Chelsey Green Makes History as Recording Academy Board Chair

Chelsey Green Makes History as Recording Academy Board Chair The violinist, violist, vocalist, and Berklee professor is the first Black woman and youngest person to hold the position.

By

Maddie Russell

June 18, 2025

Berklee associate professor Chelsey Green has been elected as chair of the board of trustees at the Recording Academy, making her the first Black woman and the youngest person to hold the position in the organizations 68-year history.

Derrel Todd

The Recording Academy recently elected Chelsey Green as chair of its board of trustees, making her the first Black woman and the youngest person to hold the position in the academy's 68-year history. Green, an associate professor in Berklee College of Music's String Department, succeeds drummer and entrepreneur Tammy Hurt, marking the first time two women have consecutively served as chair.

As board chair, Green will help shape the academy's strategic direction, working with the CEO and senior leadership to advance its mission of supporting the music community through advocacy, education, direct assistance, and the celebration of musical excellence.

A native of Houston, Texas, Green is an acclaimed violinist, violist, vocalist, and educator whose genre-blending style spans R&B, jazz, classical, and soul. Her dynamic sound has led to performances with artists including Stevie Wonder, Lizzo, Samara Joy, Kirk Franklin, and the Wu-Tang Clan. Since joining the academy's board of trustees in 2021, she has helped lead initiatives such as the Black Music Collective, earning recognition as both a creative force and a committed advocate for the music community.

I am deeply honored to serve at this moment in the Recording Academy's history, said Green. Music is how culture moves, breathes, and remembers. Being elected to this role is a call to lead with integrity, to advocate for access, and to innovate boldly on behalf of the music creators who keep music alive.

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