Governance

ASCAP is the only performing rights organization in the US founded and governed by songwriters, composers and music publishers. Our Board of Directors is made up entirely of writers and publishers elected from and by the membership every two years. Writer members elect 12 writers to sit on the Board, and publisher members elect 12 publishers, ensuring that every decision the Board makes is in the interest of ASCAP members as a whole. This Board elects a President and Chairman, who must be a writer member.

ASCAP Board of Directors

Paul Williams
President and Chairman of the Board

Paul Williams is one of the most beloved and respected lyricists and composers in the world today. As President and Chairman of the Board of the Ameri...

Jon Batiste

Writer board member

Jon Batiste is one of history’s most brilliant, prolific and accomplished musicians. Batiste studied and received both a B.A. and M.F.A. at the world-renowned Juilliard School in New York City. From 2015 until 2022, Batiste served as the bandleader and musical director of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS. In 2018, he received a Grammy nomination for Best American Roots, and in 2020, he received two Grammy nods for the albums: Chronology of a Dream: Live at the Village Vanguard and Meditations (with Cory Wong). In 2020, he won an Academy Award for Best Original Score for the Disney/Pixar film Soul, an honor he shared with fellow composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Jon’s work on Soul also earned him a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, a NAACP Image Award and a Critic’s Choice Award. He is the second black composer in history, after legendary jazz musician Herbie Hancock, to win an Academy Award for composition. Batiste’s latest studio album, We Are, was released in March 2021 to overwhelming critical acclaim. Subsequently, he was nominated for eleven Grammys across seven different categories, a first in Grammy history. He went on to win five of those Grammys, including Album of the Year.

Claudia Brant

Writer board member

Claudia Brant, born in Argentina, began writing songs at an early age and was signed to Warner Music at 22. She released two successful albums in South America, Claudia Brant (1991) and Tu marca en el alma (1996). She won prestigious Latin American songwriting awards, including the OTI Song Festival (1991) and the Viña del Mar festival (1995). In 1998, she moved to California to pursue a career as a songwriter and producer, continuing her international success with an average of 40 song releases annually in multiple languages.

Her songs have been recorded by top artists, such as Camila Cabello, Ricky Martin, Barbra Streisand, Michael Bublé, Demi Lovato, Enrique Iglesias and Jennifer Lopez. Claudia’s song “I’m Not the Only One” was featured in the 2015 film Spare Parts. She has collaborated with notable producers and songwriters, including Bruno Mars, Diane Warren, David Foster and Toby Gad.

Claudia has earned numerous awards, including 11 Grammy and Latin Grammy nominations. She won Latin Grammy Song of the Year (2009) and a Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album (2019) for her album Sincera. Claudia was named Latin Songwriter of the Year by ASCAP and inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2016. She now teaches Latin songwriting at Berklee College of Music and runs her publishing company, Cha Cha Cha, to mentor promising students.

Peter Brodsky

Publisher board member

Peter Brodsky is the Executive Vice President Business and Legal Affairs and General Counsel of Sony Music Publishing in New York. He has held that position since April 2020. Prior to that he was Executive Vice President Business and Legal Affairs from the time he joined the company in 2007. In this role, Peter leads a department of 20 that is responsible for all of Sony’s business and legal activities in the United States. Peter’s responsibilities as General Counsel are global.

Peter is also responsible for Sony Music’s North American digital initiatives which include creating and executing the company’s strategy in connection with the licensing of Sony Music Publishing’s catalog to digital music services and other platforms. Peter has been a leader in the industry since the inception of the digital music business and has successfully negotiated with virtually every type of digital music service and platform, including on-demand and non-interactive audio streaming, video streaming services, lyric services, sheet music, cloud-based lockers and many others.

Since 2015 Peter has been recognized by Billboard magazine as one of the top 25 “Digital Power Players” in the music business. He has also been included in Billboard’s “Top Music Lawyers” since 2016.

Peter also plays a lead role in Sony’s major catalog acquisitions, including the 2012 deal for EMI Music Publishing. Part of Peter’s responsibilities in that transaction was to make several appearances in front of the Federal Trade Commission and the European Commission which ultimately resulted in antitrust approval for the deal.

In addition to the above responsibilities, Peter plays an active role in music publishing industry and legislative matters, such as copyright reform, and works closely with the National Music Publishers Association on many issues. Peter’s department is responsible for negotiating, drafting and maintaining all of the company’s songwriter, co-publishing, sub-publishing, joint venture and other agreements with talent and catalog owners as well as protecting and enforcing Sony Music Publishing and its songwriters’ intellectual property rights around the world.

Peter is a 24-year veteran of the music publishing industry and previously worked at BMG Music Publishing in a similar role where he was in charge of BMG’s business and legal affairs. While at BMG, Peter played an integral role in the acquisition and integration of Zomba Music Publishing, as well as Bertelsmann’s divestiture of BMG Music Publishing to Universal in 2007. Peter began his career as an associate at the law firm of White & Case in New York. He lives in New York City with his wife and two children.

Bob Bruderman

Publisher board member

Bob Bruderman serves as Executive Vice President, Global Digital Business, at Kobalt Music Group. A member of Kobalt’s Executive Leadership Team, he is responsible for leading the digital commercial partnership, strategy and licensing efforts globally for Kobalt Publishing, working with a broad range of startup digital services as well as with established players, including Amazon, Apple, Meta, Pandora, Peloton, Snap, Soundcloud, Spotify, TikTok and YouTube, among many more. He also works closely with a number of industry groups to ensure the intellectual property interests of songwriters and artists are protected, including NMPA and ICMP, among others. In 2022 he was deeply involved in the Phonorecords IV settlement agreement between the NMPA, NSAI and DiMA that established statutory mechanical rates in the United States from 2023-2027, which are largely reported as being among the most favorable to songwriters in the world. He has repeatedly been named one of Billboard's "Digital Power Players."

In addition to serving on the Board of ASCAP, he currently also serves on the Board of Directors of The Mechanical Licensing Collective (“The MLC”) as well as DDEX, and previously served on the board of The Music Business Association (“Music Biz”) and the Canadian Publishers’ Committee (part of CMRRA).

