Candidate for MLC Board of Directors - Alisa Coleman

Alisa Coleman

Alisa Coleman is currently the Chair of the MLC Board of Directors and Chief Operating Officer of ABKCO Music & Records, Inc., overseeing the day-to-day operations as well as the business development and global licensing of the music publishing, record, and film catalogs for one of the foremost independent entertainment companies in the world. A strong advocate for indie companies, Alisa is the first woman executive appointed to influential positions on both sides of the music business (the music publishing and the recording industry) holding seats on the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) and Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Boards.

Joining ABKCO in 1985, as an assistant in the licensing and royalty departments, Coleman has gone on to work in every division of the company. In 2016, she was named the company’s first COO. During her tenure at ABKCO, she has greatly expanded the exposure of the company’s legendary catalog, increasing its reputation and value, and is known for her innovative deal structures that focus on the long-term value of intellectual property and licensing partnerships. ABKCO’s catalog includes compositions, recordings, and films by Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, Bobby Womack, Eric Burdon, The Animals, Herman’s Hermits, Marianne Faithfull, Pete Townshend, Ray Davies, and The Kinks; the Cameo Parkway master recordings; the works of cult director Alejandro Jodorowsky as well as upcoming songwriters and producers.

In 2019, Alisa was appointed by the Librarian of Congress to sit on The MLC Board, and was unanimously elected by her peers as the first Chair of the Board. In that role, she has led the Board through a formative period to establish the mechanical licensing collective, working with The MLC staff to ensure it achieves the goals set out in the Music Modernization Act, which has led to the distribution of over $1 Billion. In particular, she has been integral in helping to establish and enhance technology which provides transparency for songwriters and publishers on the claiming and collection of their works through The MLC Portal and in the negotiations for the funding of The MLC operations totally borne by DSPs. She knows that The MLC’s greatest challenges lay ahead in the distribution of unmatched and historical funds and is committed to “getting it right” for all songwriters and publishers, ensuring access and fair reporting on a consistent basis.