TEDxBerklee Boston

President of CD Baby

Molly Neuman is President of CD Baby, a leading music distribution company dedicated to empowering independent artists. In this role, she leads strategy and management for Downtown’s primary D2C business, serving millions of artists daily. Previously, Neuman was CMO of Downtown Music Holdings and President of Songtrust, where she oversaw growth to over 3 million copyrights for 350,000 writers in 145 countries. With a career focused on supporting musicians, Neuman has held senior roles at Kickstarter, A2IM, and in digital licensing, label, and artist management. She serves on the Women in Music Advisory Board and has previously served on boards for the Music Business Association, SoundExchange, and A2IM. Recognized by Billboard on its Digital Power Players List (2018) and Women in Music Lists (2019-2021, 2024), Neuman began her musical career as a drummer in the punk band Bratmobile, part of the riot grrrl movement’s first wave.

Founder and Managing Partner at SunPop

Do you ever feel lost in the details? Join music industry executive, William Tenney, as he explores the power of perspective. In his TEDx talk, William reflects on the concept of “Bridge” as a connection across time, sharing how his early experiences in the fast-paced world of motorsports informs his journey in the music industry today. Through personal stories and life lessons, he reveals how past experiences can shape the future, offering insights that go beyond any one field—and how a bit of a big picture perspective can go a long way. 

William Tenney is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, music industry executive, entrepreneur, and multi-instrumentalist. He is the Managing Partner of SunPop, a New York-based label and management company he founded, representing artists like Quarters Of Change  and PTS!. Under his leadership, SunPop has sold over 1 million records with artists such as Sara Bareilles, Lizzy McAlpine, and Stephen Dawes. For six years, Tenney was the Head of Streaming Strategy & Promotion at Crush Music, overseeing campaigns for stars like Lorde, Miley Cyrus, and Green Day. Prior to that, he worked as an analyst at Goldman Sachs. As a musician, he toured North America with artists like Lauv, Cash Cash, and Parachute, and currently plays in the band Exit, a RockSound Magazine Breakout Artist.

Assistant Professor of Voice, Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Musical Theatre Performer 

What if I told you there was a sturdy, safe, and beautiful room (with terrifically live acoustics) where you could look with wholehearted courage at your life and tell the truth about it? What if this communication reunited broken places in you while telling folks around you they're not alone? And what if this place was somewhere you could return over and over to bring joy where there's pain, understanding where there's confusion, and compassion where there's rejection? I'm going to show you that place, and I'm going to tell you how it's turned irreparable damage in my life to gold. 

Dan Callaway is a musical theatre voice and vocal pedagogy instructor at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, with previous faculty experience at Elon University. His performance credits include the Broadway National Tour of The Phantom of the Opera, Where's Charley? with City Center Encores!, and productions at renowned venues such as the Guthrie Theater, Mark Taper Forum, and Royal Opera House. He has also received an LA Ovation Award nomination for his work in Sweeney Todd. In addition to performing, Callaway has taught workshops and led a vocal studio in Los Angeles, with students appearing on Broadway and in national and international tours. He holds a B.F.A. in Music Theatre from Elon College and an M.M. in Vocal Performance/Pedagogy from UNC Greensboro.

Dean of Professional Education Division, Berklee College of Music and Jazz Musician 

It may seem cliché to hear the saying that music is a universal language, but research shows that jazz improvisation can serve as a bridge to understanding ourselves and others. Dr. Lenora Helm Hammonds, an intercultural maturity researcher and celebrated jazz musician, guides us through the cornerstones that create a unique collection of social and emotional intelligence skills known as Intercultural Maturity. Our ability to successfully navigate relationships, both on the bandstand and in life, requires intercultural competence. However, one cannot become interculturally competent without developing skills along a continuum—starting with awareness and leading to the ability to integrate successfully with others who are different. Dr. Hammonds demonstrates this through musical performances in jazz, accompanied by Berklee alum guitarist Baron Tymas (’82) and faculty members bassist Mimi Jones and drummer Terri Lyne Carrington.

Dr. Lenora Z. Helm Hammonds, a Chicago native and former U.S. Jazz Ambassador, is the new Dean of the Professional Education Division at Berklee College of Music. With over 20 years of academic leadership, she has authored award-winning programs and initiatives, including NEA-sponsored teaching artist certifications. A Berklee alumna, she holds advanced degrees in music from East Carolina University and Boston University. As a jazz recording artist with over four decades of experience, Dr. Hammonds, known as Lenora Zenzalai Helm, leads the Tribe Jazz Orchestra® and has released several acclaimed albums. Her work spans academia, digital humanities, and jazz, with numerous accolades including the 2022 Jazz Educator of Distinction award.

Student, Music Production and Engineering, Berklee College of Music

As AI becomes deeply integrated into the creative industries, the artist’s role is fundamentally transforming. The traditional artist, defined by personal inspiration and manual skill, is evolving into a new paradigm where AI acts as both a tool and collaborator. This shift opens up unprecedented opportunities for innovation while simultaneously challenging long-held concepts of authenticity, originality, and authorship. The question is: how will artists, tech companies, and consumers respond to the shift and ensure that this leads to a sustainable, thriving creative ecosystem?

Amal Irgashev is an ambitious AI engineer, software developer, and marketing specialist with a diverse background in music business, finance, marketing, and AI engineering. As an AI Operations Engineer and Automation Developer, he has improved efficiency for clients like Wasserman Music and Eventide Audio through custom AI-powered applications, including a tour booking solution that saves Wasserman 65% of time per week. Amal is also the founder of AudioVerse Lab, an educational platform at Berklee College of Music focused on generative AI and Web3 in the music industry. He led “The Bridge” marketing campaign, directing a video series that garnered over half a million views.

