Meet some of our incredible mentors who volunteered their time at the
2022 Hawaii Songwriting Festival!
Please check back often.
We will begin to update this list as we confirm mentors for the 2023 festival.
Stay updated about the 2023 conference - subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here
2022 Hawaii Songwriting Festival!
Please check back often.
We will begin to update this list as we confirm mentors for the 2023 festival.
Stay updated about the 2023 conference - subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here
In alphabetical order.....
Kelly Archer - Songwriter
Kelly Archer hails from the beautiful Pacific Northwest of Canada and has been a signed writer in Nashville for the past 20 years. Kelly's songs have been recorded by Jason Aldean, Brett Young, Justin Moore, Travis Denning, Reba, Tricia Yearwood, Eli Young Band, Dustin Lynch, Jo Dee Messina, Montgomery Gentry, Cassadee Pope, Lindsay Ell, Natalie Hemby (Puxico), Chris Lane, and many more. Kelly has had several songs place in the series “Nashville” and she received the AIMP "Rising Songwriter of the year" award for 2017. Kelly celebrated her first number one song with Brett Young's "Sleep without you", her second number one with Justin Moore's "Somebody Else will", and recently her 3rd #1 with Travis Denning's "After a few".
Kelly Archer hails from the beautiful Pacific Northwest of Canada and has been a signed writer in Nashville for the past 20 years. Kelly's songs have been recorded by Jason Aldean, Brett Young, Justin Moore, Travis Denning, Reba, Tricia Yearwood, Eli Young Band, Dustin Lynch, Jo Dee Messina, Montgomery Gentry, Cassadee Pope, Lindsay Ell, Natalie Hemby (Puxico), Chris Lane, and many more. Kelly has had several songs place in the series “Nashville” and she received the AIMP "Rising Songwriter of the year" award for 2017. Kelly celebrated her first number one song with Brett Young's "Sleep without you", her second number one with Justin Moore's "Somebody Else will", and recently her 3rd #1 with Travis Denning's "After a few".
Graham Barton - Songwriter, Producer
Graham Barton is a composer based in Michigan, Music Production Associate + Composer at Marmoset, and author of Tracks That Sync. His music is everywhere with placements in film trailers, video games and radio, to major domestic and international ad campaigns by Google, Adidas, Cadillac and more. Graham’s passion for mentorship drives him to cultivate potential in others, elevate their unique talents, and find their own voice as creatives. He believes that storytelling through song is the most powerful tool we have to connect with one another and it’s his goal to share it with the world.
Graham Barton is a composer based in Michigan, Music Production Associate + Composer at Marmoset, and author of Tracks That Sync. His music is everywhere with placements in film trailers, video games and radio, to major domestic and international ad campaigns by Google, Adidas, Cadillac and more. Graham’s passion for mentorship drives him to cultivate potential in others, elevate their unique talents, and find their own voice as creatives. He believes that storytelling through song is the most powerful tool we have to connect with one another and it’s his goal to share it with the world.
Kristina Benson -Publisher
Kristina began her career with a degree in opera from the University of California at Irvine and took jazz piano lessons in her spare time under Miles Davis’s sideman Kei Akagi. After stints as a promoter and DJ, she segued into a role as a branding specialist for DoStuffMedia, where she spearheaded engagement initiatives for brands such as Goose Island, Grey Goose, and Pabst Blue Ribbon, working closely with local influencers to produce interactive brand experiences. She went from there to acting as Music Director for Lip Sync, and after many successful placements and two wonderful years, she decided the time had come to start her own agency. In the short time since it has opened its doors, Sweet On Top has landed placements with high-quality brands such as Apple, Michael Kors, Macy’s, Vogue, and St. Regis; promotions for the Olympics, Forza, the Golden Globes, and “Songland”; trailers for "Tom and Jerry", "Easter Sunday," and in television shows including “Station 19,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “All Rise,” “Firefly Lane,” “High Fidelity,” “Ray Donovan” and “The Blacklist.” She works with recordings from legacy artists like Pat Boone and Frank Sinatra, and her contemporary writers have secured cuts with up-and-coming Dim Mak and Warner Records’ artists. Kristina also worked closely with the Guild of Music Supervisors’ education committee and is a member of the California Copyright Conference and the Association of Independent Music Publishers. 
Jason Blume -Songwriter
Jason's songs are on Grammy-nominated albums and have sold more than 50 million copies. He is the author of 6 Steps to Songwriting Success, This Business of Songwriting, and Inside Songwriting, all published by Billboard Books. One of the only writers to simultaneously have songs on Billboard’s Pop, Country and R&B charts, Jason’s songs have been recorded by artists including Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, the Gipsy Kings, Jesse McCartney, the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, and international stars such as Christian Ingebrigtsen, Tomohisa Yamashita (#1 J-Pop EP), Hi-5 (winners of Greek Idol, certified “platinum”), as well as country music stars including Collin Raye (6 cuts), the Oak Ridge Boys, Steve Azar, and John Berry (“Change My Mind,” a top 5 single that earned a BMI “Million-Aire” Award for garnering more than one million airplays). He wrote two songs for Hawaii-based K-Pop-style band Crossing Rain’s 2022 debut album. His song “Come Back 2.0” was the band’s first single. Jason shares an Emmy Award and an additional nomination for his musical contributions to episodes of PBS’ “Frontline,” and has had many TV and film credits include “Assassination Games,” “Scrubs,” “Friday Night Lights,” “Black or White,” “Dangerous Minds,” “The Guiding Light,” “The Miss America Pageant,” Disney’s “Kim Possible” and “First Kid,” MTV’s “Next Big Thing,” “Teen Mom,” and many others. He has been teaching the BMI Nashville Songwriters’ Workshop for more than twenty five years and has been interviewed as a songwriting expert for CNN, NPR, the BBC, Rolling Stone, and the New York Times. 
