Tina Tchen To Chair Recording Academy Task Force On Inclusion and Diversity

The Recording Academy™ is pleased to announce that Tina Tchen, chief of staff to former first lady Michelle Obama, will chair its task force to examine issues of inclusion and diversity within the Academy and the broader music community. As part of its charter, the task force will identify the various barriers and unconscious biases faced by underrepresented communities throughout the music industry and, specifically, across Recording Academy operations and policies. In an effort to determine pathways toward greater parity at every level of the organization, the task force will look specifically at Recording Academy governance, hiring and promotion practices, membership, awards, and telecast.

"The music industry faces numerous challenges-from combatting long-held biases to making sure women are represented and respected within the community," said Tchen. "This task force is an important initial step by the Recording Academy to demonstrate its commitment to tackling these challenges in a comprehensive way. I am honored to partner with them in this effort and look forward to working with members of the task force as we look to make the music industry a diverse and inclusive community for all."

With a record of advocacy on behalf of women and girls, Ms. Tchen currently heads the Chicago office of the Buckley Sandler LLP law firm, where she is a partner and leader in advising companies on gender inequity, sexual harassment, and lack of diversity. Most recently, she played an integral role in spearheading the formation of the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund, which provides legal support to victims of sexual harassment, assault, and abuse in the workplace. During her tenure in the White House, Tchen was the executive director of the White House Council on Women and Girls, established by President Barack Obama to ensure that the needs of women and girls would be accounted for in the development of all government agency policies and programs.

"In this moment, the Recording Academy can do more than reflect what currently exists; we can help lead the industry into becoming the inclusive music community we want it to be-a responsibility that the Board and I take seriously, " said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy. "Tina Tchen is an accomplished advocate for women and impact-oriented leader versed in convening disparate stakeholders for a common purpose. In addition, the fact that she lacks business ties to the music industry ensures her objectivity as Chair. We are honored to have her at the helm, guiding the Academy and our industry toward a greater good for everyone involved."

In the coming weeks, the Recording Academy will complete the formation of its task force. With an eye toward assembling a leadership group balanced in perspective and independent of bias, the task force is set to comprise music executives, music creators, academia, and experts in diversity in entertainment. The group is expected to deliver a series of recommendations to the Recording Academy in the months ahead.

ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum®, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares®, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards®-music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.

For more information about the Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @RecordingAcad on Twitter, "like" Recording Academy onFacebook, and join the Recording Academy's social communities on Instagram, Tumblr, andYouTube.

ABOUT TINA TCHEN
Tina Tchen, a partner with Buckley Sandler, draws on more than 30 years of experience at the highest levels of PRIVATE PRACTICE and government service. She provides corporations, boards, and individuals with unique litigation, counseling, and crisis management skills. Previously, she served as an Assistant to President Obama, Executive Director of the White House Council on Women and Girls, and Chief of Staff to First Lady Michelle Obama. Ms. Tchen is a leader of Buckley Sandler's Workplace Cultural Compliance Practice, counseling companies on issues related to gender inequity, sexual harassment, and lack of diversity in the workplace. She has been instrumental in spearheading the Time's Up movement's Legal Defense Fund, which provides legal support to women and men who have experienced workplace sexual harassment.

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