Prior to joining Kobalt in 2013, Bruderman held a wide range of roles during his 11 years at Sony Music Entertainment, including in distribution, royalties, release planning, music publishing administration and sync, among others.

He enjoys playing saxophone and guitar in his spare time, as well as making oil paintings. He is an avid fan of live and recorded music (especially jazz). He graduated from the University of Miami and lives with his wife and two small children in Brooklyn.

Alisa Coleman

Publisher board member

Alisa Coleman is an accomplished executive with decades of experience in the music industry, currently serving as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at ABKCO Music & Records, Inc., a leading independent music publisher and record label. In her role as COO, Coleman is responsible for overseeing all aspects of ABKCO’s operations, including business strategy, revenue growth and day-to-day management of its extensive catalog. She works closely with ABKCO’s roster of songwriters, publishers and artists to ensure fair compensation and intellectual property protection, particularly in the face of evolving digital technologies and new revenue models. Under her leadership, ABKCO has strengthened its position in the global music marketplace, focusing on rights management and maximizing revenue across traditional and digital platforms.

Throughout her career, Coleman has been at the forefront of key initiatives that protect the rights of songwriters and publishers while promoting fair and sustainable business practices in the music industry. She has played an integral role in negotiations with distributors and licensing bodies, ensuring that ABKCO’s catalog is effectively managed and that its creators receive equitable compensation. Coleman’s deep understanding of both the legal and financial aspects of music rights management has enabled her to navigate the complexities of a rapidly changing industry and advocate for the protection of music creators' rights in the face of new technologies and business models.

As a leader, Coleman has consistently demonstrated a commitment to collaboration and fostering positive relationships between stakeholders in the music industry. Her efforts to build bridges between songwriters, publishers and other industry players have earned her a reputation as a fair and effective negotiator. She has also played an active role in several music industry associations, including the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA current committee member), the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP past NY chair), the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA current Board Member), ASCAP (Board of Review) and the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM past Board Member) where she works to advance policies that support the long-term success of songwriters and publishers.

Desmond Child

Writer board member

Grammy-winning and Emmy-nominated songwriter Desmond Child is one of music's most prolific and accomplished hitmakers. He’s a film, television, theater and music producer, recording artist, performer and author. His credits appear on more than 80 Billboard Top 40 singles spanning six decades, including “Livin’ on a Prayer,” “You Give Love a Bad Name,” “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” “Dude Looks Like a Lady,” “How Can We Be Lovers,” “I Hate Myself for Loving You,” “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” “The Cup of Life,” “Waking Up in Vegas,” “Kings & Queens” and many more.

From Aerosmith to Zedd, his genre-defying collaborations also include KISS, Bon Jovi, Cher, Barbra Streisand, Ricky Martin, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett, Michael Bolton, Katy Perry, Dolly Parton, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks, Cyndi Lauper, Christina Aguilera, Weezer, The Black Keys, Ava Max, Mickey Mouse and Kermit the Frog, selling over 500 million records worldwide with downloads, YouTube views and streaming plays in the billions.

Desmond was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008 and serves on its Board of Directors as well as the Board of ASCAP. In 2018 he received ASCAP’s prestigious Founders Award celebrating 40 years as a proud member of ASCAP. In 2012 he also co-founded the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame where he serves as Chairman Emeritus. In 2022 he was inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame and “Livin’ La Vida Loca” was inducted into the National Archives of the Library of Congress for its cultural significance to America. In 2023 “Livin’ on a Prayer” reached 1 billion streams on Spotify and in 2024 “You Give Love a Bad Name,” “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” and “Kings & Queens” also reached 1 billion streams. In 2025 Barbra Streisand will be releasing a duet featuring Josh Groban of “Where Do I Go from You” from the musical BEBA’S MAMBO, co-written with Davitt Sigerson. Desmond’s autobiography, LIVIN' ON A PRAYER: BIG SONGS BIG LIFE with David Ritz is out now (audiobook also available).

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Marti Cuevas

Publisher board member

Marti Cuevas has enjoyed a diverse and exciting career during her nearly four decades in the music business. Beginning as a saxophone and flute player and composer, Cuevas spent a decade playing jazz and Latin music in Europe; highlights from this period include opening for artists such as Miles Davis and Joe Henderson and accompanying salsa legends Celia Cruz and Cheo Feliciano.

Cuevas relocated to NYC in the late ‘80s, pursuing a lifelong dream of becoming part of the fabric of the jazz and Latin music mecca. However, as a single mother of two small children, Cuevas’s search for stable employment led her to the offices of famed music business attorney William Krasilovsky. Marti spent five years with Krasilovsky, completing what she termed her “master’s degree” in “The Business.”

In 1990, Marti was eventually “poached” by two of Krasilovsky’s clients to take on all business affairs duties for J&N Records/J&N Publishing. Marrying her artistic background with music business acumen, Marti quickly carved out a special place for herself. With a unique skill set, Marti negotiated and drafted contracts in English and Spanish, set up a royalty accounting system for publishing, was troubleshooter with close relationships with writers and artists and much more. Starting with only a few musical works and a handful of artists, J&N developed into one of the most important tropical music companies in US history; today J&N boasts an incredible catalog of classic, vintage records and musical compositions. Marti’s relationship as administrator for J&N continues to this day.

Concurrently, Marti – a consummate sight reader and section player on her instrument – played with many of the top merengue bands of the era (frequently performing music she was familiar with from her publishing duties), culminating with an opportunity to record baritone for Juan Luis Guerra on the Perico ripiao hit, “La Cosquillita.”

In 1999 Marti founded Mayimba Music, initially focused on providing label and publishing administration services to independent companies, authors and artists. Highlights from this period include her long relationship with Premium Latin Music and its hit international bachata group Aventura. While serving as Premium’s General Manager and Director of Business Affairs, Aventura’s lead singer and primary songwriter, Anthony “Romeo” Santos, approached her to help him set up a publishing company for his non-Aventura works. Romeo entrusted his publishing catalog to Mayimba for a decade, until signing with a major, and has retained Marti as an integral part of his team.