Hookman - Songwriter, Producer
Marlin 'Hookman' Bonds is an international producer/songwriter/musician from St. Louis, MO. As a record producer and songwriter, he has worked with many high profile recording artists such as Migos, Demi Lovato, Lil Jon, 2 Chainz, Rihanna, Jason Derulo, Chris Brown, Pitbull, Nicole Scherzinger, Swizz Beatz to name a few. Between writing and producing, Hookman has seven platinum plaques, two Billboard #1's, one Grammy nomination, and one BMI award. He's also infiltrated the corporate world, helping NBC's World of Dance launch their first artist as well as landing over 100 syncs between Ebay, Fox, Netflix, Comedy Central, ESPN, ABC (Grownish), Southwest Airlines, Paramount Pictures, the Fast and Furious Franchise and more. 
Charles Brotman - Songwriter, Producer
President of Hawai'i Songwriting Festival, composer, Grammy award winning producer, and multiple Na Hoku award nominee and winner. He owns and runs the Lava Tracks Recording Studio and is a co-founder of Palm Records on the Big Island, where he has produced Grammy nominated albums for local artists Sonny Lim and Kahulanui. His music placements in film and TV include Black-ish, NCIS, Chicago Med, The Path, Good Morning America, Portlandia, Hawaii 5-0, Dateline, Days of Our Lives, Magnum PI, The Descendants, Two and a Half Men, NBC Nightly News, Brooklyn 99, FIFA World Cup, Anderson Cooper, Beverly Hills 90210, Criminal Minds, All About Steve, The Deadliest Catch, Oprah, Nickelodeon, Saturday Night Live, The Today Show, America's Most Wanted, Animal Adventures, Prime Suspect, and many others. 
Julia Brotman - Attorney
Julia is an entertainment and intellectual property attorney at Settle Meyer Law, LLLC in Honolulu. She works closely with legendary music attorney Bill Meyer to serve an eclectic clientele of music creators, actors, artists, writers, and businesses, including some of the biggest names in the industry, aspiring entrepreneurs and novice creatives who are just getting started, and everyone in between. Their practice includes: litigation; government affairs; business formation and management; contract drafting and negotiation (including a wide variety of entertainment and music related contracts); and endless protection, enforcement, and licensing matters involving copyright, trademark, patents, trade secrets, and rights of publicity. Before returning to Hawai'i to work at Settle Meyer Law, Julia spent four years in Los Angeles learning how to navigate the entertainment industry. Past work experience includes Warner/Chappell, CBS Television Network, Marmoset, NBCUniversal, and Sony/RED. She graduated from Whittier Law School summa cum laude and is licensed to practice law in Hawai’i and California. 
Ken Caillat - Producer
Ken Caillat’s is best known for producing and engineering the Fleetwood Mac albums Rumours, Tusk, Mirage, Live, and The Chain Box Set, along with his daughter, Colbie Caillat's albums: Coco (2007), Breakthrough (2009), All of You (2011), and Christmas in the Sand (2012). He also worked on albums for Billy Idol, Frank Sinatra, Pat Benatar, Wilson Phillips, the Beach Boys, Herbie Hancock, David Becker and Alice Cooper, as well as with Christine McVie on her solo album. Ken's recordings have sold over 50 million copies. His record production and engineering efforts earned him numerous Grammy nominations, including an Album of the Year Grammy and Best Engineered Album. In 2012 Ken founded Sleeping Giant Records, so he could help other talented kids like Colbie to make a career in music. In 2013 Ken founded Sleeping Giant Entertainment to create new music for film, TV and radio, and partnered with Alcon Entertainment and ArtistMax to discover and develop new artists. In 2018 Ken Sold Sleeping Giant Entertainment to focus on ArtistMax. In December 2021 he built a Dolby Atmos studio and was commissioned by Warner Music to create spatial audio mixes for the iconic Joni Mitchell albums. 
We the Commas - Songwriters, Artists
We The Commas are a band comprised of three brothers from San Diego California, who are breaking into the scene with their unique Southern California surf band sound that merges with RnB and Trap. Their first release was less than 2 years ago and to date they have over 2 million streams on Spotify, over 6 million streams on Youtube, 6 music videos, Verified on Instagram with about 25,000 organic followers, were selected by Iheart radio for a month long campaign for Black history month. One of their singles “Better Days” was picked up for roatation in their hometown on Z90.3 San Diego as well as by Dave Styles on 104.3 MyFM in los Angeles. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson posted them 4 times on his personal Instagram page and their image and their music has been used by Guyaki for a Social Media campaign highlighting their Southern Cali Lifestyle. We the Commas have been picked up by the press including “Pop Matters”, “American Songwriter” “Tiger Beat, The Music Mermaid and many more. 
John Cruz - Songwriter, Artist
A long-time member of the KMF Board of Directors and Advisory Council, John performed on Hawai'i's first Grammy award winning album, and has also won multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards. John has distinguished himself as one of the most talented artists that has ever come from Hawaii. He was named the Best Singer Songwriter by Hawaii Magazine in 2008. 
Jordyn Dodd - Songwriter
Singer, rapper, songwriter, producer – these are just some of the titles held by multifaceted recording artist Jordyn. Jordyn grew up in San Diego, California where – adopted into a multi-ethnic family – he was exposed to a wide variety of music and culture. His ability to gracefully flow between genres and mediums has earned the attention of music moguls like Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records. Berry enlisted him as a songwriter/vocal producer in 2015. Jordyn specializes in lyrics/concepts, vocal production and keeping the creative morale high. He has worked with a broad spectrum of artists: Twista, Jordin Sparks, Xavier Omar, Alex Aiono, Lay Zhang (EXO), Ronnie DeVoe, and Cece Peniston. 
