Speakers
Learn from industry experts.
We’re excited to welcome an incredible lineup of local and international industry professionals who will be sharing their expertise through engaging workshops, insightful presentations, and real-world industry knowledge throughout the conference.
Lisa La Rocca
Festival Director, Sonic Unyon and Supercrawl Productions
Lisa La Rocca is the Festival Director of Supercrawl, one of Ontario's largest free music festivals and Director of Operations at Canadian independent record label and events company Sonic Unyon Records. She founded Hamilton's Fresh Up R&B Fest in 2022, and directs Sonic Unyon's full festival portfolio, including Because Beer and Why Not Wine, alongside numerous other live music events.
A recognized leader in Hamilton's cultural sector, Lisa was named Arts Champion at the 2025 Hamilton Arts Awards and was a 2026 YWCA Women of Distinction nominee. She is a founding Co-Chair of the Women in Music Hamilton/Halton chapter, Chair of Hamilton's Music Advisory Team, sits on the boards of the Hamilton-Halton-Brant Regional Tourism Organization and the Downtown Hamilton BIA, and holds national-level appointments as Co-Chair of the Host Committee for the Folk Canada Conference 2026 and Host Committee member and Chair of the Nighttime Economy and Events Sub-Committee for the Junos in 2026.
Lisa is a part-time PhD student in Communication and Culture at York University, focusing on Popular Music Studies, and holds an M.A. in Communication and New Media from McMaster University.