Mayimba Music won ASCAP Latin Indie Publisher honors in 2013, 2014 and 2015 alongside Billboard Latin Indie Publisher of the Year awards in 2015 and 2016.

You can find Marti Cuevas practicing her “new” 1958 Selmer Mark VI baritone sax, and discussing the intricacies of CWR files and metadata management.

Sharon Farber

Writer board member

A Grammy winner, a member of the Executive Committees of both the Motion Pictures and TV Academies, four-time Emmy Award nominee, winner of the Society of Composers & Lyricists Award for Outstanding Work in the Art of Film Music and current nominee for the SCL’s Award in the “Outstanding Original Score For an Independent Film” category, winner of the Visionary Award in Music by The Women’s International Film & Television Showcase and the Telly Award, and the Vice President of the Alliance for Women Film Composers, Sharon Farber is a celebrated film, TV and concert music composer.

A graduate of Berklee College of Music in film scoring and concert composition (dual major), and an alumna of ASCAP’s Film Scoring Workshop, Sharon started her career in LA orchestrating and composing additional music for the late, famed composer Shirley Walker, who greatly inspired her. Since then, Sharon has been working with networks and cable broadcasters like NBC, CBS, Showtime, Lifetime and the WB as well as writing music for feature films and the concert stage. Her film music has been released commercially and performed live in concert.

Sharon’s latest orchestral score for the film Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power which premiered at Sundance and Berlin film festivals, was released commercially and earned her a nomination for the SCL award.

Sharon was one of nine composers featured at Lincoln Center last year at the historical “Women Warriors” concert, curated by Maestra Amy Anderson. She was also one of the few composers featured in the concert event celebrating female composers sponsored by the Alliance for Women Film Composers. The International Film Music Critics Association wrote about her piece: “Composer Sharon Farber wowed the crowd with a suite of music from three of her scores: Children of the Fall, When Nietzsche Wept and The Dove Flyer.”

Sharon’s Corona project “I’m Standing with You”– in collaboration with Oscar winner and iconic songwriter Diane Warren and the United Nations – features 17 lead singers from virtually every continent and 160 singers and instrumentalists. It is the largest scale project of its kind.

In the concert music world, Sharon has many national and international credits to her name, including the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Juilliard School of Music, The Los Angeles Gay Men’s Chorus, Pacific Serenade Ensemble, the Northwest Sinfonietta, the National Children’s Chorus, Orange County Women’s Chorale, iPalpiti Artists International and many more.

Dan Foliart

Writer board member & Writer Vice Chairman

Dan Foliart’s music has been indelibly etched on the landscape of network television. Serving his eighth term on the ASCAP Board of Directors, he sits as the Writer Co-Chair. He is the immediate past president of the Society of Composers & Lyricists, after serving that organization for ten years, developing the New York chapter and instigating the Ambassador Program, recognizing excellence in the field of film music.

Recent shows include music for George Lopez’s Saint George, the top-rated Secret Life of the American Teenager and television’s longest running family drama, 7th Heaven. Along with Emmy nominations, Foliart has garnered 38 ASCAP Film and Television Awards, including 16 in the Most Performed Theme category. The reboot of Roseanne with Dan’s theme and underscore was that year’s number one show. His co-written theme is currently heard on The Conners spin-off. 2022 saw an album of his film work released, Journey to My Heartland, showcasing his all-star band and featuring guitarist, Laurence Juber.

Of the 50-plus series he has composed for, many continue to air both in syndication and internationally. Beginning at Paramount Studios with then partner Howard Pearl, Foliart started an extended run that included such favorites as Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, Angie, Bosom Buddies, Joanie Loves Chachi, and cable’s first series, Brothers. Other series that he has composed for include Home Improvement, Beverly Hills 90210, 9 to 5, Guns of Paradise, Island Son, Carol & Company, Soul Man, Burke’s Law, The Little Mermaid Series and 8 Simple Rules.

A native Oklahoman, his multi-media symphonic work “Oklahoma Trilogy” was performed during the state’s centennial celebration. The COVID lockdown afforded Dan the time to complete another symphony based on The Trail of Tears.

While enrolled at Amherst College, where he received his BA degree, he had the opportunity to compose the song score for GD Spradlin’s film The Only Way Home. Co-written with Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame inductee Tom Shapiro, he and Tom have reunited on a retrospective of their partnership, Lookin’ Into Love. Other works in development include the musicals, Click, Swipe and A Lovely Part of Town with collaborator Rob Dames and cc Riders, a seven-part series, co-written with his daughter, Lauren.

Dan served for ten years on the Television Academy’s Music Peer Committee, Advisory Board member of the Film Music Society and continues his 23 years of service on the ASCAP Foundation Board. Along with Paul Williams, he served as the ASCAP representative on the MLC Writer Selection committee mandated by the Music Modernization Act.

The relationships that he has nurtured through meetings with members of Congress, as well as friendships that he has fostered with his colleagues, here and around the world, are valuable components that he continues to bring to the ASCAP Board. He was part of ASCAP’s prestigious We Write the Songs program at the Library of Congress, where he performed his television themes before congressional members.

Foliart lives in La Crescenta, California with his wife, Cheryl, and has two children, Matt and Lauren.

Ree Guyer

Publisher board member

WRENSONG ENTERTAINMENT is an independent Music Publishing and Artist Development company with offices on Music Row in Nashville, founded in 1983 by father/daughter team, Reyn and Ree Guyer. The company began with only 20 songs and is now home to over 3,000.

Today, Wrensong is one of the top independent publishing companies on Music Row. Guided by the leadership of president & owner, Ree Guyer, Wrensong has seven staff artists/writers. She has focused on developing a catalog of unique and special songs like “Where’ve You Been” and “Whiskey Lullaby,” both CMA, ACM and Grammy-winning Songs of the Year. Wrensong received their third Song of the Year at the 2020 ACM Awards for “One Man Band” (Old Dominion), which was also named Song of the Year at the 2020 ASCAP Country Awards and was an ASCAP Pop Award winner. Additionally, “How Can I Help You Say Goodbye” (Patty Loveless) was nominated for a Best Country Song Grammy.

