We are amber health

Dr. Newman holds his PhD in Clinical Psychology. His private practice, specializing in clinical care for artists, touring crew, and other music industry members, focuses on the use of a variety of therapeutic modalities (ACT, CBT, Mindfulness, traditional psychotherapy) in the treatment of psychological and emotional issues. Having been involved in the music industry for over two decades, as a touring performer, event producer, and artist liaison, Dr. Newman possesses a first-hand understanding of its unique challenges and stresses. Dr. Newman is also the co-founder of the Tour Health Research Initiative (THRIV), dedicated to conducting research on mental health in the touring sector and is the co-creator of the weekly Come Together music industry online support groups.

Zack Borer is a licensed psychotherapist based in Los Angeles with a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. After a decade as a working musician and songwriter, Zack entered the mental health field out of a desire to help music industry professionals with the unique struggles and stressors that come with being in a challenging and complex business. Zack works with artists and their support staff to enhance their emotional wellbeing, and to help mitigate the acute mental health crises that have become commonplace in the music industry.

Kendall has spent over 15 years in the music industry, though her connection to artists and their teams dates back to childhood. Specializing in live events and media, she previously served as Vice President of the major media outlet Live For Live Music and was a Co-Founder, Director, and Producer of Mempho Music Festival. Driven by a passion for making a meaningful impact in the music community, Kendall co-founded Backline, a nonprofit dedicated to championing mental health and wellness for music professionals. She has since continued this vital work as Director of Operations at Amber Health, where she leads the delivery of on-the-ground clinical services for festivals, tours, and music organizations.

Tory Pittarelli has worked in the music industry for 15 years – specializing in event production and artist relations. Raised in Nashville Tennessee, her early immersion in music through her father’s roles as a sound engineer, songwriter, and touring artist inspired her to follow in his footsteps. She loved hanging out with him in their recording studio and learning the in’s and out’s of the industry from an early age. Tory graduated from the University of Tennessee with a psychology degree in 2008, and began working towards a career at the intersection of mental health and the music industry. Since then, Tory has worked for major music festivals such as Global Citizen Festival, Coachella, Hulaween, ARISEFestival, and countless more. Beyond her music industry endeavors, you can often find Tory silversmithing in her at-home studio in Denver Colorado.

Brandon is a mindfulness guide and mental health advocate dedicated to transforming the music industry by integrating wellness practices. Brandon has deep experience in curating programming that helps artists and executives navigate industry pressures, fostering creativity and long-term success. With burnout and mental health struggles affecting over 60% of music professionals, Brandon’s mission is to shift the paradigm—prioritizing well-being as a foundation for a healthier, more sustainable industry. A KRI-certified Kundalini yoga teacher with Mental Health First Aid certification, Brandon equips creatives with mindfulness tools to manage stress and thrive. As an active Recording Academy member, he serves on the Foundations Committee supporting MusiCares, The Grammy Museum, and Grammy U. His vision is a music industry where mental health is prioritized, burnout is reduced, and creativity flourishes—not at the cost of well-being, but because of it.

Noah is currently an undergraduate student studying Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University. Noah assists with operational tasks, specifically acting as a executive assistant to Dr. Chayim Newman. Beyond his work at Amber Health, he is in the process of writing his undergraduate thesis on the effects of rhythmic primes on emotional prosody perception. Outside of psychology work Noah is deeply involved in the local Toronto music scene as a drummer.

Zachary Bergson is a 5th year clinical psychology PhD student and is currently a psychology intern at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He is interested in designing new research protocols to better understand mental health concerns in the touring music industry.

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Andrea Rivers a licensed social worker specializing in the unique challenges of musicians, artists, and industry professionals, Andrea provides a safe space to navigate the peaks and valleys of a career in music. With 13 years of experience, Andrea helps clients manage performance anxiety, imposter syndrome, burnout, substance use, and the emotional demands of the industry. Using evidence-based approaches like [CBT, mindfulness, trauma-informed care, crisis intervention, and strengths-based perspective], they empower industry professionals to maintain their mental, physical, and behavioral well-being while continuing to create and thrive.

Isabelle brings two decades of experience as a founder and executive in the technology space, with deep expertise helping early stage companies scale to large market caps. She drove Eventbrite’s global expansion, and built operational infrastructure at Square as it grew from a small startup to 1,000 employees. As Sr. Director of International at OpenTable, she oversaw growth in 20+ countries, and most recently, she served as VP of Strategy at Outer, an innovative outdoor living brand featured on Shark Tank. Earlier in her career, she worked as a festival producer and booking agent, sparking her interest in supporting the wellbeing of the music industry. Isabelle holds a degree from the Annenberg School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Travis is an investor and creative entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience, currently serving as the Founder and CEO of York Creative Collective, a portfolio of creative ventures focused on quality, craft, and authenticity. He also leads GYK Antler, a marketing agency driving growth for the collective, and co-founded several other ventures, including Big Brick and YORK Athletics Mfg. Additionally,Travis is an avid angel investor and adviser, with notable investments in companies like CloudApp and Datanyze. Born and raised in New Hampshire, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications-Advertising from Boston University.

Jim’s four-decade journey in production and project management roles within the live entertainment and music touring industry has had him working alongside artists as diverse as Linkin Park, The Killers, Neil Young, Avril Lavigne, Hootie & the Blowfish, Backstreet Boys, the Bolshoi Ballet, Phil Collins, and, most recently, helping to lead the delivery of entertainment mega-projects inside Saudi Arabia, including the first-ever international music festival in the Kingdom. Jim was on the ground in the Kingdom from 2018 through 2022 as the territory began to flourish.

Tragic events throughout his professional career, as early as 1983, have had a profound impact on his safety consciousness. He was on the stage in 1992 when James Hetfield was seriously injured by a flame special effect and 55,000 audience members rioted at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium. He was a stage manager on the main stage at Woodstock ’99 when 200,000 people ignited into chaos and was with Marilyn Manson in the aftermath of the Columbine shooting when riots ensued. These events, and others, have shaped the mindset that compels Jim’s passion and unwavering desire to see the industry embrace safety culture as the number one priority.

As President and Co-Founder of the Event Safety Alliance, a lecturer at the University of Southern California, and a board member of the Behind the Scenes Charity, Jim is a dedicated speaker and presenter on event safety, the event production career path, and personal wellness in live events. He tirelessly and passionately advocates for the health and sustainability of the industry at large.

Marty Hom is the longtime Tour Director / Tour Manager for Fleetwood Mac, Barbra Streisand and Stevie Nicks.  He has recently worked with the Rolling Stones (Hackney Diamonds, 60th Anniversary & No Filter tours) Beyonce (Renaissance & Formation Tours), Shakira, Van Halen, Lionel Richie and most recently Olivia Rodrigo's Guts Tour. He is also the talent producer for MusiCares and was recently named to it's Board of Directors.

Daniel Zar is a corporate attorney based in New York with 14 years of experience working at top law firms and in-house at an administrative multi-family office. Many of his clients have deep ties to the entertainment industry. He has a J.D. from UCLA and a B.A. from UCSB with a dual major in Psychology and Communication.

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