Ryan Butler

Ryan Butler serves as Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for the Recording Academy® where he leads diversity, equity, and inclusion internally and externally for the Recording Academy and its affiliates. He is responsible for enterprise-wide diversity and inclusion efforts and ensuring the Academy’s core value of diversity, equity, and inclusion remains embedded throughout all aspects of the organization, including internal staff culture, Membership, Awards, Advocacy, and related programs. He also sets national and Chapter goals to accelerate outcomes for underrepresented communities and creators.

Butler joined the Academy in 2019 as a key member of the Advocacy and Public Policy team and later served as Director and then Senior Advisor of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion department. Within DEI, he’s led various efforts including the launch of the Academy’s first-ever Black Music Collective, the Women In The Mix® Study, alongside Berklee College of Music and Arizona State University, and the implementation of an Inclusion Rider for the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards®. Under Ryan’s leadership, the Black Music Collective has hosted the Recording Academy Honors event during GRAMMY Week and honored Dr. Dre, Missy Elliott, Lil Wayne & Sylvia Rhone to kick off the Academy’s celebration of Hip Hop’s 50th Anniversary. One big step in the Recording Academy’s fight for change. Ryan continues to advocate for inclusion and education by helping the Academy give out multiple scholarships to HBCUs and students across the US, providing twelve scholarships in 2022 alone.