Members of Berklee's Alumni Affairs team: Dana James, Associate Director, Alumni Affairs in Los Angeles, and Zack Lucia, Assistant Director, Systems and Engagement, Alumni Affairs

In this talk, Dana James and Zack Lucia explore how musicians are inherently wired to embrace feedback as a core part of their development and artistry. From the moment we begin learning, our ears are trained to listen to ourselves, our teachers, and our audience, constantly refining our craft through feedback. This practice extends beyond music into various careers and collaborations, where the ability to seek and respond to feedback becomes a driving force for growth. Musicians not only accept feedback but actively seek it, using it to fuel movement, change, and progress in all areas of life.

Dana James, part of Berklee's Alumni Affairs team and Community Architect for Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF), empowers individuals to create spaces of intersectional connection and belonging. Drawing from her unlearning journey, she is passionate about dismantling barriers to confidence, community, and self-expression. Recognized as an expert in workflow design and power dynamics, Dana has spoken at events like Dreamforce, We Give Summit, and Planned Parenthood’s Development Officers Conference. Blending antiracism with arts and storytelling, she helps creative professionals overcome the constraints of mainstream U.S. culture to speak with their full voice. A proud data nerd and music-theater kid, Dana celebrates the bittersweet symphony of the human experience. As she says, "You make sense. You are enough. Be seen."

Zack Lucia thrives on guiding the processes and mediums through which stories are told, whether composing music, defining engagement strategies, or managing creative teams, all while fostering community connections. He has contributed music to series like Outlander, Black Sails, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The Walking Dead, and The Serpent Queen, and has produced hundreds of hours of recording sessions, collaborating with top Los Angeles musicians to bring legendary scores like God of War and The Cloverfield Paradox to life. Zack emphasizes the importance of community for creatives and advocates for composer assistants through the group Teammates, holding space for others to ignite their creative spark. 

Student, Music Business/Management, Berklee College of Music

What happens when life suddenly burns the very bridge you rely on? At 3am on the Sunday before finals, Anu discovered an answer she never expected. Through her compelling journey from that devastating phone call to becoming SGA President and a Sony Music intern, she reveals a powerful truth: when we stand at life's most daunting cliffs, we have more options than we realize. We can discover bridges we never knew existed or build new ones ourselves. In this talk, Anu shows how life's biggest challenges don't just test our resilience – they reveal our power to create new and see paths forward.

Anu Mendsaikhan is a trailblazing student leader from Mongolia and an emerging professional in the music industry. Currently serving as the Student Government Association President at Berklee and a Sony Music Global Scholar, she was also named Berklee's Trailblazer of the Year. Her experience spans from teaching violin in Mongolia to interning at Sony Music Entertainment in Los Angeles. As the author of two children's music education books and a co-lead at Harvard Law School's Recording Artists Project, Anu showcases how bridging art, education, and leadership can create meaningful and lasting change.

Assistant Professor of Songwriting, Berklee College of Music; Songwriter; and Entrepreneur

In a world that often urges us to pick a single path, Isabeau Miller shares how defying convention unlocks unexpected doors. From songwriter and entrepreneur to Broadway producer, mother, and more, she reveals how saying YES to multiple passions doesn't divide success—it magnifies it. Discover how weaving together diverse roles creates a rich tapestry of experiences, and learn the magic that happens when you build bridges between your varied callings. Join her to explore the power of a multi hyphenate life and be inspired to embrace all that you are. 

Isabeau Miller is a songwriter, entrepreneur, and Assistant Professor in the Songwriting Department at Berklee College of Music. A multifaceted professional, she has made her mark as a Broadway producer, published writer, TV personality and CEO/Founder of multiple companies. Dedicated to creating opportunities and platforms that honor the human spirit, she focuses on making work that matters and leaving a meaningful impact through each project she undertakes. At Berklee, she inspires students to find their voice and navigate both the creative and business sides of the industry, helping them shape careers that sustain them artistically and financially. As a mother of three boys and a devoted wife, she believes in the power of human connection, creativity, and resilience.

Student, Africana Studies/Black Music and Culture, Berklee College of Music

There is an African proverb that says, “Until the Lion tells the story, the Hunter will always be the hero.” In this talk, Tyson Velazquez explores the transformative concept of "narrative-centered healing"- the power of reclaiming our personal and collective stories. By challenging the way we tell and receive stories, Tyson reveals how reclaiming the role of the narrator enriches our understanding of ourselves, our communities, and the world around us. Through this conscious reframing, we find healing, connection, and a new sense of agency. Tyson's talk invites us to reimagine the narratives we’ve been given and to take control of how our stories are told. Perhaps, in transforming the way we tell our stories, we ultimately will transform the way we live them.

Tyson Velazquez is an insatiably curious, aspiring scholar of ethnomusicology. Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, they began their collegiate studies at the Boston Conservatory in 2020, receiving a full-tuition merit scholarship and majoring in Saxophone Performance. While at the Conservatory, Tyson served on the executive director's student advisory committee, where they authored a proposal to reform the music history curriculum, advocating for greater inclusion of BIPOC composers and musicians. In 2024, Tyson began their studies at Berklee College of Music, as the first student to major in Africana Studies. Tyson is currently pursuing a B.M in Black Music and Culture, with a minor in Music in Society: Gender Studies.