Staff
The Planetary Group staff is a blend of people who all bring their unique experiences and talents to the table. In fact, our staff is just unique as your music. No matter your style or genre you will find that you will feel right at home working with our high energy and dynamic team.
Adam Lewis
Co-Founder
One of Planetary’s founding members, Adam Lewis has demonstrated commitment to music promotion from the get-go. While at college, Adam acted as the Chairman of the Activities Board, as well as the Music Director & Arts Editor of the radio station and newspaper. Adam also produced and promoted an independent EP, which charted on CMJ for 9 weeks.
The Summer of 1990 found Adam with yet another task — tour managing the Aquanettas (IRS) on their North American tour opening for Nine Inch Nails and Meat Beat Manifesto. Upon graduating he worked for Harris Goldberg at Concert Ideas in Woodstock, NY, and opened a satellite office of Concert Ideas here in Boston. In between the move from Woodstock to Boston, Adam hit the road again — this time as Tour Manager for Alien Sex Fiend (Mechanic).
So, what’s Adam been up to these days? Besides leading Planetary into the new millennium, he spent five years as the New England Sales Manager for TVT Records, where he played an integral part in the promotion of such acts as Sevendust, Guided By Voices, and Snoop Doggy Dogg. Adam also does all of the publicity, promotion, and media buying for Great Northeast Productions. Great Northeast produces over 50 (club level to stadium-sized) shows a year throughout New England. They have also been responsible for all of the large-scale Phish shows for the last few years, including The Clifford Ball, The Great Went, Lemonwheel, Oswego, It, Coventry, and the 2000 New Year’s Eve show in Florida, which was the largest millennium rock show in the world. For several years, Adam also managed Blackbird/Atlantic recording artists, Angry Salad.
Oscar Zubia
Radio Promoter
Oscar got his first taste of the college radio world at New Mexico State University’s student run station KRUX. While in high school a few friends he had known were now DJing at the station and invited him to hang out. He knew he had to get in there somehow and once his college career started he began to DJ. After a couple years he applied for the assistant music director position, was denied, was reconsidered, hired on and moved up into the head director’s position. While there he juggled millions of packages coming at him while “studying” for his bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism.
After 2 great years college came to an end and the music bug was still with him. He moved to San Jose, CA, his hometown, and began working at a restaurant to make ends meat. After a year of slaving he got his calling at Planetary and made a quick move to Los Angeles where he’s been having the time of his life with his lady. Oscar loves movies, festivals, the San Francisco Giants, apples, free stuff, tweeting, wristbands, information and an open bar.
Luke Phillips
Radio Promoter
Luke “Diamond” Phillips was born and raised in and around Flint, Michigan. As a youth, he voraciously consumed all of the pop culture and random history he could possibly handle, which makes him great at trivia. All of that obsession finally culminated when, at 16, Luke read Our Band Could Be Your Life for the first time. That settled it — young LDP was now obsessed with music culture almost exclusively.
Our hero attended Oakland University in Auburn Hills, MI, where in his first week he stepped inside the doors of WXOU Radio. Thereafter, he pretty much never left the station’s walls until graduation, becoming a student DJ in the process. Fellow DJs and staffers soon took notice of Luke’s wide-ranging, all-encompassing, super-inclusive taste, encyclopedic knowledge of bands and artists, and willingness to animatedly discuss these and various other subjects with anyone and everyone.
Freshly graduated, Luke has transplanted to LA, where he’s joined the radio department at Planetary. He’s just as excited to talk to YOU about records and the minutiae of life as he is everyone else.
Cristina Ramirez
Office/Project Manager
Cristina Ramirez is a Los Angeles based multimedia artist and music enthusiast, originally from Pearblossom, CA. After moving to LA in 2009 to attend Loyola Marymount University, Cristina began volunteering at the on campus radio station, KXLU 88.9 FM, as part of the video crew filming and editing live performances. Her creative endeavors extended to DJing a weekly show and handling promotions and publicity for the radio station. She graduated in 2012 with a BA in Studio Arts with an emphasis in Screen Printing.
Cristina currently works as a Project Manager for The Planetary Group, manages several LA musical groups, and exhibits her artwork and zines in local art spaces and galleries. Her interests include petting cats, using Domino’s Pizza Tracker, and watching Bob’s Burgers.