Madeline Dowling - Music Supervisor
Madeline Dowling is the Senior Music Producer at Doner, a major ad agency where she is responsible for developing sonic branding for a broad range of clients/brands including Jeep, Dodge, JBL, and the Johnson&Johnson family of brands. From an early age, Madeline knew that she wanted to work in music and after trying on many hats (show promotion, record label, booking agency, music PR, talent buying, and even a stint with The Grammys) she finally landed her dream gig as a Music Supervisor in 2013. She has worked with top brands like Kraft, Disney, Cadillac, and Apple as well as on hit TV shows like Grey's Anatomy, How To Get Away With Murder, Empire and Scandal. Previous to her work with Doner, Madeline's career has included roles at creative agency mcgarrybowen (Chicago), Chop Shop Music Supervision (LA), Good Ear Music Supervision (LA), Marmoset (Portland,) as well as a robust freelance career. When she's not eagerly keeping up with music's hottest trends or falling down rabbit holes from music's past, Madeline enjoys creating custom glitter graphics, picking up litter while listening to podcasts, and visiting hole-in-the-wall bars or Michelin Star restaurants. 
Chris Drago - Marketing
Campaign Oversight. Music producer, marketing educator, drummer for PLVTINUM. Graduate from Berklee College of Music. Clothing designer. 
Michael Eames - Publisher
Michael Eames is a trained composer, songwriter and pianist with experience in film scoring who studied music at Cornell University. As President of PEN, Michael oversees all aspects of the operation as well as pitching the catalogue to all media. Prior to starting PEN, he was involved with various catalogues including Jimi Hendrix, Chicago, Roy Orbison and others. He also proudly serves on the Independent Publishers Advisory Council (IPAC) of the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) and on the Advisory Board of Songwriters Of North America (SONA). He also previously served as the National President of the Association Of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) from 2015-2018 and served as its National Vice President from 2013-2014. Michael wrote the music publishing section of the Hal Leonard/Rowman & Littlefield-published book entitled Five Star Music Makeover: The Independent Artist’s Guide for Singers, Songwriters, Bands, Producers and Self Publishers (2016) and is co-author (with Bobby Borg) of the book Introduction To Music Publishing For Musicians which was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2021 and is already used in many curriculums. 
Theo Fightmaster - Social Media Reporting and Analytics
Managing reporting, analytics, and customer success. Owner and curator of @worldofmusic. Former professional baseball executive. Also a husband, a father, home chef, and twitter comedian. 
David Fisher - Music Supervisor
David has over 20 years experience in the music industry. As a recording artist David had record deals with Interscope, Geffen Records, and Big Machine Records and recorded with producers, T. Bone Burnett, Roy Thomas Baker and Nathan Chapman among other prominent musicians. David released three major label records under the names Big Blue Hearts and Fisher Stevenson, and spent five years as a songwriter for Bluewater Music in Nashville. He has toured domestically and internationally supporting major artists such as Chris Isaak, Lyle Lovett, Lady Antebellum, Gary Allan, Taylor Swift, and Carrie Underwood. After his career as a recording artist, David founded Songs for Film & T.V. in 2010, a music services agency specializing in music supervision, music production and music curation. David and his team have secured thousands placements in advertising, film, television and video games for clients such as Airbnb, Reebok, MINI, Sheraton, Massage Envy, REI, Revlon, Blue Moon, Google, Nationwide, Audi, Mercedes, Gevalia, Under Armour, Hershey’s, Pepsi, PlayStation, Absolute, Phillips 76, Conoco and American Idol. Network television and film studio clients include HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, The Movie Channel MTV, NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS, Fox, FX, Bravo, AMC, 20th Century Fox, Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros., and many more. 
Gilles Godard - Publisher
Gilles Godard, President of Publishing at Anthem Entertainment Group, an award winning writer, publisher, artist and producer. He has had Juno award nominations, won a Felix Award as an RCA French Recording Artist, received the award as Record Industry Person Of The Year” by the Canadian Country Music Association, has two BMI Awards and four SOCAN awards including an International Songwriter Achievement Award. Gilles has had over 400 of his songs recorded by artists such as Terri Clark, Patty Loveless, Anne Murray, Ednita Nazario, Dan Seals, Ricky Skaggs, Blackhawk, Balsam Range, Lee Greenwood, Tracy Byrd, Janie Fricke, The Road Hammers, Tommy Hunter, Colleen Peterson, Michael B. and the Power, Willie Mack and Lace. His position at Anthem Entertainment Group focuses on all of Anthem's publishing interests globally, as well as providing advice and counsel to the Creative teams and artists, composers and songwriters in Nashville, LA, New York, Canada and Europe, as well as the business development team at Anthem. 
Rich Goldman - Producer, Publisher, Label Owner
Rich Goldman is President and Founder of Riptide Music Group, a creative music company in Los Angeles supporting artists and writers with music synchronization, publishing administration and digital label services. He is a lifelong musician who has amassed a broad range of industry credits as a producer, recording engineer, composer, sound designer, publisher and recording studio operator. Sync activity generated by the Riptide and Hidden Track labels for their roster of artists include: Bacardi, Apple, Arby’s, US Bank, Pepsi, / Dr. Brain, Parasite, Hotel Transylvania 4, American Horror, The Crown / Euphoria, Billions, Cobra Kai, Emily In Paris, Virgin River / FIFA, NBA 2K22, Madden 21, Fortnite, Tony Hawk Pro Skater1+2 / Tik Tok, Peloton and Spotify. Prior to Riptide, Rich along with his wife Ellie built and operated the legendary Fifth Floor Recording Studios in Cincinnati, becoming one of the major centers for recording in the Midwest, recording for artists the likes of: Prince, Sheila E, Bootsy Collins, George Clinton, The Ohio Players, Midnight Star and Zapp, leading to steady Billboard chart activity and multiple gold records. An important passion of Rich’s is his involvement with Music Declares Emergency US. a group of artists, music industry professionals and organizations that stand together to declare a climate and ecological emergency and call for an immediate governmental response to protect all life on Earth. Rich continues to have the good fortune to perform gigs with his wife Ellie, son Scott and daughter Jess. 
