Pam Pilipovich is the Project Manager at Hellbender Vinyl, where she wears many hats— press operator, and key player in quality control and packaging. Her work ensures that each record meets the vision of the artist and the standards of the craft. Outside the shop, Pam is a cellist and dedicated community advocate, using her platform to uplift music, youth, and womxn empowerment. Her deep roots in both creative expression and grassroots organizing shape everything she brings to the table.

Hellbender Vinyl, located in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood, is a boutique vinyl pressing plant known for its attention to detail and commitment to independent music. With high-end WarmTone presses and a tight-knit, passionate team, Hellbender specializes in transforming audio projects into beautifully crafted records. The facility is more than a production space—it’s a hub for artists who care about the integrity of their sound and the story behind their release.

Outside of work Pam keeps very busy. If she isn't rehearsing with the string trio - Sangria Trio she is part of, then she is writing /recording in the studio for local bands/artists. She also serves as the programming director for Girls+ Rock! Pittsburgh, an empowerment program for female+ youth, and as the board secretary and cello instructor for Opus 2 Orchestra, a community teaching orchestra. When taking a break from all that, "I have a small private cello lesson studio. Otherwise I'm a homebody - love a good lazy night on the couch with my partner and cat, hammock lounging with a good book, taking care of my many houseplants, cooking, that sort of thing."

How did you get into your industry / What motivated you?

I've been playing cello since age 8, always knew I wanted to end up in the arts. Got my Bachelor and Masters degrees in music performance from Duquesne University. Did the bartending/gigging life for a while and finally found Hellbender where I could have a 9-5 in the industry.

What is a day in the life like?

Every day is a little different, which I personally enjoy. But generally it starts with an hour of emails and coffee at home. Then to the Hellbender facility from 9-? where I'm doing any number of things - running the press, assisting with making specialty discs, QC, assembly, packaging, emails/admin stuff, unloading shipments, etc. We're a small team so it's a total group effort here. Then once we feel we're at a good stopping point for the day, usually off to a rehearsal or teaching (and sometimes just home for dinner).

In your opinion what has been your favorite / the coolest thing you've worked on?

I got to project manage a record we pressed for our head of QC - Buscrates. It was fun to get to work on something for someone in-house and really celebrate that. It was also the first record that we pressed on our then-new automated machine which was an exciting new world for us. And to top that all off, it's a fantastic record.

What has been / is the most difficult part of your job?

Hellbender has recently been going through a period of big growth. The challenge lately has definitely been quickly learning to manage a lot more on our plates while still prioritizing high quality and customer service standards.

What advice do you have for someone wanting to get into pursuing what you’re doing?

..Get good at multi-tasking. Work on your people skills!

Honestly, as much as my years of bartending weren't my ideal, I gained a lot of valuable skills that translate to so many other life things.

Are you a vinyl collector yourself? What drew you to it? If not, why the vinyl industry?

I am. I grew up around it - my dad still had a portion of his record collection with a nice turntable setup and my mom still had her old GE portable turntable that ended up being my first record player when I moved out.

What types of things are happening in your industry / with vinyl that you’re excited or worried about? i.e. innovation, or trends you’re seeing.

I guess I'm most worried about how tariffs and the general economy will affect our future. That obviously speaks to a lot of things right now, not just vinyl. Also generally not feeling psyched about AI music.

But I'm excited that vinyl is really coming back strong and not just as a trend. I think people are getting tired of being "plugged in" and we're going back to doing things with a little more thought and attention in the real world now.

Who has been influential to you and your growth as a professional in this industry? 

Honestly, I can't name anyone in particular. I'm continually amazed at how helpful most people are in this industry, it's competitive for sure but still cooperative. We're working alongside vendors and 'competitors' that are willing to share decades of experience with us so that we can thrive alongside them.

Anything else you’d like to add; if not tell us what you're listening to: 

I'm a classical music nerd. Also been getting into "cinematic jazz funk" lately. But you can always win me over with some Motown/blues/soul/r&b.

Current classical listening - Jon Batiste

Current cinematic jazz funk listening - Ghost Funk Orchestra

Current other listening - Sam Cooke