Warner Music Group / Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund Announces External Members of Board of Directors

The Warner Music Group / Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund announced the external members of its Board of Directors, spanning a diversity of backgrounds, age groups, and disciplines. The five outstanding leaders with wide-ranging expertise will help ensure the Fund’s governance will include independent oversight and accountability. The 15-strong Board will also include seven executives from Warner Music Group and three rotating representatives of the Blavatnik Family Foundation. 

The $100 million Warner Music Group / Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund supports charitable causes related to the music industry, social justice, and education, as well as campaigns against violence and racism. The Fund will contribute on a sustained, long-term basis to organizations on the front lines of the fight for equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Proposals can be submitted to WMG.BFF.Fund@wmg.com. 

The external members of the Fund’s Board of Directors are: 

Tanya Coke, Director of the Ford Foundation’s Gender, Racial and Ethnic Justice team, which focuses on issues of mass incarceration, policing, and economic mobility; harsh treatment of immigrants; and gender and reproductive justice. Coke is a former public defender and strategy consultant to numerous criminal and racial justice campaigns in the United States. 

Shawn Gee, President of Live Nation Urban, and a Principal and Partner in Live Nation’s Maverick management company. Gee oversees the careers of The Roots and Jill Scott. Through his venture with Live Nation he is also responsible for developing unique live global platforms and urban content opportunities, with a focus specifically in the areas of hip-hop, R&B, and gospel. 

Paul Henderson, Executive Director of the San Francisco Department of Police Accountability (DPA) and a former chief prosecutor. Henderson is a pioneer in progressive criminal justice reform, impacting local, state, and national policies. The DPA, which also serves as the oversight committee for the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, employs a hybridized model of civilian-oversight at the forefront in the evolution of modern policing. Paul earned a BA from UCLA and a JD from Tulane University where he also served as class president. 

Alencia Johnson, Chief Impact Officer and Founder of 1063 West Broad, a social impact agency working at the intersection of social justice and culture change – connecting brands, organizations, and people to mission-driven solutions. Named to EBONY Magazine’s “Power 100” list of influential African Americans, Johnson formerly held top posts on Senator Warren’s presidential campaign and at Planned Parenthood. 

Mona Sutphen, Senior Advisor, The Vistria Group LLC, a Chicago-based private equity firm. Sutphen served as White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy under President Obama and on the staff of the National Security Council during the Clinton Administration as well as the U.S. Mission to the UN, among other posts. Sutphen holds a BA from Mount Holyoke College and an MSc from the London School of Economics.

Other Directors include the following: 

Temi Adeniji, VP of International Strategy & Operations, Warner Music Group. Prior to joining WMG in 2016, Temi was an Associate at several prominent law firms. She holds a JD from Columbia Law School and Masters from University College London, and a BA from Princeton University. 

Mark Baker, VP of Public Policy & Government Affairs, Warner Music Group. Mark joined WMG in 2017, following two decades working on international trade policy matters and LGBTQ equality issues. A Fulbright Scholar, he holds an MALD from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and a BA from the University of Texas at Austin.  

Austin Daboh, EVP at Atlantic Records UK. A new addition to the Warner family, Austin joined Atlantic in June 2020 from Apple Music UK, where he was Head of Editorial. The influential creative executive previously held posts with Spotify, BBC Radio 1 & 1Xtra, and The Hub Entertainment. 

Camille Hackney, Chief Partnerships Officer at Atlantic/Head of the Global Brand Partnerships Council at WMG. Camille has been part of the Warner Music family for 26 years, including posts at WMG, Elektra, and Atlantic. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Princeton University. 

Michael Lynton, Chairman, Snap Inc. Michael was elected non-executive Chairman of the Board of WMG in February 2019, and also serves as Chair of the Warner Music Group / Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund. He was previously CEO of Sony Entertainment, and has held top posts at Time Warner, the Penguin Group, and the Walt Disney Company. He holds both MBA and BA degrees from Harvard University. 

Riggs Morales, SVP of A&R and Artist Development at Atlantic. Prior to joining Atlantic in 2014, Riggs served dual roles as VP of A&R for Eminem’s Shady Records and producer/manager at Goliath Artists. He began his career as a noted music journalist, including serving as a music editor at The Source. 

Julian Petty, EVP, Head of Business & Legal Affairs at Warner Records. Before joining Warner in 2019, Julian was a partner at Nixon Peabody LLP and Fox Rothschild LLP. He holds a JD from Fordham University School of Law and a BBA from Howard University.

Ryan Press, President, A&R, U.S. for Warner Chappell Music. Ryan joined the company in 2009, advancing through the ranks from Senior Director, A&R to his current leadership post. Prior to WCM, Ryan founded Press Conference Management, and held posts at Notting Hill Publishing, the J. Erving Group, and Day One Productions