Lynn Grossman - Publisher
As founder of Secret Road Music Services, Artist Management and Music Publishing, Lynn has created a multifaceted worldwide entertainment company specializing in artist development via the placement of songs in film/tv/advertising. Known for discovering talent early, Secret Road has been the first stop for many artists including Ingrid Michaelson, who Lynn has managed for over 15 years. Their roster of artists has had songs featured in numerous television series such as Grey’s Anatomy, This Is Us, Empire, Little Fires Everywhere and various ads by Google, Target, Cricket Wireless, Quibi, Samsung and more. Lynn was the series music supervisor for the TV show HOUSE and the film Humor Me, starring Jemaine Clement and Elliott Gould. As her manager, Lynn has helped Ingrid Michaelson vault from an indie-pop sweetheart to platinum selling star on the cover of Billboard Magazine without the conventions of a major record label. Her mission has always been to help independent and underserved artists find their way in the music industry. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she now resides in Los Angeles and is currently a member of the Recording Academy. 
Brian Hall - Songwriter, Producer
Brian is a songwriter, music producer, and entrepreneur based in Portland, Oregon. He is the founder of Bright Basement Records, a startup micro label and production company where he collaborates with friends to write and produce songs. Brian also co-founded Marmoset Music, a music licensing agency based in Portland, and has an extensive background producing and composing music for everything from Super Bowl ads to wedding films. Brian plays in a band called TENTS with his wife and friends, and enjoys playing video games and sipping his signature cocktail “The Fun Guy.” 
Adam Hambrick - Songwriter
It’s fair to say that Adam Hambrick grew up straddling the Mississippi River: one foot in northern Mississippi where his dad pastored a small Baptist church and he spent many of his early years; the other in Central Arkansas where his extended family had been for generations, the first place he called home. Adam’s musical roots were grounded deep in the hymns of Sunday church services with his family. As he grew, those roots wound their way through the pop/rock, alternative and country music of the 90’s and 2000’s with artists like Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Foo Fighters, John Mayer among others. After graduating from the University of Central Arkansas, the singer-songwriter made an appearance on Good Morning Arkansas where country star and fellow Arkansas-native Justin Moore happened to be watching. Impressed by Adam’s unique voice and distinctive songs, Justin connected Adam with his friends on Music Row. Since making the move to Tennessee in 2013, Adam has written two #1 country radio hits (Dan + Shay’s “How Not To”, Justin Moore’s “Somebody Else Will), had his own single “Rockin’ All Night” land in the Billboard Hot Country top 40, performed on ABC’s The Bachelorette, taken the stage at The Grand Ole Opry and has written songs recorded by some of Nashville’s biggest stars. For more info, tour dates and more, follow along on social media and visit AdamHambrick.com. 
Richard Harris - Songwriter, Producer, Mentor
Transplanted from the UK over a decade ago to Los Angeles California, Richard quickly signed a staff writer publishing deal with Peer Music landing multiple major label song cuts all around the world resulting in several Billboard #1's, top ten singles and Platinum and Gold records. Richard has landed hundreds of TV, Film and Ad song placements through Peer and the major music libraries he has composed for. His music has been used in hit TV shows including "Empire", "Nashville", “Pretty Little Liars”, “The Bold Type”, “The Rookie”, “Good Trouble”, "One Tree Hill", movies "This Means War" and "Single Moms Club", commercials placements for eBay, TJ Maxx, Hyundai and Vivo and trailer/promos for The NFL, HBO, AT&T and Fox TV. Richard is also consulting as head of Film and TV for Nashville based publisher Demolition Music and is on the lookout for great artists, producers and writers focused on writing for sync. Richard is also a songwriting mentor and recently launched a new company SongWriterCamps (www.songwritercamps.com) with long-time collaborator, Pam Sheyne. 
Greg Holden - Singer, Songwriter, Producer
Greg Holden is a multi-platinum selling songwriter, artist, and producer. The Scottish singer moved to New York City in 2009 where he spent eight years honing his craft in the New York music scene before relocating to Los Angeles. During the pandemic he left the California sunshine for the rainy forests of Portland, OR where he currently calls home. Over the years Holden has toured and performed with Brandi Carlile, Ingrid Michaelson, Grace Potter, Butch Walker and many others while touring extensively in bars, clubs, theaters, and arenas around the world. In 2014, he was awarded an ASCAP Award for co-writing the hit song “Home” for American Idol-winner Phillip Phillips, which sold over six million copies and streamed over two hundred million times. As an artist he is best known for his self-released song “The Lost Boy,” featured in the TV show Son’s of Anarchy (FX) and a number-one single in Europe, as well as his critically acclaimed track “Boys In The Street” which was labeled “A perfect song…” by legendary actor Tom Hanks. “Boys In The Street” was also remixed by popular DJ duo SEEB and recently re-recorded and released by Britain’s Got Talent star Calum Scott—with a combined twenty-million streams between the three versions. His songs and commitment to integrity and honesty have gained him a die-hard fan base around the world and great respect within the music industry and songwriting community. Most recently, Holden has been writing and producing songs for major label artists and moving his attention to the world of film scoring. However, his latest single “Humans” signifies a renewed commitment to his own music. 
Tim Jack - Social Media/Digital Marketing for Musicians
Founder of Rise and JACKTV. Co-Founder of The Agent. Serial entrepreneur, investor, and Emmy-winning filmmaker/producer. On the side bar a comedian, fruit farmer, surfer, and guitar player. 
Rich Jacques -Songwriter, Producer
Rich Jacques is Sant Barbara based artist and Grammy winning producer. He has had over 350 placements in film and tv. His songs have been heard in major commercials such as Honda and XBOX, and in TV shows and major motion pictures like “Grey’s Anatomy” and “The Breakup”. . In 2017 Rich won a Grammy for his collaboration with Lisa Loeb on her Album ‘Feel What U Feel’. As a music producer/songwriter he collaborated with artists such as Gold Kimono, Colin Hay, Glen Phillips, Maya Rudolph, and Peter Katz. In 2017 Rich won a Grammy for his collaboration with Lisa Loeb on her Album ‘Feel What U feel.’ Some of the artists Rich has worked with include Lisa Loeb, Glen Phillips, Colin Hay, Rashida Jones, Mooly Shannon, Peter Katz, Gold Kimono, Adam Zelkind, and many others. 
