Valerie Orth

Valerie Orth is a songwriter, producer, and educator dedicated to music as a catalyst for resistance and transformation. She developed The F Word: Sex and Equity in Songwriting, a pioneering elective for Berklee students, and authored The F Word: A Guide to Feminist Songwriting, the first book to integrate feminist theory with songwriting practice. An Equity Partner and recipient of the Faculty Led Innovations in Education (FLY) Grant, Berklee's second largest faculty grant, Orth leads a thriving community that includes faculty learning groups, alumni initiatives, and an annual International Women’s Day concert.

Driven by a commitment to equip songwriters with technical skills, Orth teaches production as a tool for creative agency. Drawing on 15+ years of experience as an accomplished performing artist, she has toured nationally and independently released five albums, alongside writing and producing for industry entities including Warner Chappell Music Publishing. Her commitment to education extends globally; she co-founded Palestine Beats—the first program in the West Bank to combine music production, songwriting, and Nonviolent Communication—for which she received Berklee’s Faculty Fellowship. Orth also directs Berklee's Songwriting Summer Workshop and teaches within the songwriting graduate programs at Berklee Online and the College of Arts, Music, and Design at Northeastern University.