Sounds of Saving (SoS) is a 501c(3) non-profit that designs and provides tools, content, resources, and curriculum to young people, ages 14 to 24, on how to discover and utilize music to support their mental health and wellness. Our programs are designed to be intersectional and inclusive, with strong attention paid to marginalized communities.
The mental health crisis amongst adolescents and young adults has reached a staggering and dangerous peak, worsened by the epidemic of loneliness. Young people are battling this crisis with very limited tools and resources being made available to them.
SoS is focused on meeting this moment through the responsible development of a cutting edge curriculum, live community building music experiences and content focused on mental wellness and emotional regulation through the use of music. Our programs are young adult centered, culturally competent and highly engaging—with many opportunities for self-led discovery and peer bonding.
SoS was founded in response to the loss of our co-founder Nick Greto’s beloved Uncle Mike, who died by suicide. The passing of his uncle inspired him to take a more in depth look into the ways that we talk about mental health and how we seek and receive help. For millions of people like Nick, who come from households where the idea of mental healthcare was not acknowledged, music served as the portal to accessing, processing, and regulating emotions. Experiencing music and lyrics is a universal way of connecting to ourselves and others. This truth became the basis of SoS.
SoS began in 2018 as a nonprofit studio that focused on the creation of impactful content featuring artists and musicians telling their stories of perseverance and coping through mental health crises. In 2019, Charlie Gross joined Nick as a co-founder at SoS, bringing with him the unique perspective of having worked professionally within the music world and as a licensed and practicing psychotherapist. Together, they have been working to grow the organization into one that harnesses the power of music and storytelling as a bridge to overall mental health and wellness.
Nate is a partner at Versus Creative where he specializes in digital platforms and strategic partnerships for high profile clients like Spotify. Previously, he spent four years as Head of Music at Tumblr and worked at The Collective talent management company in LA, spearheading artists' digital strategies.
Mariana is an Associate General Counsel in International Business and Legal Affairs at Roku and serves as a guest lecturer at the NYU Stern School of Business. In her 20+ years as an attorney, she has previously worked as Vice President Associate General Counsel for both Tubi and Paramount International.
Das is the Chief Data and AI Officer at Saatchi & Saatchi, leading their "Moneyball Team" with over 25 years of analytics experience. He also serves as an adjunct professor at USC's Marshall School of Business and advises startups like Data Facade and Skan.ai.
John is an international expert in crisis intervention and suicide prevention with over 30 years of experience. He has led significant initiatives in crisis services, including the establishment of New York City's LifeNet hotline and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Currently serving as President of Research and Development at Behavioral Health Link, Inc., he continues to advance crisis care through research, data, and technology.
Corey serves on the boards of many Chicago based organizations, including Hyde Park Angels, Big Happy, and Packback. Previously, he has served as the CEO of the HR tech firm Yello.
Michele has been an artist manager for two decades, having guided the careers of Bad Religion, Sonic Youth, Beck, Tenacious D, Ryan Adams, Rage Against the Machine and Charlotte Gainsbourg, as well as provided support for Foo Fighters, Beastie Boys, Queens of the Stone Age, Jimmy Eat World and Band of Horses. Michele has produced wide-ranging and large-scale projects from Tenacious D’s now-annual music and comedy festival (Festival Supreme) to Beck’s collaboration with Lincoln Motor for the car company’s “Hello Again” campaign. "Hello Again" featured 160+ musicians performing live in the round, with Beck at the center of it all, and was captured by visionary director Chris Milk. She worked for the past 2 years as part of the Windish Agency building out their creative crossover department working with artists such as Diplo, Dillon Francis, CHRVCHES, Ta-ku and WARPAINT.
Adrienne is an acclaimed actress known for her roles in "Pretty Hard Cases" and "Orange is the New Black," receiving SAG and NAACP Image Award nominations. She's also a prominent voice artist for brands and a dedicated advocate for rescue animals, volunteering with organizations like the ASPCA and Comfort Zone Camp.
Brian is the Chief Revenue Officer at AllTrack Performing Rights, leading revenue strategies. With over 25 years of experience, he's held executive roles at BMI and other major companies, specializing in revenue generation and team leadership. He is now based in Nashville, Tennessee.
Martin is a Music Supervisor at Format Entertainment, recently working on Marvel’s Secret Invasion and Loki season 2. Before Format, he worked for an in- house music supervision team all3Media and worked on promotional campaigns at record labels.
Arianna is the Global Chief Brand Officer at Goldman Sachs and a marketing dynamo. She previously worked as a Senior Vice President in Marketing Strategy for TD Bank and is a member of several NYC based boards.
Erica is the CEO of Creative Types, a platform for career development and advocacy for global creatives. Previously, she worked as Head of Talent Acquisition and Head of Inclusion for Netflix, and still serves as a Women in Entertainment Mentor for The Hollywood Reporter.
