National Advocacy Committee

Torae, SiriusXM host of 'The Tor Guide', on Hip-Hop Nation and 'That Raw' on LL Cool J's Rock The Bells Radio is the epitome of a multi-hyphenate renaissance man. When the songwriter, actor, rapper, philanthropist and entrepreneur isn’t delivering his daily radio shows, hosting red carpet events and live festivals, he's interviewing the Kings and Queens of today like Nas, Swizz Beats, D-Nice, Megan The Stallion or Migos, to name a few. On the recording front, he’s written on gold and platinum albums, scoring a multitude of Hot 100 triumphs. Torae has released eight projects as a solo artist and collaborated with Hip-Hop heavyweights such as DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Hitmaka, Cool & Dre and Tay Keith, to name another few. His various acting roles— from the no nonsense 'Sig Sauer' in VH1's 'The Breaks' to the poised 'Beans' in BET's hit show TALES—have been met with critical acclaim. Torae’s diverse ascendance is the result of purpose, dedication and a blue-collar work ethic. As a professor at Medgar Evers college, the multi-hyphenate intends to educate the next generation of music industry professionals with his "Business of Music" course. Whether at a podium, in a classroom or in a recording booth, Torae will certainly be doing one thing: Dropping jewels.

Dani Deahl has been an advocate for equality in music for over a decade. Her music has been released on the industry’s top labels, from Dim Mak to Monstercat to Armada and Flamingo, and has charted everywhere from Billboard to Beatport. She was Editor-at-Large for DJ Mag for two years, is currently heading up music tech coverage for The Verge and has done a TEDx talk on gender imbalance in dance music titled "Women, STEM & EDM." Dani is the subject of a forthcoming documentary series in partnership with Roland that focuses on strong women in leadership roles within the dance music community, and splits her time between DJing, The Verge, and mentorship for young women in music.

Tammy Hurt serves as Chair on the Board of Trustees of the Recording Academy®. She is the presiding officer of the Recording Academy and presides at all meetings of the Board of Trustees. She also chairs the Executive Committee and serves as a member of each Standing Committee (Advocacy Committee, Audit/Finance Committee, Awards & Nominations Committee, Membership Committee, Planning & Governance Committee, GRAMMY Awards Television Committee, Recording Academy Specials Television Committee), and in an Ex Officio capacity on every other committee appointed by the Board. In this role, she oversees the organization’s functions and policies, including the GRAMMY Awards®. She also serves on the Board of the Latin Recording Academy®/Latin GRAMMY Awards®, the GRAMMY Museum®, MusiCares®, and GRAMMY Global Ventures. Hurt is an openly out LGBTQ+ officer, a landmark for the Academy, only the second Atlantan, and the third female to hold the position of Chair of the Board of Trustees in the Recording Academy’s 65-year history. Hurt's entire life has been about music – creating it, working in the industry, and helping others understand the role it plays not only in our hearts, but also our economy. Her mother was a lifelong musician and her father a lifelong community servant. Early on, she learned firsthand about the art and business of music and the importance of community. In the years since, Tammy has built an undeniable reputation not only as a talented drummer, music producer and Emmy-nominated television producer, but also as a fierce advocate for those who create the sounds we love to hear. Never happier than when she is sitting behind a drum kit, her latest project, Sonic Rebel – We Made This With Our Hands, was recorded at Big Trouble Recording, Atlanta and features Daniel Gleason and Ben Homola of the band Grouplove. An entrepreneur at heart, Hurt's boutique entertainment firm, Placement Music, which she founded in 2010 has been commissioned for various projects including FOX Sports, Paramount Pictures, CBS, MTV, HBO, BET, Sony, the NFL, and NASCAR. She is a recipient of Catalyst Magazine's Top 25 Entrepreneurs and Ones to Watch Award, has been a featured TEDxAtlanta speaker, and has been recognized as a Most Admired CEO by the Atlanta Business Chronicle for her significant contributions to the metro Atlanta area. Hurt led the campaign that successfully passed the state of Georgia's first standalone music tax incentive, the Georgia Music Investment Act, and was commended by Governor Brian Kemp for her impact on the music industry throughout the United States. She continues her advocacy efforts as a member of the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Commission.