Under Guyer’s direction, Wrensong has enjoyed several #1 hits, including: “Am I the Only One” (Dierks Bentley), “Ask Me How I Know” (Garth Brooks), “Better Dig Two” (The Band Perry), “Break Up with Him” (Old Dominion), “Drink On It” (Blake Shelton), “Gonna Take a Lot of River” and “Little Things” (Oak Ridge Boys), “Heart Like Mine” (Miranda Lambert), “Hotel Key” (Old Dominion), “I Met a Girl” (William Michael Morgan), “Make It Sweet” (Old Dominion), “No Such Thing as a Broken Heart” (Old Dominion), “One Man Band” (Old Dominion), “One That Got Away” (Michael Ray), “Sangria” (Blake Shelton), “Say You Do” (Dierks Bentley), “Snapback” (Old Dominion), “Take It from Me” (Jordan Davis), “The Truth” (Jason Aldean), “Wild One” (Faith Hill) and “Written in the Sand” (Old Dominion). Top 10 chart toppers include “Anything Goes” (Randy Houser), “All Day Long” (Garth Brooks), “Boys from the South” (Pistol Annies), “Dive Bar” (Garth Brooks & Blake Shelton), “I Hate Love Songs” (Kelsea Ballerini), “Hell on Heels” (Pistol Annies), “Stranded” (Heart). Wrensong has had several album cuts by major acts such as Carrie Underwood, Carly Pearce, David Bisbal, Dwight Yoakam, The Chicks, Dolly Parton, Gene Watson, The Judds, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Kenny Rogers, Lee Greenwood, Norah Jones, Ray Charles, Reba, Ronnie Milsap, Sam Hunt, Scotty McCreery, The Temptations, Tim McGraw and Toby Keith, that have sold in excess of 150 million albums.

Keith Hauprich

Publisher board member

Keith Hauprich serves in BMG Rights Management (US) LLC's most senior business and legal affairs role in North America as General Counsel & Executive Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs. His self-imposed mandate is to move Business & Legal Affairs from a cost center to a profit center.

Hauprich has been the driving force behind a number of significant deals, partnerships and initiatives particularly in digital, film and television music publishing, securing the music publishing rights to major players in the entertainment business including Netflix, the world's leading internet television network and AMC. He was also responsible for major publishing deals including Steven Spielberg's Amblin Partners, Ubisoft (Assassin's Creed franchise) and interactive entertainment company Activision/Blizzard.

Hauprich led BMG as one of the first major music group to sign a strategic alliance with Facebook and more recently closed a strategic alliance with Roblox. He has also closed licensing arrangements with Peloton, Equinox and True Rowing as well as Snap.

Keith also played a key role in BMG's groundbreaking victory against internet service provider Cox Communications on the basis of contributory copyright infringement where it secured a $25M jury verdict and more than $8.5M in costs and disbursements and later settled out of court. The case set the precedent in the way US law regards the 'safe harbor' defense of internet service providers and BMG's conduct and victory in the case has been widely praised by rights holders.
Prior to BMG's acquisition of Cherry Lane Music Publishing Company, Inc. in April 2010, Keith was a member of senior management and a corporate officer of Cherry Lane - one of the world's leading independent music publishers. He was responsible for all legal matters and played a vital role in executing the sale to BMG.

Hauprich currently serves as a board member of the National Music Publishers Association as well as the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

Dean Kay

Publisher board member

From the rock revolution to the digital revolution, Dean Kay has successfully participated in the music industry as both a creator and businessperson.

Kay has been at the helm of some of the most highly respected and forward-thinking music publishing companies in the world; first as COO of the Welk Music Group, a major independent company, then as President/CEO of the US division of the PolyGram International Publishing Group and now as President/CEO of his own precedent-setting venture, Lichelle Music Company, Kay's platform for reinventing the music publishing business and forging a new set of parameters designed to become the industry standards in the digital age.

Prior to his involvement in publishing, he was a successful songwriter, having had hundreds of his compositions recorded, including "That's Life" by Frank Sinatra. He was also a recording artist for RCA Records, appeared daily as a featured entertainer on the nationally televised Tennessee Ernie Ford Show, performed live across the nation and produced dozens of phonograph records and radio and television commercials.

Throughout his career, Kay has nurtured the careers of scores of songwriters, recording artists and music industry executives. Along the way he has been the chief caretaker of the creative treasures of a diverse group of musical geniuses including Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Cole Porter, Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Johnny Horton, Don Williams, Ricky Skaggs and Rick Springfield to name a few.

For the past several years, he has immersed himself in the workings of the Internet with the intent of using his rich experience in the traditional music industry to create a bridge between the industry's past and its future. Today, Kay is a sought after speaker, consultant and advisor regarding the use of music in the Internet space while simultaneously utilizing the ever-expanding array of new technologies to enhance the opportunities of his current client roster of talented creators.

Kay has been a member of the Board of Directors of ASCAP since 1989 and currently serves on the board of The ASCAP Foundation. Throughout his career, he has served on many industry boards including the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA), the Country Music Association (CMA), the Academy of Country Music (ACM), the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) and the California Copyright Conference.

James M. Kendrick

Publisher board member & Publisher Vice Chairman

Trained as an oboist at the Manhattan School of Music and The Juilliard School, Jim Kendrick began his publishing career in 1977, helping to establish European American Music before studying law. Following graduation from Rutgers Law School in 1983, he has specialized in intellectual property matters with a particular emphasis on the music and audio-visual industries. In addition to practicing law, Jim has also served in a senior capacity with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., Schott Music Corporation/European American Music Distributors Company and Universal Music Publishing Classical.

Jim became a Director of ASCAP in 2007 and was named Treasurer in 2008. He is also co-chair of the Finance and Legal Committees, and a member of the Executive Committee.

