Monica Corton is Senior Executive Vice President of Creative Affairs and Licensing at Next Decade Entertainment, Inc., an independent music publishing company that she has worked at for over twenty-five years. Her responsibilities include signing new writers, negotiating, drafting and licensing all works published and administered by the company, as well as overseeing the distribution of royalties. Next Decade’s clients include Harry Belafonte, the Pure Songs catalog (the band Boston), the Estate of Milton Gabler, Gaucho/Sandbox Music (70s R&B catalog which is sampled a lot in rap and hip/hop songs), Broadway writers Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich, the band BETTY, Jewish singer/songwriter Noah Aronson, trance/dance writer Jan Johnston (hits with Paul Oakenfold, Tiesto, Paul van Dyk), Bob McGrath (from Sesame Street) and Vic Mizzy (“Addams Family Theme” and “Green Acres Theme”) among many others. During her tenure at Next Decade, she has supervised the music for blockbuster films, television specials and Broadway productions. Ms. Corton has spoken on numerous panels for the music publishing and legal communities and has been published by Billboard Magazine, Digital Music News, Pop Matters, musictechpolicy.com, socialmedia.com and briansolis.com. She is a graduate of the Hartt School of Music, holds a Bachelor of Music in flute performance and music education and has given classical and jazz concerts and master classes throughout the East coast.