After earning her Master’s in Nonprofit Management from Columbia University, Ilana Freund built her career as a fundraiser at organizations including Hospital for Special Surgery, The Trevor Project, and Comic Relief, developing expertise in donor engagement, strategic partnerships, and mission-driven impact.

Music has always been Ilana’s core passion and her way of expressing what she feels. Over time, she also developed a keen ear for identifying emerging music talent before it reached mainstream recognition. Driven by this passion and her desire to make an impact in the industry, she pursued music education through NYU Tisch x Billboard’s Music Industry Essentials certificate program, complemented by additional music business coursework through Berklee College of Music and nonprofit management studies at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. She has also engaged in programs across the entertainment space, including William Morris Endeavor’s NXT Program and membership in The Recording Academy’s GRAMMY U program, gaining insight into the inner workings of the industry and connections across various areas of music. Building on her experiences across the nonprofit and music industries, Ilana founded SoundBoard to combine her passion for music with her commitment to social impact.

Outside of work, Ilana is an avid fitness enthusiast and passionate music lover. When she is not training for a marathon or riding a spin bike, she’s at a concert, discovering emerging talent or singing along to her favorite artists, fully immersed in the energy of the music.