Women of The Disco: Part 9
While it’s no secret that women are underrepresented in the Music Industry; Female leadership has proven to be an imperative factor for the success of the Electronic Dance scene. Women of The Disco is an initiative to highlight some of those powerhouses who are trailblazing the path and shaping the future of EDM.

Ashley Pisterzi
Ashley got her start in the music industry in 2012 when she entered a music organization at Texas A&M (whoop!). Shortly after her first semester, she began an internship at the Grand Stafford Theatre in Bryan, Texas. It was there that she started spending almost every weekend at the venue, taking photos, working the door, and even coordinating shows with day-time, campus events as an executive member of the music organization. The summer after college, she toured each weekend as a merch manager with a country music artist. That Fall, she moved to Dallas and began searching for her new home. She found it at The Prophet Bar in Deep Ellum while working at Third String Productions as an assistant to a talent buyer. She spent the next few years traveling between Houston, Austin, and back home to Dallas while taking a hands-on approach to learning what it takes to manage a show. At the end of 2018 she began a new position, assisting a Senior Talent Buyer at AEG.
For the last year, Ashley has been working as a Contract Assistant at Disco Donnie Productions, where she processes and manages artist contracts. She lives in Dallas with her husband and three dogs.
Advice: Always be learning.

Jessica Paris
Jessica started out by promoting for her local nightclub back in her hometown of Jacksonville, FL. From there, she began volunteering her time by taking care of the artists that were being brought in to perform, which turned out to be her introduction to the world of Artist Relations and Hospitality. Finally, Jessica got her first paying gig working Ultra Music Festival in Miami back in 2018 which opened the door to her getting brought on to work festivals. Once Jessica had a glance into the world of festival production and operations, she was completely hooked and knew that that world was the one she was meant to be in. Now Jess can say that she’s worked for a number of different departments ranging from Site Operations to Accreditation/Credentials to Artist Relations/Hospitality, and she has even been able to work on award shows here in LA as well as the Super Bowl back in 2022. Jessica has been lucky to be able to expand her experience to include work outside of just the festival world especially since moving out here to LA and she loves the challenge of learning and mastering a new role/department!
As a freelancer, Jessica’s day to day varies greatly and she can honestly say that’s a huge part of what she loves so much about what she does. Jessica gets to travel the country working different events and meeting new people constantly. When she is home in LA, she spends a lot of time focusing on her mental health and well-being in order to best prepare herself for on-site life since things can be crazy! But the energy and craziness is truly what she loves.
Jessica has always tried her best to be as much of a sponge for knowledge as she can be when on-site. She’s been extremely lucky to have been able to learn from some of the best in the business, including many strong, fierce women. There isn’t a single role that Jessica wouldn’t be willing to tackle and learn, and her willingness to learn and try new things has taken her far.
Advice: Don’t listen to what anybody has to say that doesn’t support you. Follow your heart, don’t compromise what you know is right, and just keep on pushing on because nobody is going to push for you.

Cassidy Kotyla
Cassidy owns a company called Haus of Bass that exists as both a management company and marketing agency — She gets to work with brands, artists and creators whose sole purpose is to make people happy, so in turn that makes her pretty happy. Some of Cassidy’s management clients include The Never Ending Fall, Soltan, MADGRRL and Saint Punk, and her marketing/brand partnership clients range from Ravealation to Cheat Codes to Brandi Cyrus to The Guess Who and many more.
No day is the same and with just getting back from a two month long world tour (go Soltan), Cassidy finds herself traveling often and getting to meet incredible people along the way. She originally went to school for Journalism at UMass Amherst, became a reporter in order to get admission to festivals, then fell in love with marketing and photography amidst sneaking out of school on the weekends. Because she was under 21 in college, Cassidy would volunteer to shoot the 18+ rock shows. Within a few years, she found herself knee-deep in promoting electronic shows in Boston, learning the art behind being a good manager, and falling in love with the stage more and more. Now, she is proud to say it’s fully consumed her life – which is wild, considering she grew up in an immigrant family that required her attendance back at home before sundown. And those foam n’ glow parties? Forget about it. Now, Cassidy’s days are consumed by Facetiming her mother in Thailand on tour, asking her mom to remain calm and check Cassidy;s Apple location whereabouts, as mothers require these days. She wears black, constantly, and gets to spend her days employing brilliant people who could probably lead this entire country. Simply put, Cassidy has the best job in the world, but it took a lot to get here.