Jim is also Secretary and a Director of The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, The Amphion Foundation, Inc., the Virgil Thomson Foundation, Ltd., The Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation, The Charles Ives Society, Inc. and The ASCAP Foundation. He also is a Director of New Music USA and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Alice M. Ditson Fund. He is a member of the Executive Committee of The International Association of Entertainment Lawyers and counsel to the Music Publishers Association of the United States. He is a frequent speaker on copyright and music industry business practices both in the US and overseas. He has received the Presidential Citation of Distinction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters for distinguished service to the arts in America.

Evan Lamberg

Publisher board member

Evan started his music publishing career working at Berry Gordy’s Jobete Music (the publishing wing of Motown Records), in 1988, as Creative Manager after graduating from New York University.

He went to work for MCA Music Publishing in 1990 as Director of Creative Services. During his time there he signed the songwriting- production team of Cory Rooney and Mark Morales who went on to be the force behind Mary J. Blige’s breakthrough hit “Real Love.”

In 1991, Evan joined EMI Music Publishing as Creative Director under the mentorship of Chairman Martin Bandier. He became Sr. Vice President, Creative, in 1995 and in 1998, his role expanded to Executive Vice President Creative, North America.

At EMI, Evan signed or worked with such artists and songwriters as Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty, Pink, Pharrell Williams, Hootie & The Blowfish, Idina Menzel, Paula Abdul, Jewel, LL Cool J and Regina Spektor.

In 2009, Evan joined Universal Music Publishing as Executive VP Creative, East Coast. He was promoted to President of Universal Music Publishing, North America in 2011 relocating to its world headquarters in Santa Monica, California.

During his time at Universal, Evan has signed or worked with such artist/songwriters as Mariah Carey, Imagine Dragons, The Weeknd, Miley Cyrus, Prince, Gloria & Emilio Estefan, Stephen Schwartz (composer of Wicked, Godspell and Pippin), Josh Groban, Carly Rae Jepsen, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi, Avril Lavigne, Benny Blanco, Neil Diamond, Don McLean, Andrew Farris (of INXS), Jimmy Jam
& Terry Lewis, RZA (of the Wu-Tang Clan), Kirk Franklin, Nas, Bryan Adams, Heart, Randy Newman and the Irving Berlin Estate.

His Board positions include sitting on the Board of Directors of the Songwriters Hall of Fame; Carnegie Hall Board of Trustees; ASCAP Board of Directors; Pepperdine University Institute of Entertainment, Media, Sports & Culture Board (tenure finished November 2021); The Black American Music Foundation Board and The Leonard Bernstein Music Publishing Company Board. His involvement in charitable and social justice organizations includes being Chairman of The Board for the City of Hope’s Music, Film & Entertainment Industries Group; sitting on City of Hope’s National Medical Center Board of Directors; Augie’s Quest to Cure ALS Advisory Leadership Council (where he was honored with the Champion of ALS Award in October 2018); Universal Music Group’s Task Force For Meaningful Change (supporting the Black community); The Neil Lasher Music Fund at Caron Treatment Centers (focusing on substance addiction) and the LOVELOUD Foundation Board (working closely with founder and Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds on LGBTQ youth advocacy). He was awarded the 2016 President’s Volunteer Service Lifetime Achievement Award, signed by Barack Obama, for his decades of community service.

Evan holds a dual MBA from Ivy League Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management and one from the Queen’s School of Business in Canada. He also holds a Masters of Science in Major Program Management from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School as well as a Bachelors of Music from New York University.

Leeds Levy

Publisher board member & Treasurer

A current member of the Board of Directors of ASCAP, Leeds Levy was formerly President of MCA Music Publishing, today’s Universal Music Publishing Group, and President of Chrysalis Music Group.

A graduate of Boston University, including studies at both The Juilliard School and Berklee College of Music, Levy began his career in music publishing at ASCAP where he served in both General Licensing and Membership. He left ASCAP’s Membership Department to establish Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s music publishing company, Rocket Music, then moved to lead MCA Music Publishing.

Levy has published hits by The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Alanis Morissette, Aerosmith, Whitney Houston, INXS, Janet Jackson, Luther Vandross, The Pointer Sisters, Sarah McLachlan, Gary Wright, Don McLean, David Sanborn, Faith Hill, Randy Travis, George Strait, Lee Greenwood, Bobby Brown, Elvis Presley, Avril Lavigne, Andrea Bocelli, Celine Dion, OutKast and David Foster as well as numerous scores to motion pictures, television productions and Broadway musicals including Twin Peaks, E.T., Out of Africa, Miami Vice, Evita and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

Today, Levy continues to be an active music publisher through his Leeds Music in associations with Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Group, BMG Music, peermusic and Kobalt Music and serves as a consultant to multi-platinum songwriters Steve Porcaro and John Bettis.

Michelle Lewis

Writer board member & Secretary

Michelle is an award-winning songwriter well-known for her pop hits for artists like Amy Grant, Lindsay Lohan and Cher in the 2000s, and Katherine McPhee and Little Mix in the 20-teens. For the last decade, Ms. Lewis has branched out into the world of songwriting for animated television, most notably as a Peabody Award-winning composer of all original music for Disney Jr’s hit show Doc McStuffins, and Emmy-nominated songwriter of the beloved Nickelodeon series The Loud House. She won an Emmy for Outstanding Original Song for her song “Unsaid Emily” from Julie and the Phantoms. She has over a half-dozen TV themes currently airing; including Doc McStuffins, The Loud House, Ada Twist, The Harvey Street Kids, Sydney 2 the Max and DC Super Hero Girls.

As an activist for creators' rights, she co-founded the non-profit advocacy organization, Songwriters of North America (SONA) in 2015 with a group of LA-based songwriters. Since then she has been on the leading edge of issues facing music creators by speaking out against unfair streaming rates, fighting for songwriters to get healthcare and workplace safety standards in place and lobbying for the Music Modernization Act which passed in 2018.

