Calling All Crows Announces Newly Appointed Executive Director

Calling All Crows, a nonprofit organization that forges feminist movements through the music industry via partnerships with venues, artists, and fans, recently announced Ben Whitehair as its new Executive Director. Whitehair replaces outgoing Executive Director Heatherjean MacNeil following a historic year of impact for the organization.

The Calling All Crows Board unanimously voted to appoint Whitehair Executive Director, and proudly welcomes the new executive based on his expansive experience in the entertainment industry, leadership skills, and his vision to further the organization's mission.

Whitehair has nearly two decades of executive experience, building and scaling organizations while most recently serving as the Executive Vice President of the performers' union SAG-AFTRA, where he championed the rights and safety of over 160,000 members.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ben Whitehair as the new Executive Director of Calling All Crows,” said Board Chair Monica Hinojos-Capes, speaking on behalf of the entire board.. “Ben's deep commitment to feminist advocacy, his leadership in the entertainment industry, and his extensive experience in strategic growth and organizational development make him the perfect person to steward Calling All Crows into its next chapter. His ability to catalyze communities, foster impactful partnerships, and drive meaningful change aligns seamlessly with our mission to mobilize music fans and artists to fuel feminist movements and social activism. We are excited for Ben to build on the strong foundation of our work to create greater impact and engagement.”

Calling All Crows, co-founded by Chadwick Stokes and Sybil Gallagher, channels the power of music into sustained, community-driven action by building an on-ramp to activism. Through the organization's campaigns, programs, and partnerships, the nonprofit engages the music industry in social movement building. Since its inception, Calling All Crows has mobilized tens of thousands of music fans to volunteer 35,000+ hours, donated over one million dollars, and taken 50,000+ actions in support of feminist community organizations.

Calling All Crows recently released its 2024 Annual Report where the organization reported it experienced incredible growth, change and expansion, connecting with more music fans than ever before. In 2024, the organization reached 1,000,000+ music fans in person and online, shared resources at 80 shows and festivals, partnered with 13 artists, hosted 3 service projects, brought on 8 more venues, 7 new nonprofit partners, and more than 800 people completed their Here For The Music active bystander training.

Departing Executive Director Heatherjean MacNeil makes note in the 2024 Annual Report, “This year's work was made possible by a coalition of new and returning collaborators, including artists, grassroots organizations, and strategic partners. We reached thousands of fans on national tours with Dispatch, Mitski, Clairo, CAKE, Julie Williams, and others. We launched critical get out the vote efforts, including our Voice Your Choice campaign, which promoted reproductive justice in states where abortion rights were on the ballot. Here For The Music was amplified in venues across the U.S., where we trained hundreds of staff at leading venues such as Road Runner in Boston and at national festivals such as Kilby Block Party and Bonnaroo. We committed to the Here For the Music mission to make the music industry safer for all, transforming this campaign into CAC's first permanent program.”

Whitehair assumes his new role of Executive Director where he will continue to harness the power of music to create long-term social change that amplifies the voices of women and historically marginalized communities.

"Music has always been a catalyst for activism," Whitehair shared. "At a time when advocacy is more crucial than ever, I'm excited to build on Calling All Crows' incredible legacy of harnessing the power of fans, artists, and the industry to create meaningful, lasting change. I look forward to expanding our reach, deepening our impact, and ensuring the music industry continues to be a force for gender justice and equity—centering the voices of women in the fight for a more just world."

Ben has nearly two decades of executive experience, building and scaling organizations. He served as the Executive Vice President of the performers' union SAG-AFTRA, where he championed the rights and safety of over 160,000 members—including singers, musicians, and recording artists—securing a historic $1 billion TV/Film/Streaming contract and championing diversity and inclusion initiatives such as the work of Intimacy Coordinators. As the COO of his last company, Ben led their growth from a small team to a 50+ person organization, driving a tenfold increase in annual revenue. Ben is also a certified transformational coach and a passionate advocate for creating environments and communities where people feel seen, safe, and empowered. He also loves hot yoga and spending time with his wife, step-children, and Meadow (their goldendoodle).

About Calling All Crows

Calling All Crows is dedicated to creating a more feminist and just music industry. We harness the power of music to create long-term social change that amplifies the voices of women and marginalized communities. CAC aims to bridge the gap between music culture and activism by providing individuals and organizations with the tools necessary for sustained action; we believe that music is a force that can inspire and mobilize change. By building this on-ramp to activism, we encourage and support music fans, artists, and industry leaders to use their voices and influence to make a difference.

To post a comment, you must register and login.