Meet the Team

Jim Lucchese, President

Jim Lucchese joined Berklee on January 1, 2025, as the institution's fifth president. Lucchese is a pioneering music industry executive who came to Berklee with over two decades of experience in artist advocacy and service innovation. Prior to joining Berklee, Lucchese was the CEO of Sofar Sounds, a global live music community that has curated over 30,000 live performances across 78 countries. Under his leadership, Sofar Sounds expanded its mission to connect artists and audiences through unique live music experiences, hosting performances in non-traditional spaces across 400 cities in 78 countries. Lucchese previously served as CEO of The Echo Nest, a musician-founded company that aimed to improve music discovery. After The Echo Nest was acquired by Spotify, Lucchese served as the founding global head of the Creator team, now known as Spotify for Artists. During his tenure, Spotify for Artists reached hundreds of thousands of artists monthly, and the Fans First program generated direct revenue from ticket and merchandise sales. Read his full bio.

Kaitlin Passafaro, Chief of Staff

Before joining the Office of the President, Kaitlin Passafaro served as vice president in the Office of Community and Government Relations (CGR). In that role, she provided experienced leadership and insights for a number of strategic initiatives, including the advancement of Berklee’s Institutional Master Plan. Passafaro brings an extensive background in municipal, state, and federal government administration and leadership to Berklee. She was previously director of the Mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Relations, where she served as senior advisor to former Boston mayors. As a member of the mayor’s cabinet, Passafaro gained critical experience in developing and implementing new policy, and led the process to create the City of Boston’s state and federal legislative agendas. Read her full bio.

Margot Edwards, Associate Director, Communications

Margot Edwards has worked in the Office of the President since 2019. Prior to joining the OP, she worked in Berklee’s Office of Media Relations (OMR) since coming to Berklee in 2004. In OMR, Edwards oversaw the media strategy for the successful launches of Berklee NYC and the Berklee Popular Music Institute, among many other projects. She also oversaw the Berklee Internet Radio Network (BIRN) beginning in 2016, and worked closely with Global Initiatives and Berklee’s campus in Valencia, Spain, to increase visibility and align messaging in support of the enrollment strategy. Prior to Berklee, Edwards worked as talent buyer and manager at the Middle East Nightclub in Cambridge and as a publicist at the music promotion company the Planetary Group in Boston.

Wayne Malloy, Senior Project Manager

Wayne Malloy serves as the senior project manager for the Office of the President, supporting the work of Berklee’s Board of Trustees, President’s Cabinet, and President’s Council. Malloy is a seasoned academic administrator and brings a robust background in higher education operations to the office. He previously provided support to the Office of Academic Affairs at Berklee since 2021. A native of Maine, Malloy studied trumpet and music education at the University of Southern Maine. He is a performing member of the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus and serves on the board of directors for MassOpera.

Myranda Peterson, Administrative Coordinator, Project Assistant

A longtime member of the Berklee community, Myranda Peterson comes from a family of artistically inclined relatives, ranging from instrumentalists and vocalists to dancers and music producers. While not a musician herself, Peterson is a fantasy author, illustrator, animator, and voice director who runs a publishing imprint and joint animation studio. Dedicated to her craft and a collaborative team player, Peterson graduated with a B.A. in fine art from the University of Massachusetts Boston. She also studied at Korea University in Seoul, Roehampton University in London, and California State University, Northridge. With over nine years of experience providing administrative support in fast-paced industries, Peterson is a task-oriented worker who brings organization and efficiency to all that she does.