Shayna Melgaard

May 1

Senior Talent Buyer, Sue McLean & Associates • Chair, Minnesota Independent Venue Alliance (MNIVA)

Shayna Melgaard is President of the Minnesota chapter of the NIVA (mniva.org) and the Senior Talent Buyer for longtime women-owned and operated Twin Cities concert promoter, Sue McLean & Associates, booking such events as Live at the Hilde, Sparkyard Sound Series, Live at Utepils, and more. Her experience includes venue operations, production management and booking, including four years with a multinational entertainment company and five years at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis. Shayna has also served on nonprofit boards for both Rock the Cause and Twin Cities Catalyst Music, helping to develop emerging musicians and give young people equitable access to live music. She cut her teeth booking concerts for the on-campus venues at St. Olaf College in the early 2000s, where she also dabbled in playwriting and directing. In her youth, Shayna played clarinet in the school marching band, but was often grounded for skipping piano lessons to attend unsanctioned backyard rock shows in the Dakotas, where she grew up. She currently lives in Minneapolis with her partner, Dane, and dog, Brutus.