Veteran Capitol Hill executive tapped to lead legislative and advocacy efforts
WASHINGTON, D.C. — October 3, 2023 — SoundExchange, the premier music tech organization powering the future of music, announced today the appointment of Peter Karafotas as Senior Vice President of Government Relations & Public Policy. Karafotas is based in Washington, D.C., and will report to SoundExchange President and CEO Michael Huppe.
“Peter will be an incredible asset to SoundExchange with his extensive experience serving on the Hill and tackling some of the nation’s most pressing challenges,” said Huppe. “I am thrilled to have someone with Peter’s expertise at the helm of our Government Relations & Public Policy department at a time when SoundExchange is amplifying our legislative efforts to ensure creators are paid fairly.”
Karafotas replaces Linda Bloss-Baum, who recently left SoundExchange after nearly a decade with the company to pursue her passion in academia at American University
With over 20 years of experience on Capitol Hill, Karafotas will oversee SoundExchange’s global public policy and legislative issues that impact SoundExchange. He will lead the development of a proactive public policy strategy to help SoundExchange fulfill its mission of protecting creators and the value of music. And as creative issues are now global, Peter will also provide policymakers with a stronger understanding of the international political landscape for the music industry.
Previously, Karafotas served as Chief of Staff to Ranking Member David N. Cicilline, where he oversaw issues related to intellectual property and music.
“I’m excited to embark on this new journey with SoundExchange,” said Karafotas. “I truly believe this is a great opportunity to utilize my experience to energize SoundExchange’s already formidable advocacy efforts to ensure creators get paid fairly for their work.”
Karafotas’ career on the Hill includes Communications Director, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Legislative Director roles. He has also served as the Vice President of Operations for the media and strategic communications consulting firm Adelstein | Liston. He received his BA from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
About SoundExchange:
SoundExchange is the premier music tech organization on a mission to power the future of music. It was independently formed in 2003 to build a fairer, simpler, and more efficient music industry through technology, data, and advocacy. The only organization designated by the U.S. government to administer the Section 114 sound recording license, SoundExchange collects and distributes digital performance royalties on behalf of 650,000 music creators and growing. Through proprietary music tech solutions that turn data into accurate revenue, SoundExchange has paid more than $10 billion in distributions to date. For more information, visit soundexchange.com.