Dr. Chelsey Green serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Recording Academy®. In this role, she sits on the Audit/Finance Committee, Executive Committee, Membership Committee, and Planning/Governance Committee; and provides assistance as requested by the Chair. Since 2020, Dr. Green has served as an At-Large Trustee, serving on the Academy’s Executive Committee, as Co-Chair of the National Awards and Nominations (A&N) Committee, and as the A&N Liaison to the National Membership Committee and the Planning & Governance Committee. As Co-Chair of A&N, she chaired several task forces year-round which resulted in multiple landmark proposals. Described as "passionate, electrifying, and innovative," Billboard-charting international recording artist Chelsey Green breaks down stereotypes of traditional violin and viola playing. A native of Houston, Texas, Dr. Chelsey Green is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, entrepreneur and educator that combines classical and contemporary to make music uniquely her own. Chelsey Green and The Green Project have released five studio projects, debuted on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart (Top 30), appeared in the Top 5 albums of iTunes Jazz chart and actively perform concerts, music festivals and educational workshops around the world. Chelsey Green and The Green Project have been honored to perform shows throughout the United States, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Japan, Haiti and more including the Capital Jazz Festival, The John F. Kennedy Center, Port-Au-Prince International Jazz Festival, Bahrain Spring of Culture Festival, Kuwait National Opera House and more. The Green Project has also had featured ensemble debuts with the National Symphony Orchestra, The United States Air Force Band, the Prince Georges Philharmonic and more! A few solo performance highlights include the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards with Lizzo, Songs In The Key Of Life Tour (D.C.) with Stevie Wonder, Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival with jazz violinist Regina Carter, a Library of Congress commission premier with jazz icon Charles Lloyd, NPR Tiny Desk tapings with Maimouna Youssef and Wu-Tang Clan, the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival with Terri Lyne Carrington, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival with Yo Yo Ma, serving as concertmaster of the Soulful Symphony feat. DNice and even a nationally syndicated Walmart commercial produced by BET Networks appearing alongside Kirk Franklin and Estelle. Aside from her own compositions, Green has written string arrangements and recorded for multiple artists including Crystal Waters, Phonte Coleman, Maimouna "Mumu Fresh" Youssef, Carolyn Malachi, Maysa Leak, Jamar Jones and more. Dr. Green completed her Doctorate of Musical Arts (D.M.A) degree in 2017 at the University of Maryland College Park and was appointed Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music in August of that same year. Committed to music education, youth arts access and arts advocacy, Dr. Green is also a member of the Program Council of NewMusicUSA and The Society, Inc. Learn more at www.chelseygreen.com.

Evan Bogart is an award-winning Songwriter, Producer & Creative Executive who has had a hand in creating some of the most indelible hits of the past 20 years, most notably Beyonce’s GRAMMY Award-Winning “Halo” and Rihanna’s Worldwide #1 “SOS”, in addition to crafting iconic records for Madonna, Britney Spears, Lizzo, Jennifer Lopez, Jason Derulo, Demi Lovato, Enrique Iglesias, Becky G, Ozuna, Leona Lewis, Sean Kingston, Usher, Brandy and countless others. Son of Casablanca Records Founder, Neil Bogart, Evan cut his teeth as a teenager in the Interscope Records A&R department working on projects by 2Pac and Eminem, the latter whom he helped sign to the label. Bogart had stints as an artist manager and booking agent for the likes of Maroon 5 and OneRepublic, respectively, before successfully making the leap to the creative side of the business. Through his various own ventures, Bogart signed and developed 3x GRAMMY-Award Producer Of The Year nominee, and Record Of The Year-winner, Ricky Reed, and blues-rock recording artist ZZ Ward, in addition to being the CEO of Seeker Music, the fast-rising independent music publishing and record company whose catalog includes Christopher Cross, The Go-Go’s, Run The Jewels, Swizz Beats and hits from Miley Cyrus, Beyoncé, Eminem, 2Pac, Drake, Harry Styles and many more. In recent years, Bogart has branched out into TV & Film, most recently as the Executive Music Producer and Composer for the independent feature biopic based on his father, Spinning Gold, and the upcoming movie-musical Verona, for which he co-wrote all of the original music. He has been named to Billboard’s 40 Under 40 list (twice), Billboard’s R&B and Hip-Hop Power Players list and currently serves as National Trustee for the LA Chapter of the Recording Academy, as well as Chair of the Songwriters & Composers Wing.