Terry Lewis

Writer board member

What do Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson; Robert Palmer and Elton John; Usher and Mary J. Blige; Celine Dion and Mariah Carey; Boyz II Men and New Edition; and The Time have in common? They’re all musical superstars of course, AND they’ve all collaborated with the most successful songwriting/production team in modern musical history – Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

With more credited Billboard Number One hits than any other songwriting and production team in history, the 5-time Grammy-winning duo of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis has been creating and crafting distinctive, memorable and instantly engaging songs for nearly four decades. Effortlessly crossing stylistic boundaries, from Pop, Rock, Country and Soul, to Rap, Hip-Hop, Gospel and Dance they have produced 16 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits and 26 Billboard R&B No. 1 hits. They are among a handful of producers to have No. 1 records in four consecutive decades and have had 41 songs reach the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.

In 2015 the duo scored another Billboard Number One with the release of Janet Jackson’s Unbreakable album, making her the youngest artist to have #1 Albums in four consecutive decades. Jimmy & Terry were the musical producers for the critically acclaimed The New Edition Story miniseries for BET which drew over 29 million viewers. They were invited to speak at the United Nations regarding using music to promote unity, and recently traveled to the DMZ where they were commissioned by the Global Peace Foundation to write and produce “Korean Dream” as a “soundtrack for peace” to help reunify North & South Korea in light of the escalating conflict in the Korean peninsula.

Jam & Lewis support many charitable endeavors including the United Negro College Fund, The Hollyrod Foundation, JDRF, City of Hope, TJ Martell Foundation, Starkey Hearing Foundation, The ASCAP Foundation, MusiCares and the Grammy Museum Foundation.

The pair has amassed Oscar and Golden Globe nominations and Lifetime Achievement Awards from various organizations including the NAACP Image Award. They’ve been named ASCAP Songwriters of the Year nine times, have a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, are inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

Marcus Miller

Writer board member

World-renowned jazz bassist Marcus Miller has been a considerable force in the music industry for over 40 years. Winner of multiple Grammys, prestigious international awards and also a UNESCO Artist for Peace, Marcus’ impact as an artist is felt worldwide. His identifiable bass sound can be found on over 500 recordings. His work as a composer and producer with music icons such as Miles Davis, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, David Sanborn, Wayne Shorter, Bill Withers and Al Jarreau to name just a few, is legendary in the music world. Miller had a pivotal influence on Miles Davis’ career, composing, producing and arranging three ground-breaking albums which helped define the sound of Davis’ final era - including the well-known recording Tutu, which Miller wrote in honor of South African activist Desmond Tutu. The album won two Grammys and is often described as one of Davis’ most significant contributions to the canon of contemporary jazz.

Marcus is also a well-respected film composer having composed scores for numerous urban films including the original House Party directed by Reginald Hudlin, Boomerang (starring Eddie Murphy and Halle Berry), Think Like A Man (starring Kevin Hart & Regina Hall) and Marshall starring the late Chadwick Boseman. Most recently you’ll find Marcus’ scores on Sidney, a documentary about the life of Sidney Poitier and Say Hey, Willie Mays, both released fall ’22. As an artist, Miller maintains a successful solo career with over 13 critically acclaimed albums. His 2001 release entitled M2 won the Grammy award for Best Contemporary Jazz album.

Marcus tours worldwide and presents his weekly radio show Miller Time on Sirius XM. He has hosted several Jazz Cruises including Blue Note At Sea/Playboy Jazz/The Smooth Jazz Cruise/North Sea Jazz and the Signature Jazz Cruise and is also, in partnership with producer/director Reggie Hudlin, the creator of the perennially sold-out “Black Movie Soundtrack” event at The Hollywood Bowl.

Paul Robinson

Publisher board member

Paul M. Robinson is Warner Music Group’s EVP & General Counsel, responsible for WMG’s global legal, business affairs and public policy functions. Paul joined WMG’s corporate legal team in 1995, and was named to his current position in 2006. Before joining WMG, Paul was a partner in the New York City music law firm Mayer, Katz, Baker, Leibowitz & Roberts.

Paul has a BA in English from Williams College. He earned his JD from Fordham University School of Law. He has been a member of the RIAA board of directors and executive committee since 2013 and last served on the SoundExchange board of directors from 2012 to 2021.

Alex Shapiro

Writer board member

Alex Shapiro’s genre-blind concert works are heard daily in performances and broadcasts, and can be found on over 30 commercially released albums from around the world. In addition to her acoustic and electroacoustic chamber music, Alex is widely known for her groundbreaking electroacoustic and multimedia pieces for symphonic wind band that seamlessly meld live and recorded sounds, often including striking visual and physical elements. Her diverse catalog is published by her company, Activist Music LLC.

Ms. Shapiro is a frequent festival composer and guest lecturer at universities, and has spoken at countless music events including many ASCAP Experiences. The author of numerous articles and book chapters on composing and new media, Alex was the sole artist invited to Washington, DC to testify in a 2009 Federal Communications Commission hearing on broadband access and digital rights.

Born and raised in New York City and educated at The Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music, Ms. Shapiro is a familiar national advocate for the new music community. She was among the field’s earliest professionals using the internet’s reach in the late 1990s to build a thriving international composing career. Alex was honored in 2011 by the national music fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon with its highest member distinction, the Award of Merit, for her inventive methods and her encouragement to colleagues.

Since 2014 Ms. Shapiro has held the sole Symphonic & Concert writer member seat on the Board of Directors of ASCAP. She is an officer on the Board of Directors of the ASCAP Foundation, and also serves on the board of The Aaron Copland Fund for Music. Known for the business acumen she developed during the start of her career scoring commercial media, in 2022 Alex was elected to the Board of Directors of the Music Publishers Association of the United States, representing her own company Activist Music LLC. Shapiro is the MPA's first independent board member whose company publishes solely her own catalog.

