NMPA Hires Chris Barkley as SVP of Government Affairs

The National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) has hired Chris Barkley as its senior vice president of government affairs.

The NMPA’s new hire has two decades of experience working on Capitol Hill, including roles in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Most recently, Barkley served as deputy chief of staff for policy for Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) where he was active in advising on policy and legislation and supporting Romney’s role on the Whip Team. He has also served as the policy director for the Senate Republican Policy Committee under Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) and as senior policy adviser for former Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE).

Since 2022, Barkley has been an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law.

“Chris joins NMPA with invaluable expertise from years of insight aiding policymakers and finding consensus to move critical legislation,” says NMPA president and CEO David Israelite. “Having him lead NMPA’s lobbying strategy across all facets of government will be hugely valuable to music creators. As AI and other evolving technologies threaten the value of music, it is more important than ever to have a strong voice in government on behalf of songwriters. As a critical advisor on influential committees and for senior lawmakers, his knowledge is virtually unmatched when it comes to understanding what it takes to make big things happen.”

“Songwriters face more government regulation than anyone else in the music industry,” says Barkley. “There is much work to be done to allow publishers and creators to achieve the full value of their work. My experience across Capitol Hill has primed me for this opportunity and I’m thrilled to advocate for people whose work I respect and admire.”