Welcome & Introduction - The MLC and MMF-US
Featured Speakers:
Sharon Tapper - Executive Director, MMF-US
Sharon Tapper is the Executive Director of the Music Managers Forum-US, the leading trade association for artist managers and self-managed artists in the United States. Serving the music community by providing educational resources, networking opportunities and advocacy efforts on behalf of managers, self-managed artists, and the music community at large that supports them. The MMF-US is part of a larger global network, the International Music Managers Forum (IMMF) – an organization that connects more than sixty-five Music Manager Forums around the world (inc. Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand).
Prior to joining the MMF-US Tapper worked in London as the Assistant Manager at Sarm West Studios, before relocating to the U.S. where in Los Angeles she worked at both Left Bank Management and Gallin Morey Management. Shortly after moving to New York, she transitioned into music publishing becoming the third U.S. employee at Kobalt Music Publishing and their VP Creative for eight years. Following that she was hired to be the SVP Music Publishing at Razor & Tie Music Publishing. Tapper was elected to serve multiple terms totaling fourteen years as Governor & Secretary of the NY Chapter of the GRAMMYs, serving six consecutive terms as Co-Chair of their Advocacy Committee, on which she continues to diligently serve. She also served four years on the NY Chapter of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP). For ten years she Co-Funded and ran the New York City Creative Community (NYC3)
Wesley T. A’Harrah - VP of Membership & Education, MMF-US
Wesley T. A’Harrah, 30, is an artist manager, marketing-tech consultant, and investor. Wesley is the founder of Hits Differently, an artist-management company whose clients include iAmTheGENIUS, Maty Noyes, Kristian Kostov, Lil Bird, Ellis Miah, and more; and Hyper Orange, a consultancy focused on helping entertainment companies, brands, and agencies build and activate the best marketing stacks. Wesley is business partners with Atlanta-based entrepreneur, rapper, and DJ, iAmTheGENIUS, in Mixtape Monopoly, a marketing agency; Monopoly Distribution, a distribution and label services company; and
RARE Sound, a record label, where he and GENIUS have spent years independently operating with K CAMP—whose song Lottery (Renegade) held as the biggest song ever in TikTok for seven months and was the first song in the world to pass 15, 20, 30, and 35 million videos created with it. RARE Sound, Mixtape Monopoly, and Hyper Orange are the only independent labels and connected marketing agencies to have been honored with the Grand Clio for Music in 2020, where they were awarded for the campaign behind Lottery (Renegade). Wesley serves as the Vice President of Membership and Education of the Music Managers Forum-US, the 501(c) (6) trade association for artist managers and self-managed artists. He holds an M.A. in Global Entertainment and Music Business from Berklee College of Music.
Jamie Dominguez - National Director, Industry Relations, The MLC
Jamie Dominguez is the National Director of Industry Relations at the Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC), where she creates and maintains relationships with industry organizations and their stakeholders such as songwriters, publishers, business managers and music industry attorneys. With 25 years of experience in the music industry, Jamie collaborates with creators across all genres and specializes in rights management, music publishing, artist development and education initiatives.
In her role at The MLC, Jamie is responsible for amplifying the identity and mission of The MLC by communicating critical messages. She actively participates in industry events and conferences strategically positioned to reach key audiences and effectively tell the story of The MLC. Additionally, Jamie follows current and emerging music trends to facilitate a steady influx of new songwriters and partners across all genres and platforms.
Beginning her career in Austin, Texas, Jamie earned a BA in Journalism, Mass Communication and Media Studies from the University of Texas. During college, she gained experience in radio and entertainment PR. After graduating, Jamie moved to New York City to join SESAC, where she spent 19 years growing within the company, identifying, curating and nurturing their extensive roster of songwriters. As Senior Director of Creative Services, she led the New York-based team in supporting and creating opportunities for SESAC-affiliated songwriters and publishers, while also forging alliances with other industry organizations and their stakeholders.
Jamie's dedication to building a healthy music industry ecosystem by encouraging fair business practices and empowering creators led her to join Sound Royalties in July 2020 as Regional Director of Business Development & Artist Relations, where she launched the company's New York presence. In this role, she provided music creators with financial insight and alternative funding strategies that allowed them to access capital without sacrificing ownership of their copyrights or independence.
A committed mentor and educator, Jamie joined the BerkleeNYC faculty in September 2021 to teach Business and Entrepreneurship in the Creative Space as part of their Master of Arts in Creative Media and Technology program at the Power Station in Manhattan.
Passionate about supporting creatives and building community, Jamie volunteers for various non-profit organizations. She is currently serving her third term as Governor of the Recording Academy's New York Chapter and sits on the Board of Directors for Mono Stereo Groove and Filipinos Advancing Creative Education (FACE). She has also previously served on the Library of Congress National Recording Preservation Board and the Education Special Projects Committee for the Songwriters Hall of Fame.