Historic Appointment: Dr. Chelsey Green Becomes First Black Woman & Youngest Chair of the Recording Academy® Board
The Recording Academy® just made history by electing Dr. Chelsey Green as Chair of its Board of Trustees—she’s not only the youngest person to ever hold this role but also the first Black woman in the Academy’s 68-year history.
As a Billboard-charting artist and Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music, Dr. Green’s genre-defying work (jazz, R&B, soul, funk, and classical) has already earned her widespread acclaim. Her ensemble, Chelsey Green and The Green Project, has released five well-received albums—one of which landed on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart—and most recently, she snagged a No. 1 single as a featured artist with pianist-producer Nathan Mitchell.
Dr. Green has shared stages with icons like Stevie Wonder, Lizzo, Samara Joy, Kirk Franklin, and the Wu-Tang Clan, and even debuted with major orchestras such as the National Symphony Orchestra.
An impassioned advocate for music education and equity, she regularly leads workshops and residencies worldwide. “I am deeply honored to serve at this moment in the Academy’s history,” said Dr. 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. I am deeply honored to serve at this moment in the Academy’s history,”
In April 2025, Dr. Green became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, aligning her life’s work with the Sorority’s legacy of sisterhood, scholarship, service and social action.
As of June 1, Dr. Green’s historic election to the Recording Academy® she leads alongside newly named National Officer slate and 19 Trustees to the 2025-2027 Board: Dr. Chelsey Green, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Evan Bogart, Vice Chair, Jennifer Blakeman, Secretary/Treasurer, and Tammy Hurt, Chair Emeritus.
These appointments reflect the Academy’s commitment to diverse leadership and to advancing a more inclusive future for the music industry. The full list of the Recording Academy’s 2025–2027 Board of Trustees, can be found at RecordingAcademy.com
Dr. Green’s historic election ushers in a bold era of innovation, access, and advocacy for music creators everywhere.
Learn more at www.chelseygreen.com or follow @drchelseygreen on Instagram.