Advice: If you want to be a CEO, an artist manager or marketing manager one day, Cassidy firmly suggests you find a mentor that will teach you things you’ll never be able to learn in university. Take the gamble and move to LA, NYC, anywhere that will give you that opportunity. Take the job where you get coffee for CEOs. Be the intern who sends ticket counts. Because one day, you’ll look back at that experience and it’ll be your turn to hire that intern, and you’ll hope you can give them the same experience (if not better) than the one you got. This is a very small industry at the end of the day, and when we leave, we want to make it a better place than when we started. If you’re a woman, be ready to send 3x more emails with 5x more no’s as a response, be left wondering your place in the room for years, and understand that we’re living in an ever-changing world, so try not to hate the process too much. Enjoy the fact that you work in the best industry, well, ever, and turn your memories, feelings and passion and put them into songs, shows and hope for artists.

Samantha Gallagher
Formerly from the East Coast but currently residing in Denver, CO, Sam Gallagher has continued to warrant her position in nearly every avenue of the music industry. Boasting experience at renowned firms such as C3 Management working for The Strokes, Live Nation, Universal Music Group, and Paradigm Talent Agency alongside power-house agent Cody Chapman, Gallagher has mastered a number of skill sets, ranging between signature agency trades, social media and tour marketing, venue operations, and live production itself.
After facing a setback due to major corporate layoffs during the pandemic in 2020, Sam transformed a hardship into an opportunity for expansion. Discovering a strong enthusiasm for longterm artist development throughout her career, she capitalized on her widespread knowledge to transition to a role with countless duties, now reigning the title of Artist Manager at independent management entity Optimystic Endeavors. Already attracting a roster of accomplished and diverse acts including Ravenscoon, Tripp St., VEIL, HEYZ, pronouncedyea, and Sharlitz Web, Sam is surrounded by a tight-knit team built of women and her mentor Loper. Dedicating herself to protecting the best interest and free creative will of her artists at all times; she nurtures their passions day in and out, executing their artistic visions as intended.
Setting the standard of what management should look like as she advances in her own forward course, Sam proves herself capable of moving mountains and a clear role model for any woman with their sights set on the music field.
Advice: “If you’re just starting out and don’t know where to begin, do anything. Even the smallest of jobs will help you meet people in the industry and that could lead to bigger opportunities. Work hard but work smart, pay close attention to detail, find passion in whatever you’re doing, and double down on yourself to learn new skills. Always strive to gain more knowledge, even in things not directly related to your role. Be open-minded, well-rounded, and be someone that others not only enjoy being around, but desire to be around.”

Kendall Milo
As an avid music fan (girl) since the days of Bieber Fever, Kendall’s love for live music and artists took a new shape when she started listening to EDM. Kendall became passionate about the community and attended festivals and concerts throughout high school, it kept her going during tough times and created some of her best. She made lots of friends and connections with like-minded people online which led her to have an opportunity to tour with the Excision team selling merch. This opened up Kendall’s desire to find new avenues in the music industry to eventually make this a full-time career. She held artist hospitality, merchandise management, and admin assistant positions at various festivals over the years including; Electric Forest, Dirtybird CampINN, Gridlife, and more. Then, Chad Verway, the Marketing Director, assistant talent buyer, and her mentor, hired Kendall at The Intersection venue in Grand Rapids, MI as the Marketing Assistant, Artist Hospitality Manager, & Street Team Leader. When the venue closed during the pandemic, Kendall pivoted to a marketing position with Friends of Friends agency. She worked her way up to a Marketing Director position and was leading the campaigns of multiple national events and businesses.
Going into 2023, she pivoted back to her love for live events, moving to Austin, TX to accept a Production Manager position with NoCo Hospitality group, leading their production and artist relations at Superstition, Austin’s newest nightclub. Kendall’s daily responsibilities include coordinating with artist teams to advance ahead of their play at the venue and coordinating with our production and venue team to ensure the day of show runs perfectly. Using her marketing background to assist with artist and venue marketing, as well as assisting in booking local talent, programming for the nightclub, and other NoCo properties. She decorates and supplies the green room with artist needs, as well as stage managing night of shows and ensuring night goes smoothly.
