Our faculty have long contributed to national NEA reports, local DC arts strategies, and international cultural policy discussions. Situated in Washington, DC, Georgetown is an active connector between independent artists, advocacy organizations, government agencies, and academic researchers. The university is home to a growing network of faculty practitioners and scholars engaged in music labor, law, cultural strategy, and sustainability research.
Benjamin J. Harbert, Director
Professor of Music Chair, Department of Performing Arts Director of Undergraduate Studies, Music
Benjamin J. Harbert is an award-winning scholar and filmmaker whose research examines how music operates within social institutions. His books include Instrument of the State (Oxford University Press) and American Music Documentary (Wesleyan University Press). As founding Director of Georgetown’s Music Sustainability Initiative, he leads efforts that connect artists, scholars, policymakers, and students to advance a more equitable and sustainable future for music.
Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Performing Arts Founder, Music Policy Forum
Michael Bracy is a cultural strategist and public policy expert working at the intersection of technology, music, and advocacy. As Cofounder Emeritus of the Future of Music Coalition, he spent fifteen years bridging musicians and federal policymakers. He teaches Georgetown’s “Music Industry Seminar,” co-leads the annual Music Policy Forum Intensive, bringing artists and other music industry professionals to campus to engage students and the broader community.
Professor of Law Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Kristelia García is a leading voice in intellectual property law. A former music industry executive and Yale-trained legal scholar, her work explores how copyright and licensing shape the creative economy.
Associate Professor of the Practice, Department of Performing Arts
Jay Hammond is a cultural anthropologist, composer, and sound artist. His teaching and research focus on improvisation, sound studies, and community-based arts practices. His work has appeared with Bloomsbury Academic and New Amsterdam Records.
Associate Professor, History and African American Studies Affiliate Professor of Music (Jazz)
Maurice Jackson brings a historical lens to the cultural and political impact of African American music. He is the author/editor of multiple books and has served as Chair of the DC Commission on African American Affairs.
Adjunct Professor, Communication, Culture & Technology
Mary Madden is a Senior Researcher and Strategy Consultant with over two decades of experience leading national research studies that explore the impact of emerging technologies on culture and society. She is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Communication, Culture & Technology Program at Georgetown University, and an Affiliate of the Data & Society Research Institute in New York City. She is an expert on digital privacy, data justice, and youth media use. Madden was previously a Senior Researcher for the Pew Research Center, an Affiliate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University and a Research Advisor for the Future of Music Coalition’s Artist Revenue Streams Project.
Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Performing Arts
Derek Baron is a historical musicologist whose research focuses on the intersection of music, language, and law in nineteenth century American and Native American history. His research has appeared in the Journal of the Society for American Music, University of Michigan Press, American Music, and other venues.
