Big shakeup at the Country Music Association as its top exec announces exit. Sarah Trahern confirmed she is stepping down from the CEO role. The CMA board has already formed a committee to find her replacement, hiring the search firm Buffkin Baker for the process. Trahern plans to stay connected to the music world after leaving.
Her run saw the association push the genre further into the spotlight at home and abroad. Major televised events like the CMA Awards, CMA Fest, and CMA Country Christmas on ABC became central to the group's reach. Efforts expanded to support members across the creative and business sides of country music.
Trahern also leads the CMA Foundation, a philanthropic wing focused on music education. That foundation has channeled over thirty million dollars into education programs, funded partly by CMA Fest proceeds. Before heading the CMA, she held executive positions at C-SPAN, The Nashville Network, and Great American Country.
Board Chair Jay Williams, from WME, stated Trahern's leadership left a permanent mark on the organization and the entire industry. Under her guidance, the CMA boosted programs aiding professionals facing disruptions, natural disasters, and mental health needs. Global engagement efforts also grew, aiming to strengthen country music's worldwide presence.
Her run saw the association push the genre further into the spotlight at home and abroad. Major televised events like the CMA Awards, CMA Fest, and CMA Country Christmas on ABC became central to the group's reach. Efforts expanded to support members across the creative and business sides of country music.
Trahern also leads the CMA Foundation, a philanthropic wing focused on music education. That foundation has channeled over thirty million dollars into education programs, funded partly by CMA Fest proceeds. Before heading the CMA, she held executive positions at C-SPAN, The Nashville Network, and Great American Country.
Board Chair Jay Williams, from WME, stated Trahern's leadership left a permanent mark on the organization and the entire industry. Under her guidance, the CMA boosted programs aiding professionals facing disruptions, natural disasters, and mental health needs. Global engagement efforts also grew, aiming to strengthen country music's worldwide presence.