“There is nothing more important than staying true to yourself and treating others with kindness.” Kendall has found that being yourself, compassionate, and understanding goes a long way, not only professionally but in all assets of life. “Making others feel understood and being easy to work with allows for collaboration to be successful and fulfilling.”
Advice: “The music industry can be cutthroat and crazy at times, but staying grounded in your passion and reason for working so hard will keep you going. With determination, compassion, and kindness, your dreams can become a reality! I encourage any and all women who are interested in the world of music to give it a shot. We always need more ladies around and my messages are always open to any and all that are looking for advice.”
Complete Survey & Win Backstage VIP Tickets to Lights All Night 2023!
You are invited to participate in this survey regarding your preference for genres and artists at Freaky Deaky 2023 and Lights All Night 2023.
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You do not have to be in this study if you do not want to be. Those who complete the survey can choose to be entered to win a pair of Backstage VIP tickets to Lights All Night (date and venue to be announced later). If you would like to be entered in the drawing, please enter your name and email address when asked at the end of the survey. Entry in this sweepstakes is not required. You do not need to enter your information if you do not want to be entered in the drawing.
Announcing Disco U!
Disco Donnie Presents has always been in the business of furthering lives with the power of music, and we’ve recently extended that idea with the formation of our Disco U program.
Disco U was championed as a way to generate greater mobility within the ranks of the music industry to help aspiring professionals build a career path within the music business.
Disco U is a combination of two programs which include the Disco U Shadow to Spotlight program and the Leon Jackson Memorial Scholarship.
Video the Disco U portion of our website to learn more!
Use Code CYBER22 to Save 15% Off Tickets!
As we enter the fun-filled holiday season, we’re feeling particularly grateful for our Disco family, who join us year-round to fill the floors with dance. The music we love has brought us together once again, bringing many happy moments. To thank you for blessing us with your friendship, we wanted to share a special offer to take 15% off select club shows!
With a cornucopia of events running in all corners of the country, feast yourselves on our abundant harvest of productions this fall. There’s more than enough to go around, including a variety of electronic artists and venues.
Fortunately, you can enjoy a 15% discount on tickets by entering the code CYBER22 online at checkout. Don’t hot potato this deal; gobble up the savings with a week-long sale running until midnight (11:59 PM PST) on Cyber Monday, November 28th.
Some exclusions may apply. Browse the complete list of participating events below.
Houston
- Nicky Romero at RISE Rooftop on Saturday, November 26, 2022
- Blanke, Eddie at 9PM Music Venue on Friday, December 2, 2022
- Diesel, Kill The Noise, GG Magree, Soltan at RISE Rooftop on Friday, December 9, 2022
- Felix Cartal at RISE Rooftop on Friday, December 16, 2022
- Laszewo at RISE Rooftop on Friday, December 30, 2022
- Yellow Claw at RISE Rooftop on Saturday, December 31, 2022
- 4B at RISE Rooftop on Saturday, January 21, 2023
- MARAUDA, Jessica Audiffred, Tape B at 9PM Music Venue on Saturday, January 28, 2023
- Andrew Rayel at RISE Rooftop on Friday, February 17, 2023
- Alpha 9 at RISE Rooftop on Saturday, March 4, 2023
- Boogie T, SoDown, Skellytn at 9PM Music Venue on Thursday, March 9, 2023
- Dirt Monkey, Jantsen at 9PM Music Venue on Saturday, March 11, 2023
