Board of Directors
Kay Hanley
Board Chair
KAY HANLEY is a Peabody and Emmy-award-winning songwriter and co-founder of Songwriters Of North America, an advocacy organization focused on preserving the value of music and songwriter rights through legislative policy. SONA was instrumental in passing the Music Modernization Act which created the Mechanical Licensing Collective where Kay now serves as vice chair of the Unclaimed Royalty Oversight Committee. As a singer and songwriter, Kay is known for her work with her band Letters To Cleo and composing music for TV animation such as the hit Disney series Doc McStuffins, Cartoon Network/WB's DC Super Hero Girls, Harvey Girls Forever, and Ada Twist, Netflix’s Scientist, and currently as executive producer of Disney Junior’s upcoming Kindergarten: The Musical.
Mark Pariser
Co-Founder, Board Treasurer
MARK PARISER is CPA/Business Manager and Partner with Dunn Pariser Peyrot, and has over thirty years of experience providing business management and tax services for entertainers. Mark’s practice emphasizes the proactive management of the tax and financial affairs of a variety of people who work in film, television, music and technology. His clientele also includes composers, songwriters, touring acts, international executives and entrepreneurs, and other high net worth individuals and their businesses.
John Bitrick
Co-Founder, Board Chief Financial Officer
John Bitrick, MBA, is a long-time veteran in finance and banking for the creative industries, with over 20 years as a senior banker in City National Bank's Entertainment Banking division, where he played key roles in structuring substantial credit facilities for artists and corporations in copyright and broader intellectual property rights. John currently serves as the Principal of Media & Music: Finance & Strategy, which specializes in strategic planning, acquisitions, and financing within the music industry. He is a key strategist and board member of the Opera Buffs, which has given over $1 million and mentorship to young artists who have gone on to careers at the New York Metropolitan Opera, L.A. Opera, Covent Garden, and the Paris Opera.
Co-Founder, Board Secretary
Jared is a transactional attorney focused on the intersection of music and technology. He serves as general counsel of Bleeker, a public benefit corporation dedicated to putting underrepresented talent in the driver’s seat of their careers. Bleeker is a management consulting, coaching and recruiting business advising executives and creatives in music, media, technology and consumer products.
Previously, as an associate at WilmerHale in New York and Stubbs Alderton & Markiles in Los Angeles, Jared advised hundreds of startups and creative companies on corporate governance, venture capital investments, IP licensing transactions, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, employee matters and securities law compliance.
Jared Brenner
Aimee Felise
Brian Kennedy
Award-winning singer-songwriter and topliner from Southern California, Aimee Felise crafts melodies and lyrics that hit you right in the heart for both artists and sync licensing. With a background in communication and education, Aimee is passionate about empowering fellow songwriters on their creative journey. She is the proud editor of the international book sensation Fire Up Your Songwriting, and also partners with independent artists to showcase and represent their catalogs for sync opportunities. Her credits include relevant names like Sony/ATV, Paramount, CW, USC, The Never List, and Hallmark films.
4X Grammy-winner, musical phenomenon, and founder of the Hits To Healing non-profit, Kennedy has a career that spans over 20 years, with chart-topping hits that include Disturbia and Close To You - Rihanna; Forever and Don’t Want Me Up - Chris Brown; What it is - Doechii / Kodak Black; Easy - Rascal Flatts; Mr. Know It All - Kelly Clarkson; Here We Go again - The Weekend/Tyler the Creator; No Time For It - Fantasia. Kennedy earned his first Grammy as writer and producer for Best R&B Album in 2009 with Jennifer Hudson’s self-titled debut album, and an ASCAP award with her hit song “If This Isn’t Love.” Revered as a piano prodigy, he has worked with top artists and producers, including Smokey Robinson, The Weeknd, Timbaland, Lady Gaga, Rascal Flatts, Kelly Clarkson, Dallas Davidson, Dr. Dre, Backstreet Boys, David Foster, Clive Davis, Natasha Bedingfield, Diane Warren, Kodak Black, Sueco, Tyler The creator, Thomas Rhett, and Doechii. With Hits To Healing, Kennedy and his team address health equity using music and information to reach, teach and connect with the community.
Anne Preven
Board Vice-Chair
Anne Preven is an award-winning songwriter, record producer and co-founder of Pulse Music Group. She has written songs for Beyoncé, Madonna, Sinéad O’Connor, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Zac Brown Band, Natalie Imbruglia, Demi Lovato, Jordin Sparks and many more. As lead singer of Los Angeles-based alternative rock band Ednaswap (@ednswap90s), she co-wrote “Torn” which was recorded by Natalie Imbruglia and went on to become one of the most performed songs of its decade. In 2007, Anne was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, and won the Critic’s Choice Award for “Listen,” performed by Beyoncé in the movie adaptation of Dreamgirls. Later she was honored with a Grammy nomination for “Where The River Goes,” her collaboration with Zac Brown Band. On screen, she has contributed music to various television shows and to several animated features including Tangled, Bolt, Playmobil, and Wonder Park. Anne produced the music for the finale of Amazon’s Emmy-award-winning Transparent, as well as Sony Pictures’ Cinderella starring Camilla Cabello. She is a proud supporter of @writegirl.
RAIGN
Rachel Rabin, known by her stage name RAIGN, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer and founder of the indie label Millionaire London Records. Amassing over 150 million streams, her critically acclaimed alt-pop songs have been featured on the soundtracks of numerous award-aiming TV series, movies and trailers including prominent spots on The Vampire Diaries, The 100, Grey’s Anatomy, Legacies and official trailers for the hit TV show Younger and Video Game, Snowrunner. She also is a frequent collaborator with top 40 EDM DJs and has achieved multiple top 10 releases as a featured vocalist, including two long-running number one singles on pop radio in Russia. Currently signed to Sony Music Publishing via the LA office, RAIGN has also written and vocal produced multi-platinum songs released by top 40 artists including Rita Ora, Ty Dolla $ign, Jesse McCarthy, Pryanka Chopra, and Will Sparks.
Staff
Kellie Brown
Chief Operating Officer
Kellie Brown is a philanthropic focused marketer and strategist with more than 15 years of experience in program development, partner relations, and fundraising worldwide. She has worked for global brands including CNN, The NBA (National Basketball Association), and Hard Rock International where she led the creation of the Hard Rock Heals Foundation and designed programs that supported the growth of music based organizations in more than 85 countries. A graduate of Seminole State College and the University of Central Florida’s Non Profit Management program, Kellie is keen philanthropist both in training and in heart. She is the creator of Sound Circle Management, a boutique think tank and development firm focused on family run companies and local community growth. Kellie is a native of Long Beach, California. Some of her favorite songwriters are Fela Kuti, Nipsey Hussle, and Hil St Soul.
Arielle Silver
Program Manager
Arielle Silver, MFA, is a touring singer-songwriter, literary writer, and teaching artist, with particular interests in narrative and storytelling as a tool to build compassion, create awareness, inspire action, and foster transformation. She teaches Creative Writing and creativity research studies in the undergraduate division at Antioch University, and has been visiting faculty at University of Wisconsin’s Pre-College Summer Music Clinic and the International Women’s Writing Guild. A yoga practitioner since 2000 and teacher (eRYT500 and YACEP) since 2009, Arielle has been leading retreats since 2016 and is co-owner of Bhavana Flow Yoga. She currently serves as Board President of Folk Alliance Region-West (FAR-West) and is part of Folk Alliance International’s conference program production team.