Bradley is a venture capitalist, political strategist, philanthropist, and writer. He founded Tusk Venture Partners, Tusk Strategies, and Ivory Gaming Acquisition Corp, and advocates for mobile voting and anti-hunger campaigns through Tusk Philanthropies. Additionally, he writes, hosts a podcast, and owns P&T Knitwear in Manhattan.
Hover over each name to learn more about our advisory board members:
Alec is the cofounder of Brassland, along with Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National. He is also a writer, critic, journalist, and speaker.
musician, founding member Gaslight Anthem, Dead Swords
Brittney is a music executive, entrepreneur, wellness enthusiast, and the founder of King Creative Group, an artist services and management company whose clients include Quality Control Music, Lil Baby, City Girls, & Jamaica Craft. She is the President of Operations at 10k Projects record label whose artists include Trippie Redd, Iann Dior & Surfaces, as well as a wellness advocate. Her personal brand Women Like Me is a dedicated platform to educate burned out, busy, overworked women in creative industries on how to slow down and make time to nurture their mind, body, and spirit.
Bryndon Cook is a multidisciplinary artist, actor and music director. Composing and recording music as Starchild & The New Romantic, Cook released his sophomore LP, “Forever,” in 2020. Previous creative work includes collaborations with the Newark Boys Chorus, Solange Knowles, Maggie Rogers, Telfar, the Guggenheim Museum, Sydney Opera House, Hollywood Bowl and more. Television and film credits include season three of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon, 2020) and Lin Manuel Miranda’s “Tick, Tick… Boom!” (Netflix, 2021) and others. Cook has previously worked as an educator for Shakespeare Theater Company in Washington DC and smaller programs in the Maryland area.
Caithlin De Marrais is a songwriter, musician, and public school music teacher based in Connecticut. She is a founding member of the rock band Rainer Maria, has gone to #1 on college radio, been awarded Top Ten Album of the Year by SPIN magazine, and twice appeared on the cover of the Arts section of the New York Times. In addition to her three decades of collaborative work with artists working in a variety of media, Caithlin has released four albums under her own name to great acclaim. She holds undergraduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University of Bridgeport, and an MMEdu from U–Bridgeport. She specializes in working with musicians who have disabilities or are neurodivergent. Caithlin develops district-wide curricula and teaches music to students from Pre-K through High School in Bridgeport, Connecticut. She is the proud mother of two fabulous children.
Live sound engineer for Cat Power, Deerhunter, St. Vincent and others, musical director for Rachel Comey, and singer songwriter for Vorhees.
Dave is a musician in the group The Oxymorrons and a mental health advocate. Dave has worked with the Jed Foundation and was featured in Time Magazine’s The Future of Mental Health
Grammy winning, American mastering engineer, Emily is the founder, president, and chief mastering engineer of The Lodge, an audio mastering facility that has operated in New York City's Greenwich Village since 1997.
Dr. Eric Dammann is a clinical psychologist/psychoanalyst and executive coach with a private practice in Manhattan. He specializes in executive coaching, financial counseling, and psychotherapy. Aside from his private practice, he is clinical supervisor at Columbia University and the William Alanson White Institute, where he is also Co-Director of the Artists Program. He is an associate editor of the professional journals Contemporary Psychoanalysis and The Journal of Financial Therapy. He graduated Magna Cum Laude and was Phi Beta Kappa at Bucknell University, and received his doctorate from Michigan State University. He completed psychoanalytic training at the William Alanson White Institute, and executive coach training at The College of Executive Coaching. When not working, he can be found hanging with his family, dog, and drum set.
Francis Rodriguez is a New York City based hair stylist and groomer. With 10 years of experience in editorial styling, Rodriguez specializes in creating both sleek and effortlessly undone looks for textures of all types, and wig cutting, coloring, and styling. Inspired by his Chicano culture and ‘70s-’80s era punk, Rodriguez has created looks for the likes of Julia Fox, Maye Musk, Awkwafina, Ciara, Bowen Yang, and more. His editorial work appears in the pages of L’Officiel, Paper, Numero, and Ladygunn, among others, and his commercial clients include UGG, Grailed, Makeup Forever, and Mario Badescu.
Gary is a composer, music producer, and audiovisual artist noted for his genre-defying musical aesthetic and forward-thinking application of sound across contemporary art, film, augmented/virtual realities, and botanical environments.
Graham is a documentary and portrait photographer whose work focuses on a range of social justice issues, including drug policy and criminal justice reform, as well as music and running—a lifelong passion he continues today. An associate professor of photography at Parsons School of Design in New York City, Graham has worked as a photographer for more than 20 years and has published and exhibited his work widely, including solo exhibitions at the National Arts Club in New York City in 2021, the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati in 2018, and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in 2017.