- Kayzo, Eptic, Calcium, Automhate at White Oak Music Hall on Saturday, April 1, 2023
Tampa
- Sidepiece at The Ritz Ybor on Saturday, November 26, 2022
- Morgan Page at The Ritz Ybor on Saturday, December 3, 2022
- CID, Dillon Nathaniel at The Ritz Ybor on Saturday, December 10, 2022
- Benny Benassi at The Ritz Ybor on Saturday, December 31, 2022
- The Crystal Method at The Ritz Ybor on Saturday, January 21, 2023
Cincinnati
- Laszewo at Galla Park Cincinnati on Friday, December 2, 2022
- Kayzo, Calcium, Versa, Automhate at Bogart’s on Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Columbus
- Matroda at Parlay on Friday, December 2, 2022
- MADDS at Parlay on Friday, December 9, 2022
- Buku, G-Rex at Skully’s Music-Diner on Saturday, December 17, 2022
- INZO, Sumthin Sumthin, Covex at Skully’s Music-Diner on Saturday, January 21, 2023
- Kayzo, Layz, Samplifire, Automhate at Bluestone on Friday, March 03, 2023
Orlando
- Imanbek at Gilt Nightclub on Saturday, December 3, 2022
- Crankdat, Tisoki at Gilt Nightclub on Monday, December 5, 2022
- Blanke at Gilt Nightclub on Saturday, February 11, 2023
Charlotte
Saint Louis
- TVBOO, Toadface at Old Rock House on Saturday, December 10, 2022
- Riot Ten at Old Rock House on Thursday, December 15, 2022
- INZO, Dreamers Delight, Covex at Old Rock House on Friday, January 20, 2023
- Ivy Lab at Old Rock House on Saturday, February 4, 2023
- Blanke at Old Rock House on Friday, February 10, 2023
- Trivecta at Old Rock House on Saturday, March 4, 2023
- Dirt Monkey, Jantsen at Old Rock House on Thursday, April 20, 2023
Dallas
- Level Up, Veil at Viva’s Lounge on Friday, December 16, 2022
- Shlump at Viva’s Lounge on Saturday, January 14, 2023
New Orleans
Austin
- Buku, G-Rex at Vulcan Gas Company on Thursday, February 16, 2023
- Boogie T, SoDown at The Concourse Project on Friday, March 10, 2023
- Kayzo, Calcium, Automhate at The Concourse Project on Friday, March 31, 2023
Oklahoma City
- Trivecta at OKC Farmers Market on Friday, March 3, 2023
- MARAUDA at OKC Farmers Market on Saturday, March 18, 2023
Savannah
- Crankdat at Elan on Saturday, December 3, 2022
- Bear Grillz at Elan on Saturday, December 10, 2022
- Shlump at Elan on Saturday, January 7, 2023
- Slushii at Elan on Saturday, February 25, 2023
- Dirt Monkey, Jantsen at Elan on Thursday, May 11, 2023
Portland
Use Code BACK2SCHOOL22 to Save 22% Off Tickets!
At the close of summer in kid world, back-to-school sales were a time to stock up on clothes, school supplies, and accessories. But in Disco world, back-to-school sales mean it’s time to stock up on tickets to see your favorite dance music acts!
It’s always a bummer when summer ends, so to lessen the blow, starting Monday, August 29th through Tuesday, September 6th at midnight (11:59 PM PST), we’re offering a 22% discount off online ticket purchases with promo code BACK2SCHOOL22!
Use promo code BACK2SCHOOL22 at checkout to save 22% on tickets!
Some exclusions may apply. Browse the complete list of participating events below.
Austin
- Sullivan King, ATLiens, EazyBaked at Concourse Project on Friday, September 9th
- SICKICK at Concourse Project on Thursday, September 15th
- BIJOU x Marten Horger at Kingdom on Saturday, October 1st
- Jessica Audiffred at Vulcan Gas Company in Austin, Texas on Saturday, October 1st
- Grum at The Venue on Friday, October 7th
Charlotte
- HE$H at Serj on Saturday, September 10th
- Nitti Gritti at Hive Nightclub CLT on Saturday, September 10th
- Malaa, Dillon Nathaniel at Blackbox Theater on Saturday, September 17th
- TVBOO, Ahee at Serj on Saturday, November 12th
- Level Up, Veil at The Venue on Saturday, December 17th
Cincinnati
- Regard at Galla Park Cincinnati on Friday, September 9th
- Ship Wrek at Galla Park Cincinnati on Friday, September 23rd
- Valentino Khan at Galla Park Cincinnati on Friday, September 30th
Columbus
