how we create calm in the chaos
We start with a core crew of award‑winning event experts and an honest truth.
The truth: Every high-stakes project has pressure, personalities, shifting briefs, tight timelines, and curveballs.
That’s not the exception.
That’s the environment.
The devil is in the details, and we sweat them all. But we believe that’s most productive when paired with honesty and egoless collaboration.
This rigor and transparency allow us to confidently walk the line between creative ambition and physical reality.
That gives our clients the confidence to embrace new challenges and exceed fan expectations.
Meet The team Behind the brew
Leah
Harper-Lane
Executive Producer
Leah is an Emmy Award–winning producer who founded Strong Brew to break the agency mold. She champions the people behind the scenes, chooses client partners with care, and keeps the focus where it belongs: on the fans.
Once-in-a-Lifetime Gig
46664 Nelson Mandela’s 90th Birthday Celebration in Hyde Park.
Past Life Highlights
CBS NFL Season, VMAs, Oscars, Showtime’s Inside the NFL, Frieze Art Fair, Storytellers, Smithsonian NMAAHC Dedication Ceremony with President Obama, GLAAD Awards, NCAA Final Four, Vh1 Rock Honors, Hip Hop Honors and Divas of Soul, United Nations Beyoncé “I Was Here”, Nickelodeon Worldwide Day of Play, MTV Woodies Festival at SXSW, Outside Lands Livestream, Nickelodeon HALO Awards.
Matt
Salerno
AND Live Experiences
With twenty-five plus years of experience in live television, event production, and experiential marketing, Matt has built a career delivering some of the industry’s most high-profile and complex productions.
Once-in-a-Lifetime Gig
Quincy Jones’ “We Are the Future” concert on the Circus Maximus in Rome, Italy.
Past Life Highlights
Super Bowl Halftime Show, FIFA Women’s World Cup, MTV Video Music Awards, Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, NFL Pro Bowl Fan Fest & Super Bowl Fan Events, PAC-12 Championship Pre-Game & Halftime Shows, NCAA Final Four Fan Fest, CBS Sports Super Bowl City Fan Engagement Events, BET Awards, Red Bull Rampage & New Frontier World Record Jump and Live By Request.
James
Lane
Operations
An award-winning strategist, James has worked in marketing, design, branding, and customer experience for thirty years. His expertise spans industries, from travel, auto, and financial services, to entertainment, technology, and consumer goods.
Once-in-a-Lifetime Gig
Driving a shift in company culture at AAA by establishing a customer-led design research program. The result was a 40% lift ($12MM ARR) in new member acquisition through digital channels.
Past Life Highlights
From big agencies to boutique firms, with campaigns for a broad spectrum of B2C and B2B brands: Johnnie Walker, Virgin Atlantic, US Airways, Buick, Microsoft, Tauck World Discovery, Showtime, AAA, Saint-Gobain, and more.