Kyle Pacynski
Radio Promoter
Kyle was born in a small Michigan town, working his way to the majestic scenes of the Detroit suburbs. Later moving to Lansing, he got involved in radio at the student-run college radio station The Impact WDBM East Lansing and as an Executive Producer at a Lansing political talk station. He rose through the ranks of WDBM, starting as a lowly engineer, graduating to Office Manager and eventually becoming Program Director. After obtaining a Bachelor’s in Digital Media & Technology, a Bachelor’s in Psychology, and a Minor in General Business & Management, he drove 33 hours straight to Los Angeles and nestled in the warm bosom of The Planetary Group. After serving his time as an intern, he decided to put his writing skills to work in the online publicity and tour department, where he currently resides.
Kyle likes morning stretches, math rock, craft beer, and tummy drumming. He can often be found taking hours to decide what he wants to eat, saying mean things to his dog (in jest), and forgetting what you just said. He has an eclectic music taste, but focuses on math rock, post rock, emo, indie, experimental/noise, and glitchy hip hop.
Brittany Freeman
Online and Tour Publicity
Brittany spent most of her life in the terribly stimulating culture of middle of nowhere Ohio, where only the solace of music could save her. She got her first taste of working in the industry while interning abroad at a small record label in Dublin, Ireland, and helping out at local venues in her college town. After graduating with a Public Relations/Journalism degree, she decided to trade the Walmarts for Trader Joes, the cornfields for beaches and head to Los Angeles, where she soon found the lovely Planetary Group. Her passions include having deep life conversations with uber drivers, gin & tonics, and taking advantage of the enormous amount of live music Los Angeles has to offer (obviously).
George Chammas
Online and Tour Publicity
Charlotte Horton
Only and Tour Publicity
Born and raised in Los Angeles–Charlotte Horton became jaded by the City of Angels at an early age; but after four years at Syracuse University (spending one semester abroad in Europe), she came to quickly realize she was a southern California girl at heart. Upon her return, Charlotte spent most of her time on dance floors, whether she was blogging for The Untz and Elektro Magazine, acting as a club promoter for Exchange LA and Sound Nightclub, or working as a Guest Services lead at Insomniac festivals.
Charlotte broadened her network amongst the EDM scene in Los Angeles very quickly, and soon began her career at MSO PR in 2015–where she worked with legends every day like: deadmau5, Richie Hawtin, HARD Events, Steve Aoki, and Jean-Michel Jarre amongst dozens others.
With a B.A. in Writing and Psychology, Charlotte has taken every opportunity to navigate her place in the music industry; whether as a journalist, or in marketing, to the box offices at your favorite Goldenvoice venues—but publicity has become her home. She is excited to be a part of the Planetary Publicity team, ready to help build up-and-coming talent and their projects.
Catch her daily antics at @girlinsocal
Ben Zalman
Development
As a music industry professional and attorney with over 15 years of experience in the music and entertainment industries, Ben started off as the music director at WMVL Radio. Soon after, Ben joined the Planetary Group and has led successful campaigns with artists including The Decemberists, Interpol, Bob Mould, Passion Pit, Gogol Bordello, Kings of Leon, Sun Kil Moon, Gaslight Anthem, DeVotchKa, and many others. Ben is passionate about developing new artists and creating opportunities for them to thrive.
Ben is also passionate about National League Baseball, craft beer, the intersection of music and the law, 90’s emo and punk rock, all things Larry David, Point Break, Spaceballs, and, of course, making themed playlists.
Quentin Stille
Radio Promoter
River Sterne
Radio Promoter
River grew up in the great, frigid state of Alaska – then made his way to the moderately less frigid state of Oregon for high school. He attended Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA, where he majored in Film & Media Studies and produced several short films, including the documentary sequel to 2000s instant classic “Holes”.
River began his college radio career as Promotions Director of campus station KWCW his freshman year, but it wasn’t until his last semester at Whitman that he became Head Music Director. He immediately fell in love with the inner workings of radio and ended up moving to Los Angeles after graduation to take a job at Planetary – and the rest is recent history.
River loves Twin Peaks (the show, though the band is also good), skateboarding, snowboarding, damn fine coffee, hiking, film photography, dogs, his VW Wagon and well-fitting hats.”