ALYSON GREENFIELD (Founder/Director) is an experimental singer/songwriter, educator, writer, and the founder of Tinderbox Music Festival. Alyson’s music spans the genres of folk, electronica, and hip hop, and has been recognized by publications such as The Huffington Post, Gothamist, L.A. Examiner, AM New York, Paste, Beyond Race, The Deli, and more. Her music has been heard on Fox Television and most recently in Josh Stolberg’s (Pirhana 3D, Good Luck Chuck) feature film, Conception; as well as live from the CMJ Music Marathon in New York City to the Foyer de L’air in Mali, West Africa. Alyson has released four albums including her most recent release, Rock Out With Your Glockenspiel Out, an album of covers featuring her version of Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” on a glockenspiel and LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out” on a baby grand piano, both of which have been featured at the American Beatboxing Championships. Alyson holds an MFA in creative writing and is the co-writer of Sitting on Fire, a film based on her short story, which screened at film festivals including the California Independent and the Philadelphia Documentary and Fiction Festival where it won Special Prize for Best Short Film. She is a former Chicago National Organization for Women Board Member, high school teacher, university instructor, and tolerance educator. Alyson is excited to be organizing an event that brings together so many of her passions, and she hopes Tinderbox helps to create community, showcase the incredible musical talent of emerging female artists, and ensure that empowering programs for young women continue.

ALICIA MATUSHESKI (Business Affairs) is the Manager of Business Affairs and Supervising Paralegal at Ritholz Levy Sanders Chidekel & Fields LLP, an entertainment law firm in New York City, and attends St. John’s University Law School part-time. Alicia works with clients mainly in the music, film/TV, and fashion industries. Alicia earned a B.F.A. in screenwriting from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2007, where she also double majored in English literature. Alicia was born and raised in Cape May, NJ, a small beach town on the Jersey shore, and, from a young age, the arts have always been a priority in her life: as a child, she danced for over ten years with a local dance company, played the violin, and made home movies with her brother. Over the years, her passion for music brought her to concerts and festivals all around the country including Bonnaroo, Coachella, and Moe Down. Through her work in entertainment law, as a member of Women in Music, and with projects like Tinderbox, Alicia hopes to advocate for artists and musicians, and bring people together through music.

STEPHANIE BROWN (Songwriting Workshop Coordinator) is a singer/songwriter and keyboard player from New Zealand, now based out of Brooklyn, NY. In New Zealand she graduated with a Bachelor of Jazz Performance at Auckland University and went on to work as a session keyboard player touring all over the world and playing on recording sessions for many international artists including Common and Kanye West. In 2007 she moved to New York and started two bands: Fredericks Brown and Lips. She has released EPs with both bands, toured around the States, and played support slots for Taj Mahal and Etta James. She also recently completed the soundtrack score for the documentary “Is She or Isn’t He” that was commissioned for the New Zealand national television network TV1. Stephanie has worked as a songwriting mentor in schools and has spent many years teaching piano to kids of all ages. She currently works in music therapy, teaching piano specifically tailored for teens with autism. She is excited to be a part of the Tinderbox Team working to support and encourage young women in the first Tinderbox Songwriting Workshop to be held this summer in NYC.

MICHELLE LANDRY (Business Affairs Assistant) is a Music Business student at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and is currently participating in Belmont East, the university’s semester long program in NYC. She has done work with such companies as Beggars Group, Black Cab Sessions, and UK women-in-music magazine Wears the Trousers. Michelle is most passionate about independent female musicians and is really excited to be a part of the Tinderbox team.

SARAH ERICKSON (Art Designer) is a brooklyn based artist, designer, and recent graduate of Parsons The New School For Design. She earned a B.F.A. in Communication Design with a studio focus in Illustration. Above all Sarah is highly inspired and passionate about music, which acts as a driving force behind her work. Being a part of the Tinderbox Team allows the perfect opportunity to combine her enthusiasm about music, female empowerment, and art.

JAY DRESSLER (Stage Manager) graduated from the University of New Haven with a BA in Music and Sound Recording and a Minor in Theatre. Her skills include booking artists, organizing shows, and running live sound, while her passion is performing onstage with her guitar in hand. She is excited to be part of the Tinderbox team because it gives her a chance to do what she loves while being a part of an organization which promotes female artists.

AMBER KEYSER (Design Consultant) graduated from Parson’s School of Design studying design management. As a designer, Amber’s main focus is socially relevant design intervention and planning for urban ecosystems. She is excited to be working with Tinderbox because of its desire to empower women and promote up-and-coming female artists.

HEATHER SMITH (Submissions Committee) has more than 15 years experience in following the music industry in capacities such as a disc jockey for a Texas alternative rock station and as the producer and host of the acclaimed Rubyfruit Radio, a podcast which has garnered attention in regional and national publications such as SPIN. Rubyfruit Radio was the first podcast to showcase only female musicians and female fronted bands and Heather has made it her mission to promote the female voice. Heather is excited about working with Tinderbox Music Festival as it helps to further her efforts to support women’s music.

SHANDA BOYETT (Submissions Committee) aka Music Crush Girl, is a music blogger and photographer based in New York whose writing and photographs have appeared on Brooklyn Vegan. Her blog, musiccrushgirl.tumblr.com covers the indie music scene. She only covers music she loves and is committed to providing a positive voice for musicians. Shanda grew up in a small rural town and is a proud native Texan. She received a journalism degree from the University of Houston and a masters degree in Public Policy with a concentration in women’s studies from George Washington University. Shanda is grateful for the opportunity to combine her interests in music and feminism and to be working with Tinderbox to promote women in music.

KOKO NTUEN (Submissions Committee) is the Editor-In-Chief of LADYGUNN, a magazine and lifestyle brand based in NY and LA that focuses on emerging music, fashion, and art with a goal to bring readers content that is accessible, vibrant, and unprecedented. LADYGUNN has featured such female artists as Lykke Li, Lia Ices, PJ Harvey, Kid Sister, Vivan Girls and more. Koko is excited that she and LADYGUNN are a part of Tinderbox because the mission behind the project is one that resonates with the LADYGUNN staff and audience. Koko believes that Tinderbox has its finger on the pulse of new and iconic performers, and that it is sure to be a favorite venue for performers and fans alike in years to come!

Logo Design | JAMES MATUSHESKI

Web Guru | ERIK HANSON