Ms. Shapiro’s long list of previous volunteer involvement includes service on the boards of national music organizations including the American Music Center, American Composers Forum Los Angeles Chapter, The MacDowell Colony, and the seat of Vice President of The Society of Composers & Lyricists. Significantly active in issues beyond music, during the 1990s Alex was Vice President of the Board of Directors of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, balancing her composing deadlines with regular appearances as a spokesperson for women’s rights and state and national legislation. Alex joined the board of the University of Washington’s distinguished Friday Harbor Laboratories marine research center in 2008, and not surprisingly, her catalog includes works with environmental messages that are often accompanied by her award-winning nature photographs.

In 2007, Alex relocated from Malibu, California to the edge of Washington State's remote San Juan Island. Her wildlife photographs, her music, and her holistic approach to a happy life in the arts can be experienced through social media and her website, www.alexshapiro.org.

Jonathan Singer

Publisher board member

As Chairman of independent music publishing company Spirit Music Group, Jon Singer oversees all global activities and champions the work of some of the world’s best-known songwriters. Singer also served 15 years on the recording side of the music business in senior positions at Island Records, Island Def Jam and Decca Label Group. Singer has extensive experience advocating on behalf of songwriters and copyright owners, pursuing fair compensation for music creators and ensuring that they are properly remunerated. He currently serves on the board of the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) and previously served on the board of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP).

Singer led a US$350 million recapitalization of Spirit Music Group, forming Lyric Capital Group with Spirit executive Ross Cameron to take ownership of Spirit. In a time of consolidation within the industry, the move preserved the company’s independence, ensuring that Spirit remained a songwriter-first music company into the future while also providing capital for further song catalog acquisitions.

Singer has successfully executed Spirit Music Group’s largest transactions, including a catalog acquisition of Pete Townshend/The Who; a multi-faceted deal with Nashville hitmaker Frank Rogers that included purchase of his interest in the Sea Gayle Catalog; an acquisition of master recordings of music superstar Tim McGraw; an acquisition of Jason Aldean’s recorded music catalog, encompassing nine albums, 24 #1 songs, 34 top 10 songs, and six RIAA-certified platinum albums; a multi-faceted deal with top Nashville hit-maker Jonathan Singleton; an acquisition of Gregg Wattenberg’s multi-platinum song catalog; an acquisition of Ingrid Michaelson’s publishing and master recordings; and the opening of Spirit Music Miami with Billboard’s Latin “Producer of the Decade” Rudy Pérez, to name a few. Singer has also worked to expand Spirit’s footprint as the company opened offices in Los Angeles, Nashville, Miami and London.

Spirit Music Group, founded over 25 years ago, is one of the world's leading independent music publishers. The Spirit Music Group portfolio is largely made up of mature music royalty assets managed by Lyric Capital Group and represents combined catalogs totaling over 100,000 songs spanning eight decades and every genre. It is one of the largest and most diversified independent music portfolios and includes iconic catalogs with 800+ charted hits and 200+ #1 songs. The company's repertoire includes hits by The Who, John Legend, Chicago, The Go-Go's, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Camila Cabello, Jay-Z, Ricky Martin, Brad Paisley, Ed Sheeran, Carrie Underwood and more. The catalog encompasses the works of such iconic songwriters, producers and artists as Pete Townshend, Marc Bolan, Toto, Billy Squier, Graham Nash, Charles Mingus, Chaka Khan, Henry Mancini, David Garcia, Rick Nowels, Tricky Stewart, Joy Williams, Pom Pom, and the breakthrough songs of such newer artists as H.E.R., Matt & Kim, Digital Farm Animals and Andrew Jannakos.

Singer got his start as a Senior Accountant in the firm of David Berdon & Company and received his B.S. from Rowan University where he serves on the Executive Advisory Counsel for the business school.

Jimmy Webb

Writer board member

Jimmy Webb’s songs are deeply embedded in our culture. His catalog of music and lyrics spans multiple genres and appeals to all living generations. He is always on the lists of the most important songwriters. With songs including “Wichita Lineman,” “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” “The Worst that Could Happen,” “MacArthur Park,” “Galveston,” “Didn’t We,” “All I Know,” “The Highwayman” and “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress,” he is clearly beloved by the best voices and admired by songwriters everywhere. Webb has been dubbed a modern-day Gershwin/Porter/Berlin and is a bona fide progenitor of the Great American Songbook. Yet at the same time, he appeals directly and widely to the country/pop/rock/rap culture of today. Webb’s music runs the spectrum of modern music genres: country, pop, rock, jazz, rap, heavy metal, new age, gospel, disco, EDM, classical—and more. And his songs have been recorded by the foremost interpreters of these genres.

Webb has written two books, one the ultimate songwriters’ tool, Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting. In 2017, he released a memoir and literary gem, The Cake and the Rain. Webb is a recipient of both the Johnny Mercer Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. He holds an honorary Doctorate of Music from Five Towns College and Oklahoma City University. He has been awarded Grammys for Song of the Year ("Up, Up and Away," 1967), Best Orchestration ("Macarthur Park," 1969) and Best Country Song ("Highwayman," 1985). He was awarded ASCAP's Voice of Music Award, which among other things honors him as an "exemplary advocate for the rights of creators." In 2015 Jimmy Webb received the prestigious Poet’s Award from the Academy of Country Music (ACM).

Jimmy Webb was born in Elk City, Oklahoma on Route 66 and raised by a former Marine and Southern Baptist minister father and a mother who insisted he master the piano by age 12. Webb was working the publishing houses of Hollywood at age 16 and was a self-proclaimed "professional songwriter" at age 17. Today Webb resides in New York and is happily married to Laura Savini, a producer and host for PBS. He has five sons, a daughter and five spectacular grandchildren.

Doug Wood

Writer board member

Doug Wood is a composer and music rights advocate. During his 24 years serving on the board, Doug has established a reputation for knowledge and understanding of the ASCAP organization and support for the not-yet-famous and behind-the-scenes writers who create so much of ASCAP's repertoire. He is Writer Chairman of the Law and Licensing Committee, the Operations and Administration Committee and serves on the Finance and Survey & Distribution Committees.