Four-time Grammy Award winner Angélique Kidjo is one of the greatest artists in international music today, a creative force with thirteen albums to her name. Time Magazine has called her "Africa's premier diva". The BBC has included her in its list of the continent's 50 most iconic figures, and in 2011 The Guardian listed her as one of their Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in the World. Forbes Magazine has ranked Angélique as the first woman in their list of the Most Powerful Celebrities in Africa. She is the recent recipient of the prestigious 2015 Crystal Award given by the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the 2016 Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award, and the 2023 most prestigious Polar Music Prize. As a performer, her striking voice, stage presence and fluency in multiple cultures and languages have won respect from her peers and expanded her following across national borders. Kidjo has cross-pollinated the West African traditions of her childhood in Benin with elements of American R&B, funk and jazz, as well as influences from Europe and Latin America. Her latest single “Joy” released in 2024 is a collaboration with Afrobeats superstar Davido. Her latest album, Mother Nature featuring the young generation of African artists like Burna Boy and Yemi Alade has won the Grammy for Best Global Music album in 2022. After exploring the roads of Africa's diaspora — through Brazil, Cuba and The United States — and offering a refreshing and electrifying take on the Talking Heads album Remain In Light (called “Transformative” by the New York Times, “Visionary” by NPR Music, “Stunning” by Rolling Stone, and “one of the year’s most vibrant albums” by the Washington Post), the French-Beninese singer is now reflecting on an icon of the Americas, celebrated salsa singer Celia Cruz. Kidjo’s album Celia. divests itself of the glamour to investigate the African roots of the Cuban-born woman who became the "Queen" of salsa. Angélique’s interpretation of The Talking Heads’ classic 1980 album, Remain in Light, was recorded with superstar producer Jeff Bhasker (Kanye West, Rolling Stones, Beyoncé), taking classic songs such as "Crosseyed and Painless," "Once in a Lifetime," and "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" and reinterpreting them with electrifying rhythms, African guitars, and layered backing vocals. Her star-studded album DJIN DJIN won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Album in 2008, and her album OYO was nominated for the same award in 2011. In January 2014 Angélique’s first book, a memoir titled Spirit Rising: My Life, My Music (Harper Collins) and her twelfth album, EVE (Savoy/429 Records), were released to critical acclaim. EVE later went on to win the Grammy Award for Best World Music Album in 2015, and her historic, orchestral album Sings with the Orchestre Philharmonique Du Luxembourg (Savoy/429 Records) won a Grammy for Best World Music Album in 2016. Angélique has gone on to perform this genre-bending work with several international orchestras and symphonies including the Bruckner Orchestra, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and the Philharmonie de Paris. Her collaboration with Philip Glass, IFÉ: Three Yorùbá Songs, made its US debut to a sold-out concert with the San Francisco Symphony in June 2015. In 2019, Angélique was the solosist of Philip Glass' Symphony #12 “Lodger”, a symphonic re-imaging of the David Bowie album of the same name, at a sold-out performance at the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In addition to performing this new orchestral concert, Angélique continues to tour globally performing the high-energy concert she’s become famous for with her four-piece band. Angélique also travels the world advocating on behalf of children in her capacity as a UNICEF and OXFAM goodwill Ambassador. At the G7 Summit in 2019, President Macron of France named Kidjo as the spokesperson for the AFAWA initiative (Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa) to help close the financing gap for women entrepreneurs in Africa. She has also created her own charitable foundation, Batonga, dedicated to support the education of young girls in Africa.

Wayna is an Ethiopian-born, GRAMMY-nominated singer, songwriter, and former White House writer, who celebrates her cultural background through electric performances audiences long remember. She is a GRAMMY Nominee for Best Urban Alternative Performance, a 2X All Africa Music Awards Nominee, and the co-creator of the GRAMMY Award for Best Song for Social Change. Wayna has performed at renown venues around the world and on Ethiopia's most prestigious stages, where she is a household name. In addition to her solo career, she joined music icon Stevie Wonder as a vocalist on the Songs in the Key Of Life Tour and in other performances internationally. Wayna has shared the stage with Dave Chapelle, Common, the Legendary Roots, Janelle Monae, Chuck Brown, India.Arie, and Frankie Beverly and Maze to name a few. Her music has been featured in USA Today, Billboard, BBC News, the UK Daily Mail, Essence Magazine, Complex, the Baltimore Sun, the Toronto Star, and the Washington Post. In 2024, Wayna will release her latest album, The Housewives of Zamunda, which combines hip-hop, soul, and African-inspired tracks to create a sound all her own. The project follows Wayna’s three critically acclaimed solo albums, Moments of Clarity, Higher Ground, and The Expats. She received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for her remake of “Lovin’ You (Music) f. Kokayi” on Higher Ground.

