Laurie Kirby

Laurie Kirby

Laurie B. Kirby, Esq. owns and produces FestForums.com in NYC, San Francisco and its flagship show in Santa Barbara. FestForums is a B2B conference and awards event for music, film, food and wine festival organizers. The conference addresses how to improve the fan/attendee/talent experience at festivals. Laurie was the former President and Chief Creative Officer of the IFFS (International Film Festival Summit) and the IMFCON (International Music Festival Conference & Lineup Magazine. She has also managed and consulted for dozens of film festivals and filmmakers as well as served as a producer and consultant on many independent films. Laurie was an attorney for over twenty years and established The Legends Tour, the senior division of the LPGA. She was General Counsel to The Audubon Society of RI. She has represented professional athletes, newscasters, musicians, golf properties and nonprofits. She began her career as the assistant prosecutor and trial attorney in Middletown, RI. Laurie is a frequent speaker, interviewer and moderator at dozens of festivals and corporate conferences, including IFEA, BizBash, TourLink, Americana Fest, New Orleans & SMA Chicago, San Francisco Music Tech Conference, Maui Music Tech Conference, Sponsor Secrets, Canadian Music Week, IEG, Event Expo, The Mill Valley Film Festival, Pollstar, The Catalina Island Film Festival, Film Festival Flix, The Napa Valley Film Festival, The Wolff Den, The Smartest People in The Room, and The Lady’s Filmmaker Festival on all aspects of the industry. Additionally, she is often quoted as an industry thought leader in publications such as Variety, Indiewire, Forbes, The Street, AMP and Music Festival Business. She has also been a contributor to Indiewire, Eventbrite & Sonic Bids. She has served on, and presided over several non-profit boards throughout her career, including The Lobero Theater, The Newport International Film Festival, The Montecito YMCA and The Newport County YMCA. She is a happy mother of 3 and grandmother of 3!