Regan Sommer McCoy
Sommer is a music industry veteran and information technology professional passionate about the intersection of hip-hop, education, and tech.
Sommer is founder of the The Mixtape Museum (MXM), an archive project dedicated to advancing public understanding and appreciation of the art, history, and technique of the mixtape. MXM explores how mixtapes changed the landscape of music, encourages protection of DJ-produced mixtapes in danger of deterioration, and seeks to achieve systematic preservation in the DJ community.
She has over 15 years of experience in the music industry, most notably as a manager to Virginia hip-hop duo Clipse and continues to consult musicians, DJs, and brands. In 2007, she joined the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) where she is the Database Manager & Digital Media Associate.
She is a charter member of the William & Mary Hip-Hop Collection and a member of hip-hop theater company Rhymes Over Beats. She sits on the Board of Directors of Minds Behind the Music and on the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame’s Artifacts, Exhibits, and Preservation Committee. In April 2016, she organized the first Hip-Hop Hacks, a hackathon for students to explore technology’s role in hip-hop and how the genre inspires technological innovation. In fall 2016, she began her appointment as a Columbia University Community Scholar.