SONGS Foundation Sets New Board of Directors

The National Music Publishers’ Association’s SONGS foundation has announced its latest board of directors, including both songwriters and publishing executives.

The SONGS (Supporting Our Next Generation of Songwriters) Foundation was founded by the publishing trade organization in 2015 as a way to support aspiring songwriters, offering scholarships and direct financial assistance to help kickstart their careers in addition to other partnerships. With the new board, the foundation announces that it will be centering its focus in the coming year on helping songwriters with mental health, wellness and financial advisory services.

Artist and songwriter Jewel will be returning to the board this year. She will be joined by fellow songwriters and new members Justin Paul and Benj Pasek (Kobalt), Dan Wilson (UMPG), Lauren Christy (Reservoir), Allison Russell (Concord), Jordan Reynolds (Warner Chappell), Gaby Moreno (peermusic) and CAM (Sony Music Publishing).

The executives joining the board include some of the biggest names in the publishing business, some of which are already part of the NMPA’s board of directors. Those include Sony Music Publishing chairman/CEO Jon Platt, Warner Chappell Music co-chair/COO Carianne Marshall, Reservoir founder/CEO Golnar Khosrowshahi, peermusic president/COO Kathy Spanberger, BMG executive vp/general counsel Keith Hauprich, Concord chief publishing officer Jim Selby, Kobalt head of creative Alison Donald, and Universal Music Publishing Group executive vp/co-head of A&R Jennifer Knoepfle. The NMPA’s leadership team of president/CEO David Israelite, executive vp/general counsel Danielle Aguirre and senior vp of external affairs Charlotte Sellmyer will retain their seats on the board.

“We are thrilled to bring together this level of talent, experience and insight onto one board for the sole purpose of helping songwriters,” said Israelite, who is also the president of the SONGS Foundation, in a statement. “The foundation has achieved a great deal, but there is so much more we can and will do for creators with the guidance of this unparalleled group.” 

The board will officially launch during its annual fundraising golf tournament in Los Angeles on April 15.