Haley Elizabeth Anderson is a writer, filmmaker, and visual artist born in Houston, Texas. Named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film,” Haley’s films have played Tribeca, Sundance, Rotterdam and won awards at SXSW and AFI. Her feature film Tendaberry premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. She is currently working on her second feature with support from SFFILM, Gotham, Tribeca, Sundance, Ucross Foundation, and Film Independent.
Jamie is a non-profit, tech start-up, and L&D expert.
Nonprofit management consultant including for Jennifer Lopez’s "Lopez Family Foundation" and Linkin Park’s "Music For Relief"
John Beeler has worked in the music industry for two decades, from running a college radio station to directing the independently owned record label of Oscar-nominated artist Sufjan Stevens. John also serves as an artist manager, community marketer, mental health advocate, and is a passionate co-conspirator in the creation and celebration of sustainable art and music
Julia is the frontwoman and bass player of Sunflower Bean and a political activist. In 2017 she founded Anger Can Be Power, a project that "endeavors to invoke the DIY spirit to inspire people to integrate political involvement in their lives." She is also active in the Model Alliance.
Ken is the co-founder and co-president of Big Hassle Media.
Co-founder and partner at Grandstand Media. Has worked in the music business for 30 years. She is on the board of Josh’s Fund, a non-profit that works to provide educational support for nurses working on bone marrow and stem cell transplant units. She is also the co-founder of The Sled, a NYC non-profit that assists underprivileged NYC Public School students and their families, most of whom live in shelters or other temporary housing.
Mark Elzey is a fashion, portrait, and commercial photographer working across New York, Los Angeles, and Europe. Originally from Bogalusa, Louisiana, Mark’s life has always been filled with art. From watching his grandmother paint, to early placement in magnet charter schools as a gifted creative, Mark’s world is rooted in self expression and originality. Now residing in Brooklyn, Mark finds the city provides him with an endless source of inspiration.
musician
Nick is a musician and R&B singer based in Queens, NY who attended Berklee College of Music. His third studio album, Cometa, was released in October 2022 with critical acclaim.
Nicole Hegeman is an Artist Manager, A&R Consultant, and Executive Producer in music. Originally from Burlington, Vermont, where there was an unusually rich and diverse music scene, Nicole’s love of music took her into roles as radio DJ and producer, event manager, stage manager, festival organizer, photographer, publisher and writer.
Owen is the CEO of TrueFire Studios with a 20+ year career in media, technology and content. He is also a founding member of the iHeartRadio team.
Peter is a club owner, concert promoter, and entrepreneur. He owns Brooklyn Bowl and The Capitol Theatre, is a publisher of Relix magazine, and is a chairman of HeadCount, a non-profit organization that works with musicians to promote participation in democracy, with a focus on registering voters at live music events. In 2022 he published a book: The Music Never Stops: What Putting on 10,000 Shows Has Taught Me About Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Magic.
Robert Galligan is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Brooklyn, NY. Dr. Galligan works with families, couples, and individuals in psychotherapy. He is particularly interested in helping parents develop more harmonious, satisfying relationships with their children and supporting individuals’ efforts to bring meaning and purpose to their lives. Dr. Galligan is on the advisory board of Sounds of Saving and is a Special Adjunct Professor/Clinical Supervisor at Long Island University. Dr. Galligan holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University and a B.A. in English from Yale University. In his spare time, he surfs, makes music, and coaches flag football.
Ryan Hall is a therapist and record label owner living in Cincinnati, OH. Ryan is a Licensed Independent Social Worker trained in and practicing EMDR therapy while also providing consultation to communities receiving federal funding to address youth homelessness. Ryan has run the experimental record label Whited Sepulchre Records since 2016 which has seen releases by Midwife, Joy Guidry, Endlings (Raven Chacon + John Dieterich) and many more.
Under the mononym L'Rain, Taja Cheek records and performs music rooted in r&b, jazz, noise, and pop, using voice memos and manipulated samples as inspiration and source material. Cheek has toured internationally with her band in support of her second album, Fatigue, the Wire’s #1 album of 2021, and the #2 album in Pitchfork’s year end list. Her most recent album, I Killed Your Dog, also earned praise from outlets including The New York Times, NPR, The New Yorker, and Artforum, among many others, and she has been featured on the cover of The Wire and Paste’s last digital issue of 2023. A frequent collaborator, she has worked with artists including Helado Negro; Okay, Kaya; Naama Tsabar; and Kevin Beasley. She has also toured with and opened for musicians including Animal Collective, Moses Sumney, Sharon Van Etten, Brittany Howard, Deerhunter, and Big Thief. In addition to her work as an artist, Cheek is a curator. As an Associate Curator at Large, she led performance programs at MoMA PS1. Prior, she worked closely with artists to realize projects at institutions including Creative Time and The High Line. She co-founded a DIY rehearsal and performance space in her neighborhood that primarily supports experimental music. Cheek is currently a guest curator for the upcoming Whitney Biennial.
