inside glimpse into the next generation, just as he's done for the likes of Red Bull, Marriott, Netflix, Adidas, Mr. Beast and Spotify.
You’ll learn:
- What makes ‘Generation Unique’ tick – and how to master their ‘operating system’
- How to really win current and future consumers’ hearts and minds – from loyalty to money, innovation to tech – and how to harness each of them in your biz
- The driving decision-making forces you need to build better communities, relationships and implement effective marketing
From travel coordinators to luxury hotels, everyone wants to work on major productions – but few truly understand how film, TV, and live shoots operate behind the scenes. Enter seasoned production pros Sophie Taitt, Migde Velazquez, Claire Brooks and Pamela Aberg, who’ll walk you through today’s fast-moving, fragmented production pipelines. Tailored specifically to entertainment travel pros and luxury suppliers, you’ll leave with a tactical, actionable download on how production travel really works today, what’s changing, and how to get ahead for the future.
You’ll learn:
- How the evolving world of film, TV, branded and live event production is reshaping the needs of talent, crew, and creative teams on the move
- What VIP talent needs, how crew logistics work, and what will make you indispensable (or replaceable) in the eyes of publicists, producers, and fixers
The all-star, no-filter tour managers’ panel is an iconic SET staple: so arrive early to secure your seat. A rare opportunity to hear directly from the industry’s most seasoned touring maestros, this year’s lineup includes Ramey Shippen, Alyssa Scott, David Norman and Kayla Carter Greear – who’ve managed the tours of artists like Madonna, Massive Attack, Alicia Keys and Luke Bryan, respectively.
You’ll learn:
- How to pivot your property or offering to nail the needs of touring artists – and attract more of them
- Hacks on how to be the perfect hotel hosts for a touring band or artist, from contract etiquette to security and special requests
- The scoop on this lucrative and fast-paced industry niche, from NDAs to private entrances (and how to communicate like a pro)