Tracey and Vance Marino - Composers, Authors
Wife-and-husband music writing team Tracey Marino and Vance Marino are composers, songwriters, musicians, and producers with more than 3,000 songs and cues in their BMI catalog. They’ve had thousands of placements in shows including "The Voice," "The Tonight Show," “Saturday Night Live,” “Kelly Clarkson Show,” most other talk shows, Hallmark Channel movies, and many more. Their music is heard daily around the world and has been featured in hundreds of reality TV shows, sports events, films, trailers, documentaries, video games, toys, and several national commercials. They write and produce in their Pro Tools studios in San Diego, California. Tracey is a pianist/keyboardist/singer originally from Boston, Massachusetts, and a graduate of San Diego State University. Vance sings and plays guitar, bass, drums, and most stringed instruments. Originally from Oahu, Hawaii, he is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and attended Leeward College. The Marinos both studied music at UCLA Extension. Tracey and Vance run the San Diego Chapter of The Nashville Songwriters Association International and are members of The Society of Composers and Lyricists and SongArts Committee; Association of Independent Music Publishers; The California Copyright Conference; and many other music organizations. The Marinos’ new book about sync music licensing, Hey! That's My Song! A Guide to Getting Music Placements in Film, TV, and Media, is published by Backbeat Books and became a #1 Best Seller in Songwriting and #1 New Release in Music Business on Amazon Books. It is available at all major bookstores. For more information, visit Tracey and Vance Marino's company website SongMaker Productions SongMakerPro.com or their book website HeyThatsMySong.com 
Jonathan McHugh - Producer, Director, Music Supervisor
Jonathan McHugh is an independent producer/director/music supervisor who has held high ranking creative positions at New Line Cinema/Warner Brothers, Sony Records, Universal Records over the past few decades. McHugh just finished directing his first two films; “Long Live Rock…Celebrate the Chaos” and “Cosplay Universe” as well as producing the Muhammad Ali documentary “City of Ali.” His next narrative production is “The Brink Of.” McHugh has produced over 35 films and TV shows with some of pop culture’s biggest stars including Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, Janis Joplin, Snoop Dogg, Sarah Brightman & many more. McHugh is currently music supervising the Tubi animated TV series The Freak Brothers staring Tiffany Haddish and Pete Davidson and the film Brave The Dark“ staring Emmy nominee Jared Harris McHugh is a Producers Guild Documentary jury member, a former Grammy Trustee and President of the LA Chapter and co-founder of the Guild of Music Supervisors IMDB Producer Credits: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0570462/filmotype/producer?ref_=m_nmfm_2 
Andrew McMahon - Songwriter, Artist
Raised on the East Coast and in the Midwest, McMahon began writing songs at age nine, drawing inspiration from singer/songwriter/pianists such as Elton John and Billy Joel. While still in high school, McMahon co-founded an early incarnation of pop-punk band Something Corporate, whose 2002 major-label debut hit No. 1 on Billboard's Heatseekers Chart. In 2004, he formed Jack's Mannequin and then on the cusp of releasing the band's 2005 debut was diagnosed with leukemia at age 22. Eventually fully recovered, McMahon went on to release two more studio albums with Jack's Mannequin and established The Dear Jack Foundation, one of the first Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) specific cancer foundations which advocates for and supports initiatives that benefit AYAs diagnosed with cancer. In addition, McMahon composed songs for the NBC series Smash which earned him an Emmy Award nomination. In 2014, he released Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness which featured the gold certified single "Cecilia and the Satellite". Last year he released his debut memoir, Three Pianos. McMahon is currently in the studio working on new music. He has performed on the Today Show, Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live and more. McMahon lives in Los Angeles with his wife of 12 years Kelly and their daughter Cecilia, for whom the hit song was penned. 
Terris Meisenheimer - Social Media Strategist
Ads Operations Director, Lead Strategist, and Growth Expert at Rise. Co-Owner and Operator of Frontline Records and Royalyze Royalty Processing. Musician, Label Admin, and Software Developer. 
Kimie Miner – Singer, Songwriter
Kimie Miner is a Native Hawaiian mother of three and a full-time GRAMMY® nominated producer, singer-songwriter, and recording artist. She is the President and CEO of HAKU COLLECTIVE, a full-service, multi-media talent production and management group founded in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. She has written and co-produced five award-winning albums including the GRAMMY®-nominated album, “Hawaiian Lullaby,” and most recently she produced “Children of the Sea - Nā Kama Kai” a full-length album from her free community mentorship program called MeleCraft, dedicated to supporting aspiring young artists and honoring the Hawaiian culture and language. In 2018, she won the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards for Female Vocalist of the Year, Song of the Year for her song “Bamboo,” and Female Artist of the Year at the Island Music Awards. As a two-year term Team Captain for Hawai'i on District Advocate Day, Miner also serves on the Board of Governors for the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts (HARA) and the Recording Academy’s Pacific NorthWest Chapter. She is an active mentor for ‘GRAMMY U’ and an engaged member of both the education and P&E committees for the PNW Chapter. 
Farnell Newton - Producer, Composer
Label Manager, world class trumpet player, award-winning producer, music licensing A&R, and family man, Farnell Newton is deeply rooted in playing jazz, funk, Latin music, soul, and hip hop, influenced by living in Miami, Philadelphia, Boston, Denver and Portland, Oregon. A graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Farnell has toured with three-time Grammy-winning artist Jill Scott, the Legendary Rhinestone Rockstar Bassist Bootsy Collins, and is active with The Portland Cello Project, among others, and has performed with Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Galactic to name a few. A man who never sleeps, when Farnell isn’t performing, he leads the equity-focused record label, Infinite Companion, in addition to A&R and producing at music licensing shop, Marmoset. As a recording artist and frequent collaborator, Farnell has mastered the exploding low-fi jazz and beats genre with more than a dozen songs each earning more than a million streams. His music is featured on commercials from Uber, Adidas, Puma, Facebook, NFL, Redbull, and many others, recently winning top honors for Hip Hop Song of the Year “He’s Been Good featuring Rasheed Jamal” at the 2022 PMA’s. 
