In case you missed it, we've released the LDInstitute™ and LDInnovation™ Conference agendas for LDI 2026. Now, it's time to meet the stellar line-up of speakers that make LDI 2026 the can't-miss event in the industry. Let's start by meeting just a few of the speakers making their LDI debut this year!
If you haven't registered already, what are you waiting for? You don't want to miss the amazing roster of speakers, the Expo, or anything at LDI 2026.
Ben Ikwuagwu
CEO & Co-Founder, Soundcheck Live
SESSION: Building Scalable Systems In Live Entertainment Operations
Ben Ikwuagwu is a first-generation Nigerian-American entrepreneur, lifelong musician, and innovator in live-event technology. As a professional vocalist with over a decade of global performance experience, Ben saw firsthand the operational chaos of bookings, payments, and crew coordination — experiences that inspired him to co-found Soundcheck Live, where he now serves as CEO. A graduate of Texas A&M University in Supply Chain Management, Ben applies enterprise-level systems thinking from roles at Apple and Dell to the creative world, bridging music and operations through technology. With Soundcheck Live – described as “Shopify for live-event professionals” – Ben is building career ownership infrastructure for the gig economy, empowering freelancers and production companies with scalable tools for collaboration and workflow automation. He frequently speaks and writes on the intersection of music, tech, and live-event operations, advocating for a more connected and efficient future for creators.
Tori Piper
Lighting Programmer
SESSION: Lights, Camera, Render: Inside The Virtual Production Process
Tori Piper started in theatre swinging a wrench and running every spotlight they could throw at her. She then made her way into the magic of television where she has worked 10+ presidential debates, six Olympics, most recently as the Lighting Director for the Livigno Extreme Park at the Milan Cortina Games. She has been the Lighting Programmer and DMX Technician on several TV shows and movies including: HBOs Pretty Little Liars and Love and Death, Eenie Meanie, and a personal favorite Are You There God, Its Me Margaret.
Ajinkya Hukerikar
Virtual Production Technologist, Zero Density
SESSION: Lights, Camera, Render: Inside The Virtual Production Process
Ajinkya Hukerikar is a filmmaker and media technologist specializing in virtual production, real-time graphics, spatial reality, and live broadcast production. With five years of experience, he has supported major productions including NEXT Weather, the 2024 U.S. Elections, FIFA World Cup 2026, the MET Gala, and NFL coverage. His work spans major networks including CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox, where he has helped deploy virtual production systems and train broadcast teams to operate the technology. As a filmmaker, his work includes VFX-driven and immersive projects showcased at festivals and industry events.
Mandalyn Stevens
Stage Manager & Professor, Case Western University
SESSION: Stage Managers Academy
Mandalyn Stevens is a working stage manager throughout Cleveland, Ohio. For the last 9 years, she has been working at Vincent Lighting Systems in numerous roles. She currently teaches Stage Management at Case Western University. She holds board chairs with the SMA and The Ohio Thespians EDTA. Mandalyn also serves as the Committee Chair for the Stage Management Track for SETC. Small package, big presence!
Stuart Fingerhut
Senior Creative Director, Hartmann Studios
SESSION: The Team Of One: An AI-Native Concept Studio For Creative Directors
Stuart Fingerhut is a senior creative director building large-scale brand environments and immersive installations for AWS, The Home Depot, Hyundai, Optro, and YouTube Gaming. He runs the full creative production stack: scenic, media, lighting, SFX, and live entertainment, and has built generative AI directly into that process, running an MCP-driven creative pipeline through Rhino3D and TouchDesigner for both concept art and real-time visual systems. This year, he's hosting The Team of One, his talk on what AI actually replaces in the concept-to-build pipeline.
Scot Mann
Principal Creative Technologist, Noisechop
SESSION: Diffusion As A Live Tool: Building Real-time AI Visual Systems In TouchDesigner (Two-Day Class)
Scott Mann is a creative technologist and TouchDesigner developer building interactive installations and immersive experiences that combine generative AI, real-time graphics, sensor-based interaction, and integrated sound. He has worked with brands, artists, and cultural institutions including Adobe, Pantone, The CN Tower, Airbus, and the Twist Museum, London — both as principal on his own commissions and as a senior creative-technical partner to experiential agencies and producers. He holds an M.A. in Music Technology from NYU and brings 15+ years of experience as a sound designer, composer, and audio post engineer with record credits on Sony and Universal Music Group. Scott has created tutorials for Interactive & Immersive HQ, the largest TouchDesigner education platform in the field.
Check out ALL the speakers at LDI 2026 here and secure your spot at LDI 2026 to soak up every bit of knowledge they share!