- Cheyenne Giles at Galla Park Columbus on Friday, September 9th
- Bear Grillz at Skully’s Music-Diner on Saturday, October 15th
- Bonnie X Clyde at Galla Park Columbus on Friday, September 16th
- Luke Alexander at Galla Park Columbus on Friday, September 23th
- Joel Corry at Galla Park Columbus on Friday, September 30th
- Regard at Galla Park Columbus on Friday, October 28th
- Getter, Spag Heddy, SubDocta at Bluestone on Saturday, October 29th
- Ship Wrek at Galla Park Columbus on Friday, November 4th
- Riot Ten at Skully’s Music-Diner on Saturday, November 5th
- Blunts & Blondes, YOOKiE at Skully’s Music-Diner on Friday, November 25th
Dallas
- Jessica Audiffred at Viva’s Lounge on Friday, September 16th
- Yultron at Viva’s Lounge on Friday, November 11th
- Brondo at Viva’s Lounge on Friday, November 25th
- Level Up, Veil at Viva’s Lounge on Friday, December 16th
Durham
El Paso
Gainesville
Houston
- Snakehips at RISE Rooftop on Saturday, September 3rd
- John Summit at Clé on Sunday, September 4th
- VICE at Clé on Sunday, September 11th
- Jessica Audiffred at 9PM Music Venue on Saturday, September 17th
- No Mana at 9PM Music Venue on Friday, September 23rd
- Hugel at Clé on Sunday, September 25th
- Matoma at RISE Rooftop on Saturday, October 8th
- Will Sparks at RISE Rooftop on Thursday, October 13th
- Mersiv at 9PM Music Venue on Friday, October 14th
- Yultron at 9PM Music Venue on Saturday, November 12th
- Nicky Romero at RISE Rooftop on Saturday, November 26th
New Orleans
- Seven Lions at The Metropolitan Nightclub on Friday, September 23rd
- Kaskade at The Metropolitan Nightclub on Friday, October 28th
- NGHTMRE, Trivecta at The Metropolitan Nightclub on Saturday, October 29th
Oklahoma City
- Big Wild at The Criterion on Thursday, October 6th
- Eptic at OKC Farmers Market on Thursday, October 27th
- TVBOO, Toadface at OKC Farmers Market on Saturday, December 17th
Orlando
- Lucii at Gilt Nightclub on Saturday, September 3rd
- Malaa, Born Dirty at Gilt Nightclub on Saturday, September 10th
- Bonnie X Clyde at Gilt Nightclub on Saturday, September 24th
- Zeke Beats at Gilt Nightclub on Monday, September 26th
- Smoakland at Gilt Nightclub on Monday, October 3rd
Raleigh
- BISCITS. at Halcyon on Thursday, September 1st
- Truth x Lies at Halcyon on Thursday, September 29th
- HoneyLuv at Halcyon in Raleigh, North Carolina on Thursday, October 6th
San Antonio
- Cash Cash at 1902 on Thursday, September 8th
- Zeds Dead, Dirt Monkey, EazyBaked, Sumthin Sumthin, A Hundred Drums at Cowboys Dancehall on Saturday, September 17th
- Jason Ross, Gem & Tauri at Prïvat on Wednesday, September 28th
Saint Louis
- Freakfest 2022 ft. Claude VonStroke, Of The Trees, Spencer Brown, Nightchaser at City Museum on Sunday, October 30th
- TVBOO, Toadface at Old Rock House on Saturday, December 10th
- Riot Ten at Old Rock House on Thursday, December 15th
Tallahassee
- Mersiv, Smoakland, Superave at Baja’s Beachclub on Wednesday, August 31st
- Malaa at Baja’s Beachclub on Wednesday, September 7th
Tampa
Featured Updates
- Women of The Disco: Part 9
- "Women of The Disco" is an initiative to highlight some of those powerhouses who are trailblazing the path and shaping the future of EDM.
- Announcing Disco U!
- Disco Donnie Presents has always been in the business of furthering lives with the power of music, and we've recently extended that idea with the formation of our Disco U program.
- Women of the Disco: Chloe Gershenson
- "Women of The Disco" is an initiative to highlight some of those powerhouses who are trailblazing the path and shaping the future of EDM.
- New Scholarship at Blair School of Music Honors Music Promoter Leon Jackson
- A new scholarship fund has been established at the Blair School of Music in honor of Leon Jackson, the late music and event promoter who introduced a generation of Nashvillians to electronic dance music.
