Kara DioGuardi

While you may know her as the former American Idol judge who sat between Simon Cowell and Ellen DeGeneres, Kara DioGuardi's songs have appeared on more than 160 million albums, and she remains one of the industry's most sought after songwriters and producers. DioGuardi is a Grammy-nominated hitmaker, 2007 BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year, and has won a total of 20 BMI Awards, including the prestigious 2007 Songwriter of the Year award. She also holds the 2007 SOCAN Award. DioGuardi runs a joint venture record label with Warner Bros Records where she serves as Executive Vice President, Talent Development, Office of the Chairman; and co-owns Arthouse Entertainment, a music publishing venture. Her publishing company boasts hits from artists like Bruno Mars and Rihanna. DioGuardi is also a radio DJ on Clear Channel's MY104 FM.

DioGuardi's prolific songwriting covers a variety of music genres and includes hits like Colbie Caillat's "I Never Told You", Carrie Underwood's "Undo It", and Pink's "Sober" among others. From her extensive catalog, over 320 songs have been released on major labels, 150 of which appeared on platinum-selling albums, and more than 50 have been charting singles. Her songs have played a crucial role in propelling 66 albums into the Top Ten of the Billboard 200. DioGuardi's compositions are consistently featured in major motion pictures, television shows, film soundtracks, and radio spots, as well as national and international commercial campaigns.

Beyond her achievements in music, DioGuardi has also made a mark in the education and culinary sectors. For the past five years, she has been a Herb Alpert Visiting Scholar at Berklee College of Music. In 2011, she made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in "CHICAGO". DioGuardi co-founded Inspired Nation, a non-profit organization that uses vocal competitions to support local charities. In 2018, she became a co-owner of Walkers Maine, a restaurant by Chef Justin Walker and his wife Danielle Walker. Through these diverse ventures, DioGuardi continues to influence various facets of the entertainment and creative industries.