Harvey Mason jr. is the CEO of the Recording Academy® as well as a songwriter, music and movie producer, and founder of Harvey Mason Media.

Under his leadership, the Academy has undergone significant transformations, including diversifying its membership, making the GRAMMY Awards® more transparent and inclusive, and expanding its role as a service organization for music creators. Mason has also played a key role in restructuring the organization for global growth. As CEO, he collaborates closely with the Academy's Board of Trustees and senior management team, as well as serving as CEO of MusiCares® and being involved with various music-related boards and foundations. During his tenure, Mason achieved notable milestones, such as establishing the Songwriters & Composers Wing and the Black Music Collective, hiring the Academy's first Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, advocating for creator’s rights in Washington, D.C., and overseeing MusiCares COVID-19 Relief's distribution of over $30 million to music creators.

In his creative endeavors, Mason has penned and produced songs for industry legends and today's biggest superstars. Everyone from Whitney Houston to Beyoncé, Elton John to Justin Timberlake, Aretha Franklin to Ariana Grande, Britney Spears to Mariah Carey, Luther Vandross to Justin Bieber, and Michael Jackson to Chris Brown have called on Mason to deliver uniquely musical hit records. Simultaneously, Mason has been instrumental in producing memorable music for many of the biggest musical films and TV events from the past decade. His work in films includes Bob Marley: One Love, Dreamgirls, the Pitch Perfect franchise, Respect, Shrek, SING, SING 2, Sparkle, and Straight Outta Compton. TV shows including "The Wiz Live!" and "Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert" also counted on Mason's musical talent and taste.

Mason is also recognized for his philanthropic efforts, having received the Spirit of Excellence Award from the T.J. Martell Foundation and being involved with the Ronald McDonald House, the American Cancer Society, and Los Angeles Children's Hospital.

Todd Dupler serves as Chief Advocacy & Public Policy Officer of the Recording Academy® where he oversees the Advocacy division focused on championing creators’ rights and elevating important policy issues that stand to affect the music community. He’s also responsible for orchestrating cross-departmental efforts to advance the overall advocacy goals of the Recording Academy and coordinating state and local advocacy with the Academy’s 12 regional Chapters. Dupler previously served as the VP of Advocacy & Public Policy and Acting Chief Advocacy & Public Policy Officer for the Recording Academy since December 2021, leading the Academy’s team in Washington, D.C., and coordinating all the Academy’s advocacy and government affairs efforts. Dupler was instrumental in expanding the Academy’s state and local advocacy work, resulting in new pro-music laws in multiple states, including California’s landmark Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act. He also relaunched and reinvigorated the Academy’s signature advocacy programs, GRAMMYs on the Hill and District Advocate. Under his leadership, these initiatives supported the passage of the PEACE Through Music Diplomacy Act, which was signed into law at the end of 2022. Joining the Academy in 2012, Dupler has helped secure legislative achievements such as the Music Modernization Act and the Better Online Tickets Sales Act, and launched the GRAMMY® Fund for Music Creators, the Academy’s political action committee.

Dupler has over 25 years of experience in Washington, D.C., and extensive knowledge of Capitol Hill and the legislative process. Prior to joining the Academy, he served on the legislative staffs of two members of Congress and a United States senator, including serving as the legislative director to the chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet. In this role, Dupler helped facilitate negotiations to reform copyright law, and was a liaison to stakeholders in the creative industries. In addition, he was also a presidential appointee at the U.S. Department of Labor and has experience in state government.

Dupler is a member of the State Bar of Texas and serves on the board of the Copyright Alliance. He also previously served on the board of the Texas State Society of Washington, D.C.

He holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and bachelor of arts degree in history and political science from Baylor University.