Brother Noland – Singer, Songwriter
Brother Noland is a legacy Hawaiian artist who has deeply influenced contemporary Hawaiian music. For nearly 40 years Brother Noland has filled the airwaves with original compositions that have become local classics and island treasures. He is most famous for timeless hits such as “Coconut Girl” and “Are You Native”, and is often credited with the birth of "Jawaiian" contemporary style music by infusing traditional Hawaiian music with reggae, jazz and blues sounds. He has won numerous Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards including Best Reggae Album and most recently the Slack Key Kiho’alu Legacy Award in 2018. His music is featured in several movies including "Pineapple Express" and "Snakes in the Plane." Brother Noland was honored in 2014 by the State of Hawai'i with a "Lifetime Achievement in Music" award and is a recipient of Hawai’i Academy of Recording Arts highest award, the Lifetime Achievement Award for the year 2019. As a Lifetime Achievement Awardee, Brother Noland is designated as a Life Member of the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts. 
Nitanee Paris - Songwriter, Artist Development
Nitanee Paris is the Director of A&R and Music Licensing at ArtistMax, a Los Angeles based artist development and education enterprise founded by Grammy-winning producer Ken Caillat (Fleetwood Mac, Colbie Caillat). She is an award-winning songwriter whose work has been featured in TV, films, and commercials. Her credits include The CW, Paramount (Viacom/CBS), NETFLIX, HULU, MTV, VH1, BRAVO, and the HALLMARK CHANNEL, and her work has been signed with multiple publishers, libraries, and licensing agencies. As a collaborator, Paris works with notable writers including Grammy-winning musicians, composers, and producers, Musicians Hall of Fame inductees, and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees; as well as contestants on The Voice and Songland, and many other talented artists from Hawaii and around the world. Her writing has earned her five Global Peace Song Awards, two Positive Music Awards, three Grand Prize Awards and a Lennon Award in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, among many other accolades. Paris leads the Malibu Chapter of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), and she hosts songwriting workshops, industry panels, and music events. She is also on the SongArts Committee of the Society of Composers and Lyricists (SCL), the staff of the Durango Songwriters Expo., and the judging panel of the InterContinental Music Awards. She produces "Nitanee's Nashville Nights" in Los Angeles, a showcase for hit songwriters and local talent, and she hosts songwriting retreats including a castle retreat in France, where she leads workshops and creativity expansion exercises. Paris created the Malibu Teen Songwriters group to provide collaboration opportunities, build confidence, and nurture creative talents. She has been on the Advisory Council of the Hawaii Songwriting Festival for several years, and was honored to join the Board of Directors in 2022. She has a passion for mentoring young writers and helping artists navigate the music industry by building their craft and expanding their networks. 
Whitney A. Pilzer - Music Supervisor
Most recently she has music supervised Yellowjackets (Showtime), WeCrashed (Apple+), The Wilds (Amazon), The Offer (Paramount+), The Resident (FOX), Kevin Can F Himself (AMC), and the upcoming series Reasonable Doubt (Hulu). She has also contributed to blockbuster projects such as Euphoria (HBO), Thirteen Reasons Why (Netflix), Crazy Rich Asians (Warner Bros.) and Ocean’s Eight (Warner Bros.) Previously, she served as an executive at Lionsgate/Starz, overseeing the robust Starz television slate, including projects such as The Power Universe and Blindspotting. 
Steven B. Ray - Entertainment and Music Industry Executive
Steven B. Ray has enjoyed a vast career in the entertainment industry that includes work with luminaries such as Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, James Ingram, Frank Sinatra, L.A. Reid, Beyonce Knowles, and many others. Some of the iconic projects Steven has worked on include “Thriller”, “We Are The World” and “The Color Purple”. While at Windswept Music he was a creative executive, a staff writer, and a music supervisor. Continuing to broaden his reach into film, television and theater production, he launched Red River Pictures in 2013, securing financing for the Broadway musical production of Ghost and for Director Dan Algrant and Oscar nominated, Tony award winning producer Fred Zollo’s film Little Rootie Tootie. Steven along with producing partner Christian Bruun Executive Produced the film Son of The South, starring Lucas Till, Lucy Hale, Cedric the Entertainer, and Brian Dennehy, written and directed by Oscar nominated editor Barry Alexander Brown and co-executive producer, Spike Lee. Steven is currently producing and developing television, film and podcast projects with producers Christian Bruun (The Man Who Saved The World), Todd Harris (Disney/Marvel), and Tyrone Finch (Station19). 
Jeremy Ruzumna - Songwriter/Producer
Jeremy Ruzumna is a Grammy-nominated songwriter/producer and a member of the band Fitz and the Tantrums. He got his start as keyboardist and co-writer with Macy Gray, helping pen the hit “I Try”, which was nominated for Song of the Year in 2001. He has since co-written and/or co-produced songs for Fitz and the Tantrums, Bruno Mars, Cee Lo, Brockhampton, Da Baby, Chris Brown, Rod Stewart, and others. 
Mike Sarge - Artist Relations, Content Creation
Social Media Strategy, Artist Relations, & Content Creation. Artist, Rapper, Influencer, and Active Duty Military (Air Force) “Everyone wants to share expertise, but who is going to serve?” 
