A recent dinner held in Atlanta aimed at fostering connections among women in leadership roles highlighted the importance of networking and relationship-building among peers.
Dina Marto, a Marietta resident originally from Jordan and a prominent figure in Atlanta’s music industry, emphasized that women at the top often feel isolated despite their successes.
“As women climb up in business, it becomes more scarce at the top,” Marto stated.
With over two decades of experience supporting artists in their creative and business activities, Marto is well-versed in industry challenges.
Having started her career at Island Def Jam Records, where she worked her way up from executive assistant to managing the Atlanta office, she later founded Twelve Studios, which served as a hub for various major music labels in the city.
Her contributions to Atlanta’s music scene earned her recognition, and she later spent seven years with rapper T.I.’s management team before joining United Talent Agency (UTA).
Now, Marto is part of the team establishing UTA’s Atlanta office, the only major talent agency with a physical presence in the city.
In a historically male-dominated industry, Marto has emerged as a formidable force, often finding herself representing women in business settings where few, if any, women are present.
Research from the University of Southern California showed that female songwriters made up only 13.4% of top-charting songs from 2012 to 2023, with an even smaller percentage of producers.
In the executive realm of major and independent music companies, women’s representation is also low; around 13.2% of top executives are women, with only 10% of those being women of color.
Marto noted how her advancements often came with the weighty responsibility of being a representative voice for women in the industry.
Before her colleague Greer Davis’ promotion at UTA earlier this year, Marto stood alone as the only female music agent at a major talent agency in Atlanta.
Through her experiences, she recognized a pressing need for women who have successfully navigated their careers to come together and support one another.
“Successful women often find themselves isolated and craving community after reaching certain career milestones,” Marto explained.
This void in connection led to the idea of the dinner, which aimed to create deeper, meaningful relationships rather than just transactional networking.
Marto said, “It’s different when you sit down and have dinner. You’re breaking bread with people.
Coming out of the pandemic, we all need more connectivity. People are yearning for that.
Empowering the next generation of women also remains a priority for Marto, who faced a lack of female mentors in her early career.
“All of my mentors were men,” she recalled.
Recognizing this gap, Marto aims to be the mentor for younger women that she did not have.
Greer Davis, a newer addition to UTA, reflects on how Marto has accelerated her own networking since arriving in Atlanta.
“Having Dina in my corner has been a blessing,” Davis shared.
Marto’s efforts to nurture younger talent have resulted in strong personal and professional bonds, with attendees of the dinner even dubbing her as “the great connector”.
Davis affectionately referred to her as “the deputy mayor,” a sign of her extensive network and influence within the industry.
Marto’s outreach is not limited to the dinner events.
In the pandemic’s early days, she reassessed her priorities and co-founded an all-women-led branding agency called C&D Agency with colleague Courtney Rhodes.
Marto is also involved in UTA’s Women’s Interest Group and La Femme Majeure, both of which aim to empower and develop the next generation of female leaders in the music business.
Davis praised Marto’s commitment to mentorship, stating, “She’s giving us all her knowledge to hopefully pay it forward.”
Marto’s story is a testament to the power of connection and mentorship in shaping the future of women in leadership roles, particularly in the music industry.
Through her efforts, Marto is not only making significant strides for herself but also paving the way for the next generation of women.”
image source from：ajc