Before his election to the board, Doug founded the Professional Composers of America, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating young composers about the music business. He is the author of The Commercial Composers' Guide to Music Publishing and Licensing Agreements, as well as articles on music copyright and licensing. He is a frequent guest lecturer and panel participant discussing media music, music licensing and the rights of composers and songwriters.

Since his election to the board in 1999, Doug has earned the respect of fellow writers, publishers, staff and colleagues for his unwavering dedication to the principles of common interest and fair distribution on which ASCAP was founded. Doug's industry knowledge and independence make him an important voice on issues that affect all writers. He has authored several proposals to prevent non-writers from taking writers' royalties, has fought against industry practices which infringe on the rights of writers and was an original architect of the ASCAP Bill of Rights for Songwriters and Composers. He is a founding member of MusicAnswers.

A classically trained pianist and oboist and composition major at Manhattan School of Music (as well as rock guitarist and band leader), Doug is the founder and primary music creator for the Omnimusic Libraries, producing more than 300 discs of music for film, television and multimedia.

Doug and his wife Patti live in Port Washington, Long Island. They are the founders of Grassroots Environmental Education (www.GrassrootsInfo.org), an award-winning environmental health non-profit recognized for its groundbreaking educational programs and documentary films, and the hosts of the Green Street News radio show and podcasts.

Paul Williams is one of the most beloved and respected lyricists and composers in the world today. As President and Chairman of the Board of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), he is also a leading spokesman for music creators in the digital age.

Williams’s timeless classics range from “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “You and Me Against the World” and “The Rainbow Connection” to "Touch" and "Beyond" on Daft Punk’s chart-topping Album of the Year, Random Access Memories, on which he also performed, receiving a Grammy as Featured Artist. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001 and honored with the Johnny Mercer Award in 2022, he has also won numerous other awards to include an Oscar, three Grammys, two Golden Globes and an Ivor Novello International Award.

Williams’s standards have been recorded by such diverse musical icons as Ray Charles, David Bowie, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Diana Ross, The Carpenters, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Luther Vandross, Willie Nelson, Gonzo and Kermit the Frog. Although Williams is widely known as an actor in dozens of films and on television, most recently for his role with Billy Bob Thornton in Goliath, it is his musical legacy that continues to inspire. His songs and scores have received six Oscar, nine Grammy, six Golden Globe and two Emmy nominations. “The Rainbow Connection,” from the children’s classic The Muppet Movie, has recently been added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry. It is also one of two Williams songs that grace the American Film Institute’s List of Top Movie Songs of All Time; the second, “Evergreen,” is from the award-winning Barbra Streisand/Kris Kristofferson remake of A Star Is Born. Additional song scores include the cult favorites Phantom of the Paradise and Ishtar, as well as The Muppet Christmas Carol, Bugsy Malone and Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas, the latter of which has been adapted for the stage and opened to rave reviews. Paul also created the story and wrote the songs for Disney’s Emmy-nominated A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa and in 2022, “I Wish I Could Be Santa Claus” was performed on the Estefan Family Christmas album. Williams’s collaboration with Gustavo Santaolalla has included the animated film, The Book of Life which received a World Soundtrack Award for their “Apology Song” and more recently, “If It’s to Be,” performed by Kali Uchis for Maya and the Three.

While publicly lauded for his work as a songwriter, author and actor, Paul predicts he’ll be remembered for playing Little Enos in the Smokey and the Bandit trilogy and for his lyrics to The Love Boat theme. However, it is the lyrics from Bugsy Malone that aptly sum up his philosophy: “You give a little love and it all comes back to you; You’re gonna’ be remembered for the things that you say and do.”

The ASCAP Board of Review is an independent panel of writer and publisher members, elected by ASCAP’s membership. Their role is to hear claims by members who believe that their royalty distributions were not made in accordance with the rules and regulations adopted by ASCAP’s Board of Directors. The members of the Board of Review are elected for a four-year term, with the most recent term commencing April 1, 2026. The Board of Review is wholly independent of the ASCAP Board of Directors and no sitting member of the ASCAP Board of Directors is eligible to serve on the Board of Review. Having a Board of Review composed of writer and publisher peers to hear member claims regarding royalty payments is unique to ASCAP, the only US PRO that is founded and governed by its members.

The Board of Review’s jurisdiction, general procedures and membership requirements are established by Article XIV, Sections 4 and 5, of ASCAP’s Articles of Association. ASCAP’s Articles of Association, the Board of Review’s Rules of Procedure and the Rules for Appeals of Decisions of the ASCAP Board of Review are among ASCAP’s Governing Documents.

PUBLISHERS:

POPULAR-PRODUCTION PUBLISHERS

Bob Doyle
Major Bob Music

Debbie Rose
Sundae Songs LLC

Consuelo Sayago
Cribsheet Music Publishing

Randy Muller (alternate)
One to One Music Publishing Co.

SYMPHONY & CONCERT PUBLISHERS

Sonya Kim
Theodore Presser Company

Stephen Culbertson (alternate)
Subito Music Corporation

WRITERS:

POPULAR-PRODUCTION AUTHORS (LYRICISTS)

John Bettis

Lorraine Feather

Tom Chapin (alternate)

POPULAR-PRODUCTION COMPOSERS

Charles Bernstein

Gordon Chambers (alternate)

SYMPHONY & CONCERT COMPOSERS

Jonathan Bailey Holland

Dr. Bill Banfield (alternate)

Governance

ASCAP Board of Directors

Paul Williams President and Chairman of the Board

ASCAP Board of Directors

Jon Batiste

Claudia Brant

Peter Brodsky

Bob Bruderman

Alisa Coleman

Desmond Child

Marti Cuevas

Sharon Farber

Dan Foliart

Ree Guyer

Keith Hauprich

Dean Kay

James M. Kendrick

Evan Lamberg

Leeds Levy

Michelle Lewis

Terry Lewis

Marcus Miller

Paul Robinson

Alex Shapiro

Jonathan Singer

Jimmy Webb

Doug Wood

Board of Review

PUBLISHERS:

WRITERS:

Governing Documents

Paul Williams
President and Chairman of the Board