Pamela Sheyne - Songwriter, Singer, Mentor
Pamela Sheyne is a multi-platinum selling songwriter, singer and mentor. Her song writing career has achieved success on a global scale and includes international hit records and song placements in numerous films and TV shows. With 50+ million record sales, 100+ platinum sales, she is also a prestigious Ivor Novello Award winning songwriter. As a singer, Pam has performed and recorded with artists including; Elton John, Celine Dion, The Pet Shop Boys, Cindy Lauper, Tom Jones, Laura Pausini, Lulu, Daryl Hall, and Dave Stewart. Pam is best known for co-writing the global hit and Billboard #1 single, “Genie in a Bottle” for Christina Aguilera. Other artists who have recorded Pam’s songs include: Demi Lovato, Jason Derulo, Jessica Simpson, Dream, Seal, Corrine Bailey Rae, Cece Winans, Tina Arena, The Backstreet Boys and Camila Cabello who earned international recognition and platinum status in the USA, as well as a top 10 UK hit for the single “Crying In the Club”. |
Catherine Wharton - Music Supervisor
Director, Creative Music Strategy, Paramount. As part of the Creative Music Strategy team at Paramount, Catherine music supervises shows, themes, promos and digital content for their global music brands including MTV, VH1, P+, and Showtime. Previously, Catherine worked in trailer music at marketing collective Jax with notable campaigns including Game Of Thrones and To All the Boys I've Loved Before, and on the sync team at Warner Records pitching artists from Dua Lipa to Muse for film and TV opportunities. She got her start in music at NBCUniversal Television after studying Documentary Film at Chapman University.
Director, Creative Music Strategy, Paramount. As part of the Creative Music Strategy team at Paramount, Catherine music supervises shows, themes, promos and digital content for their global music brands including MTV, VH1, P+, and Showtime. Previously, Catherine worked in trailer music at marketing collective Jax with notable campaigns including Game Of Thrones and To All the Boys I've Loved Before, and on the sync team at Warner Records pitching artists from Dua Lipa to Muse for film and TV opportunities. She got her start in music at NBCUniversal Television after studying Documentary Film at Chapman University.
Ryan Wines - Music Licensing
Ryan is Founder and CEO of Marmoset: a global music agency based in Portland, Oregon.
Ryan has done it all — from music supervision for global brand campaigns, to producing records, and scouting and signing award-winning talent. He’s launched and managed multiple record labels, managed bands, worked at advertising agencies, and was a college radio DJ at his alma mater, Southern Oregon University.
Under Ryan’s leadership, Marmoset became the first Certified B Corp in the industry, the first to invest 10% of profits into community partners, and the only music company brave enough issue an Annual Transparency Report, raising awareness to systemic inequalities in music, media and tech industries.
A fiery advocate of creators, Ryan gave a TED Talk about "leading creatives amidst a modern landscape" and has given talks on music licensing, music producing, workplace culture, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at places like SXSW, CMJ Music Festival, TechFest NW and regularly guest lectures at universities far and wide.
He’s a member of The Guild of Music Supervisors, has served on the Board of Governors for The Recording Academy (The Grammys), and in his free time, he’s committed to mentoring, equity work, and serves on multiple community boards. Marmoset is a longtime supporter of the Hawaii Songwriting Festival.
Ryan is Founder and CEO of Marmoset: a global music agency based in Portland, Oregon.
Ryan has done it all — from music supervision for global brand campaigns, to producing records, and scouting and signing award-winning talent. He’s launched and managed multiple record labels, managed bands, worked at advertising agencies, and was a college radio DJ at his alma mater, Southern Oregon University.
Under Ryan’s leadership, Marmoset became the first Certified B Corp in the industry, the first to invest 10% of profits into community partners, and the only music company brave enough issue an Annual Transparency Report, raising awareness to systemic inequalities in music, media and tech industries.
A fiery advocate of creators, Ryan gave a TED Talk about "leading creatives amidst a modern landscape" and has given talks on music licensing, music producing, workplace culture, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at places like SXSW, CMJ Music Festival, TechFest NW and regularly guest lectures at universities far and wide.
He’s a member of The Guild of Music Supervisors, has served on the Board of Governors for The Recording Academy (The Grammys), and in his free time, he’s committed to mentoring, equity work, and serves on multiple community boards. Marmoset is a longtime supporter of the Hawaii Songwriting Festival.
Ark Woods - Songwriter
Hailing from Hawaii, Ark Woods writes upbeat hip hop backed by groovy funk arrangements. Produced by RUSL (Black Caviar, Into The Spider-Verse), the pair have released 17 tracks since beginning their collaboration in 2020, with more music on the way. Their music has appeared on notable playlists such as New Music Friday (US), Anti-Pop, and Chill Nation and has been used in sync placements with major brands including Disney, Reddit, NBA 2K22, Peloton, and more.
During the pandemic, Ark Woods exploded on TikTok, building a following of 275,000 fans and growing as a result of his quick-witted freestyles, introspective themes, and ability to turn difficult topics into his unique blend of music.
Ark Woods attributes his stylistic leanings to his upbringing in Hawaii:
“Being raised here in the islands, and on Kauai especially, music is a huge part of life, whether it be at church, school, or family BBQs on the beach. Starting with piano in 2nd grade, then on to saxophone in middle school, then branching out to songwriting later in life, music has been ingrained in my life for as long as I could remember.”
Ark’s ability to be both catchy and up-beat as well as soulful and empathetic have resulted in a catalog of music that crosses genres and thematic boundaries. With 16.5 million streams on Spotify and 320,000 monthly listeners, Ark’s music continues to reach new ears and attract new fans across the world.
Hailing from Hawaii, Ark Woods writes upbeat hip hop backed by groovy funk arrangements. Produced by RUSL (Black Caviar, Into The Spider-Verse), the pair have released 17 tracks since beginning their collaboration in 2020, with more music on the way. Their music has appeared on notable playlists such as New Music Friday (US), Anti-Pop, and Chill Nation and has been used in sync placements with major brands including Disney, Reddit, NBA 2K22, Peloton, and more.
During the pandemic, Ark Woods exploded on TikTok, building a following of 275,000 fans and growing as a result of his quick-witted freestyles, introspective themes, and ability to turn difficult topics into his unique blend of music.
