Justin Francis, Alex Resoagli, Mason Sexton, and Dave Huffman Worked with Multiple Award-Winning Artists, Songs, and Albums
Gilbert, Ariz., June 1, 2026 – The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS; www.cras.edu), a leading institution for audio engineering education, is proud to announce that four of its graduates contributed to seven American Music Award winners. The 52nd Annual event took place May 25, 2026 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.
“From the Primetime and Daytime Emmy Awards late last year, then the GRAMMY Awards in February and the Academy Awards in March, and now our graduates are being honored once again for their dedication and hard work during the 2026 American Music Awards,” said Kirt Hamm, CRAS administrator. “We are immensely proud. No matter the field, the inspiration garnered from those who came before them sets a solid foundation for our current students and those who have just entered the world of professional audio.”
CRAS grads who worked with 2026 American Music Award winners include:
- Justin Francis (2008 CRAS grad); engineer
- “Breach”; Twenty One Pilots; Best Rock/Alternative Artist
- Alex Resoagli (2015 CRAS grad); assistant engineer
- “The Romantic”; Bruno Mars; Best R&B Album
- “I Just Might”; Bruno Mars; Best R&B Song
- “The Romantic”; Bruno Mars; Best R&B Artist
- Mason Sexton (2019 CRAS grad); assistant engineer
- “Am I The Drama”; Cardi B; Best Hip Hop Album
- “Am I The Drama”; Cardi B; Best Female Artist
- David Huffman; (2013 CRAS grad); mastering engineer
- “Broken View”; Sam Barber; Breakthrough Country Artist
“I’m so fortunate to be able to work on such a wide variety of music,” said Francis. “Every session is different, and adapting to everyone’s personalities and specific capabilities is crucial. CRAS definitely prepared me for that in a way that was so beneficial starting my career. The technical is only half the battle. Being personable is the rest.”
Added, Huffman, “I can’t overstate what an honor it is to be a part of presenting someone’s art to the world. I’m incredibly fortunate to be able to work on projects with so many talented artists, creators and engineers, and it’s always great to see them be recognized for their vision and dedication.”
The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences is composed of two nearby campuses in Gilbert and Tempe, Ariz. A CRAS education includes broadcast audio, live sound, film and TV audio, music, and video game audio, all taught by award-winning instructors who have all excelled in their individual fields, including sound reinforcement, audio recording and production, digital recording, troubleshooting/maintenance, and music business.
CRAS structured programs and highly qualified teaching staff provide a professional and supportive atmosphere, which is complemented by its small class sizes allowing for individual instruction and assistance for students in engineering audio recordings. CRAS has been providing quality vocational training in audio recording for more than three decades. The curriculum and equipment are constantly being updated to keep pace with the rapid advancements in the music and sound recording industries. CRAS’ course offerings and subject matter have always centered around the skills and knowledge necessary for students’ success in the audio recording industries.
The 11-month program is designed to allow every student access to learn and train in all of the Conservatory’s studios which are comprised with state-of-the-art audio recording and mixing gear, the same equipment used in today’s finest studios and remote broadcast facilities, including Pro Tools 12, API Legacy consoles, SSL AWS consoles, Studer Vista consoles, and much more. All students must complete a 280-hour industry internship to graduate from the Master Recording Program II that may ultimately lead to industry employment.
For more information on the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences, please visit www.cras.edu, contact Kirt Hamm, administrator, at 1-800-562-6383, or email to [email protected].
About The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences
Based in the heart of The Valley of the Sun with two campuses in Gilbert and Tempe, Ariz., The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS) is one of the country’s premier institutions for audio education. The Conservatory has developed a unique and highly effective way to help the future audio professional launch their careers in the recording industry and other related professional audio categories.
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