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Racket Club expands New York team
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Racket Club expands with new additions EP Mary Kate “MK” Valentino, Sound Designer / Senior Mixer Kelly Oostman, and Senior Producer Nathanael Taylor.
Racket Club is serving up a major expansion in New York. Executive Producer Mary Kate “MK” Valentino, Sound Designer / Senior Mixer Kelly Oostman, and Senior Producer Nathanael Taylor are joining the New York studio, bringing a powerhouse mix of creative, production, and audio expertise.
With mixer and sound designer Ashley “Koomba” Simmons already in the mix, the additions bring even more creative and production horsepower to Racket Club’s New York studio, further solidifying its foundation as a bi-coastal music and sound company.
And that’s just the opening move. Racket Club is actively scaling its physical New York footprint, with plans already in motion for a build-out to add studios. Building on a formidable West Coast presence, anchored by an LA lineup featuring John Bolen and Nathan Dubin, the message is clear: Racket Club is growing fast, and it’s just getting started.
For Valentino, joining Racket Club alongside Oostman and Taylor was an opportunity to bring over talent that already knows how to work together while plugging naturally into the team already in place. “There’s something powerful about bringing together people who already know how to make each other better,” says Valentino. “We bring different strengths, but we also bring a level of trust and shorthand that you can’t manufacture. We’re going to add a lot of energy and creative firepower to what’s already built in New York.”
At the center of the new group is Oostman, joining as Sound Designer / Senior Mixer. A musician at heart with a sharp creative sensibility, Oostman brings years of experience and a creative approach that makes room for experimentation. “I’ve always believed that a little levity gives people permission to experiment,” says Oostman. “When everyone feels comfortable throwing ideas around like spaghetti at a sonic wall, you can find what actually sticks… without letting the garlic bread in the oven burn.”
That creative instinct is matched by Valentino’s nearly 15 years of high-level production experience, blending a strategic, relationship driven approach with the leadership instincts to guide clients and help shape the New York studio. Taylor rounds out the team with the production muscle. He has a proven track record of steering complex projects, budgets, and teams while building deep client trust.
For Racket Club Executive Producer Lauren Cascio, the addition is a natural next step in the company’s bi-coastal growth. “We’ve been building something really special in LA, and now we have the opportunity to grow the New York team in that same spirit, without losing what makes each place unique. MK, Kelly and Nathanael bring an incredible mix of creative instinct, production expertise and genuine chemistry.” The trio are stepping into a studio accelerating fast and they’re ready to help drive the culture forward. “We’re ready to shape an environment that’s authentic, collaborative, and unapologetically creative. Top-tier talent, high energy, and unstoppable momentum... what could be better?”
