Lee Doud, 35, is executive vice president and head of agency for JJLA. He's based in Los Angeles. A quote from his nomination: "Under his leadership, JJLA has consistently delivered seamless, large-scale events, from brand activations to award shows, premieres, immersive experiences, and music festivals. Among his most notable achievements is scaling the OUTLOUD Music Festival to become a globally recognized platform for LGBTQ+ artists."
My career journey: "I first moved to LA to study theater at UCLA back in 2007. During my first year in school, I began volunteering with an organization called The Trevor Project and very quickly found myself joining their staff as the events associate. I loved watching the annual fundraising gala take shape each year—telling moving stories while also entertaining the audience with musical performances and raising much-needed funds for the important work the organization was doing.
It was through the nonprofit that I began to build my network and met so many folks who would later go on to hire me over the years. After graduation, I chose to freelance in event production while I went to auditions and worked on film and TV sets. Working in events allowed me to utilize both the creative side of my brain as well as the logistical side. I always approached my work with a storytelling mentality.
"My greatest accomplishment has been working in the Pride space for as long as I have," Doud says.Photo: Courtesy of Lee Doud
I did finally decide to accept a full-time position at JJLA back in 2017 when I felt it was time to put down some roots and make a home for myself. It's been really incredible to watch this agency grow so much in the last 15 years, and I feel very lucky to work with some of the best people in the industry—and that I get to call these people my family."
My greatest career accomplishment: "For me, my greatest accomplishment has been working in the Pride space for as long as I have. It's been a privilege to work among my own community and throw events that bring people together to celebrate. I think we need it now more than ever."
The advice I would give my younger self: "Relax, you're still young. This is advice I'd give to myself 10 years ago, as well as to myself yesterday."
Doud has scaled the OUTLOUD Music Festival to become a globally recognized platform for LGBTQ+ artists.Photo: Courtesy of Lee Doud
My most memorable event: "The launch of OUTLOUD at WeHo Pride is something I'll never forget. There was such a sense of pride in the work and a feeling that we were at the start of something so special. Our music festival has grown so much in the last few years, and it's been really rewarding to take part in something so monumental."
Some impressive stats I'm responsible for: "When we first launched OUTLOUD, we were also livestreaming the three-day festival on Twitch. We would stream for about eight hours straight, three days in a row, and amassed millions of views. It was incredible to realize that we were reaching such a wide audience with our show."
My ideal day OOO: "Sorry, what exactly is OOO? Kidding! Rest and relaxation is wildly important, even if it's hard to find the time. When I'm able to, I love to travel, go to see live music or theater, and read as much as I can. I've been known to take an impromptu weekend away—a quick flight or a road trip to a new location just to get away.
Admittedly, I also love nothing more than a quiet day at home with my dogs, binge-watching bad TV, and ordering junk food. I do travel quite a bit for work, and sometimes I really just love my time at home."