Ark Woods attributes his stylistic leanings to his upbringing in Hawaii:
“Being raised here in the islands, and on Kauai especially, music is a huge part of life, whether it be at church, school, or family BBQs on the beach. Starting with piano in 2nd grade, then on to saxophone in middle school, then branching out to songwriting later in life, music has been ingrained in my life for as long as I could remember.”
Ark’s ability to be both catchy and up-beat as well as soulful and empathetic have resulted in a catalog of music that crosses genres and thematic boundaries. With 16.5 million streams on Spotify and 320,000 monthly listeners, Ark’s music continues to reach new ears and attract new fans across the world.
Justin Young - Singer, Songwriter
Born and raised in Hawai`i, Justin Kawika Young first found success in his island home. He accumulated eleven number-one hits on Hawai`i radio before relocating to Los Angeles. He quickly established a following in the LA music scene and connected with singer/songwriter Colbie Caillat, eventually joining her band.
Young toured with Caillat as her acoustic guitarist/background vocalist and co-wrote two songs on Caillat’s All Of You album. In 2019, Young and Caillat formed a band in Nashville with two friends called Gone West. They debuted at The Grand Ole Opry in October of 2019. Their album, Canyons, peaked at #1 on the iTunes country charts and #3 overall. Gone West’s single, What Could Have Been, hit the top 25 at Country Radio.
Justin’s original music can also be heard on the soundtracks from the movies Shallow Hal, Restrepo, Point Break, Wild Horses and The Walking Dead TV series.
Born and raised in Hawai`i, Justin Kawika Young first found success in his island home. He accumulated eleven number-one hits on Hawai`i radio before relocating to Los Angeles. He quickly established a following in the LA music scene and connected with singer/songwriter Colbie Caillat, eventually joining her band.
Young toured with Caillat as her acoustic guitarist/background vocalist and co-wrote two songs on Caillat’s All Of You album. In 2019, Young and Caillat formed a band in Nashville with two friends called Gone West. They debuted at The Grand Ole Opry in October of 2019. Their album, Canyons, peaked at #1 on the iTunes country charts and #3 overall. Gone West’s single, What Could Have Been, hit the top 25 at Country Radio.
Justin’s original music can also be heard on the soundtracks from the movies Shallow Hal, Restrepo, Point Break, Wild Horses and The Walking Dead TV series.
Adam Zelkind - Songwriter, Composer, Producer
Adam Zelkind is an eight-time award winning songwriter/composer/producer. He has created cutting edge music for more than 1,356 television episodes as well as various records, feature films and ads.. His awards include ASCAP’s Most Performed Music on Television for two consecutive years. He has worked with artists and writers such as, Kenny Loggins, Glen Phillips (Toad The Wet Sprocket), Tom Higgenson (Plain White T’s), Jason Mraz, Kristian Bush (Sugarland), Amy Stroup, Chris Gelbuda, Spectre Jones, Katie Herzig, Bret James, Big Al Anderson, Josh Kelley, Walt Aldridge, Darryl Worley, Gary Burr, Ashley Gorley, Meghan Lindsey (The Voice & Steel Magnolia), Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek), Sara Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion (US Elevator), Will Champlin, Dustin Christensen, Rob Kleiner, Marlin Hookman Bonds. He wrote & produced 8 songs for the feature film “The Big Ugly” on which he also served as the film’s executive music producer. His work has become a prominent force on many shows including the hit CW show Hart Of Dixie, having had 20 songs featured on this show. He co wrote and produced with The Crazy Z’s feat. Stephanie Mabey “My Favorite Show”, which was an end titles feature on the HBO hit series The Leftovers. Some of his wildest composer credits include: Rock of Love, Flavor of Love, I Love Money, Real Chance of Love, The Surreal Life, From G's to Gents, I Love New York, Charm School, My Fair Brady, Out Back Jack, Next Action Star, Teen Mom, Below Deck, Beverly Hills 90201, The Steve Harvey Show, Many of his songs can be heard in films including the critically acclaimed film Disconnect, Marine Home Front 3, Slumber Party Slaughter, No Manches Frida, Can't Have You. Adam also serves on the Advisory council for the Hawaii Songwriting Festival.
Adam Zelkind is an eight-time award winning songwriter/composer/producer. He has created cutting edge music for more than 1,356 television episodes as well as various records, feature films and ads.. His awards include ASCAP’s Most Performed Music on Television for two consecutive years. He has worked with artists and writers such as, Kenny Loggins, Glen Phillips (Toad The Wet Sprocket), Tom Higgenson (Plain White T’s), Jason Mraz, Kristian Bush (Sugarland), Amy Stroup, Chris Gelbuda, Spectre Jones, Katie Herzig, Bret James, Big Al Anderson, Josh Kelley, Walt Aldridge, Darryl Worley, Gary Burr, Ashley Gorley, Meghan Lindsey (The Voice & Steel Magnolia), Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek), Sara Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion (US Elevator), Will Champlin, Dustin Christensen, Rob Kleiner, Marlin Hookman Bonds. He wrote & produced 8 songs for the feature film “The Big Ugly” on which he also served as the film’s executive music producer. His work has become a prominent force on many shows including the hit CW show Hart Of Dixie, having had 20 songs featured on this show. He co wrote and produced with The Crazy Z’s feat. Stephanie Mabey “My Favorite Show”, which was an end titles feature on the HBO hit series The Leftovers. Some of his wildest composer credits include: Rock of Love, Flavor of Love, I Love Money, Real Chance of Love, The Surreal Life, From G's to Gents, I Love New York, Charm School, My Fair Brady, Out Back Jack, Next Action Star, Teen Mom, Below Deck, Beverly Hills 90201, The Steve Harvey Show, Many of his songs can be heard in films including the critically acclaimed film Disconnect, Marine Home Front 3, Slumber Party Slaughter, No Manches Frida, Can't Have You. Adam also serves on the Advisory council for the Hawaii Songwriting Festival.