Describe your background and industry experience, and explain how it will help you contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?
With over three decades of experience in the Canadian music industry, I am deeply committed to championing songwriters and ensuring they receive the recognition and compensation they deserve. As Vice President at Sony Music Publishing Canada, I have worked extensively in music publishing, A&R, and artist development, advocating for fairer rights management, licensing, and royalty distribution.
My journey in music began after graduating from York University’s Music Program while Oscar Peterson served as chancellor. As a SOCAN award-winning songwriter, I understand firsthand the challenges of breaking into the industry and sustaining a career in music. This perspective has shaped my work, from serving as Vice President of the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame to teaching A&R at The Harris Institute for over 20 years, where I have mentored the next generation of music creators and professionals.
Having worked in a dual role as Director of A&R for Sony Music’s recorded label and publishing divisions and then as an executive in the field of music publishing, I navigated the evolving music landscape, building strong relationships with global music companies, key executives, streaming services, and rights organizations. These connections have allowed me to advocate for policies that support Canadian songwriters and modernize systems that fuel creativity and protect their work in an increasingly digital world.
As the music industry continues to evolve, I remain passionate about fostering new talent and ensuring Canadian songwriters can thrive on the global stage. My experience, industry relationships, and creator-first mindset would align with and support SOCAN’s mission. It would be a privilege to serve on the SOCAN Board and contribute to the advancement of our music community.
In your opinion, what issues will be most important to SOCAN members over the next three years?
In my opinion, some of the most important issues facing SOCAN members over the next three years will be; fair compensation in the digital age for all music creators, AI tools being used to generate music which raise questions about ownership and fair compensation (SOCAN members may be concerned with how AI-generated works are classified) and there will be a need for new copyright protections to prevent the unauthorized use of a creators’ work. While live music has largely rebounded post-pandemic, ensuring proper tracking and the distribution of performance royalties through the use of emerging technologies remains a growing area of focus within our rapidly evolving music business. SOCAN is always a champion of diversity and inclusion and I am sure will continue to prioritize the representation and need for the equitable access of opportunities for marginalized communities. Along with all of this, I believe that SOCAN will continue to exceed and answer the growing need of providing the most cutting edge and transparent reporting payout systems to its members.  Â