- Women of The Disco: Part 8
- "Women of The Disco" is an initiative to highlight some of those powerhouses who are trailblazing the path and shaping the future of EDM.
- Introducing Our New Talent Discovery Program!
- Our new program Disco Spotlight aims to give new talent an opportunity to have their music heard!
- Disco Donnie Presents Honors First Responders, Veterans, and Gold-Star Families with $1,000,000 Ticket Donation
- Disco Donnie Presents Honors First Responders, Veterans, and Gold-Star Families with $1,000,000 Ticket Donation.
- Celebrating Black Artists In Dance Music
- Listen to some of our favorite Black Artists in dance music over the years!
Latest Photos
- Boogie T, SoDown, Skellytn at 9PM Music Venue
- Photos from Boogie T, SoDown, Skellytn at 9PM Music Venue in Houston, Texas on Thursday, March 9, 2023.
- Wax Motif at Blackbox Theater
- Photos from Wax Motif at Blackbox Theater in Charlotte, North Carolina on Saturday, March 18, 2023.
- Cedric Gervais at The Ritz Ybor
- Photos from Cedric Gervais at The Ritz Ybor in Tampa, Florida on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
- MADDS at Blum
- Photos from MADDS at Blum in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
- YDG at Elan
- Photos from YDG at Elan in Savannah, Georgia on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
- Audien at Ryse Nightclub
- Photos from Audien at Ryse Nightclub in St Charles, Missouri on Friday, March 3, 2023.
- Noizu at Blackbox Theater
- Photos from Noizu at Blackbox Theater in Charlotte, North Carolina on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
- Kai Wachi at Gilt Nightclub
- Photos from Kai Wachi at Gilt Nightclub in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, February 25, 2023.
- Snails at Elan
- Photos from Snails at Elan in Savannah, Georgia on Friday, March 3, 2023.
- Nora En Pure at Clé
- Photos from Nora En Pure at Clé in Houston, Texas on Saturday, February 18, 2023.
- Deadmau5, William Black, JVNA at The Metropolitan Nightclub
- Photos from Deadmau5, William Black, JVNA at The Metropolitan Nightclub in New Orleans, Louisiana on Saturday, February 18, 2023.
- SLANDER, Wax Motif, CID at The Metropolitan Nightclub
- Photos from SLANDER, Wax Motif, CID at The Metropolitan Nightclub in New Orleans, Louisiana on Monday, February 20, 2023.
Latest Videos
- Andrew Rayel at RISE Rooftop
- Video from Andrew Rayel at RISE Rooftop in Houston, Texas on Friday, February 17, 2023.
- Yellow Claw at RISE Rooftop
- Video from Yellow Claw at RISE Rooftop in Houston, Texas on Saturday, December 31, 2022.
- Spencer Brown, Cristoph at RISE Rooftop
- Video from Spencer Brown, Cristoph at RISE Rooftop in Houston, Texas on Friday, November 25, 2022.
- Bonnie X Clyde at Blum
- Video from Bonnie X Clyde at Blum in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, December 17, 2022.
- Nicky Romero at RISE Rooftop
- Video from Nicky Romero at RISE Rooftop in Houston, Texas on Saturday, November 26, 2022.
- Gareth Emery at RISE Rooftop
- Video from Gareth Emery at RISE Rooftop in Houston, Texas on Friday, August 26, 2022.
- Wooli at RISE Rooftop
- Video from Wooli at RISE Rooftop in Houston, Texas on Saturday, October 29, 2022.
- Smoakland at Gilt Nightclub
- Video from Smoakland at Gilt Nightclub in Orlando, Florida on Monday, October 3, 2022.
- Diplo at Hotel Discotheque
- Video from Diplo at Hotel Discotheque in San Antonio, Texas on Wednesday, September 7, 2022.
- Adventure Club, Trivecta, Nurko, Yetep, Nill, Say Linds at Bridge City Block Party
- Video from Adventure Club, Trivecta, Nurko, Yetep, Nill, Say Linds at Bridge City Block Party in Portland, Oregon on Sunday, September 4, 2022.
- John Summit at Clé
- Video from John Summit at Clé in Houston, Texas on Sunday, September 4, 2022.
- Sam Feldt at Clé
- Video from Sam Feldt at Clé in Houston, Texas on Sunday, July 31, 2022.