Title:GEMA Alumni Spotlight – Alex Lubeck (B’17), Program Director, SiriusXM

Alex Lubeck (B ’17) is a media product leader at SiriusXM Los Angeles, driving audience growth and engagement through market research, music programming, and end-to-end development of new digital experience channels. The role requires creative leadership, cross-departmental collaboration, and the integration of content strategy, audience data, and marketing execution to turn ideas into measurable growth in users and engagement.

What was your first “big break”? Or, what is the most significant experience you have had that has made your success possible?

About a year into my time at SiriusXM, I created and launched Chillhop, a channel dedicated to relaxing instrumental beats, at a time when the format wasn’t yet as widely embraced on major platforms as it is today. As a fan of the genre, I saw an opportunity to build a channel that continuously programmed great music in an engaging way while reflecting the growing and evolving global community of producers behind it.

Chillhop quickly found a devoted audience, particularly among younger listeners, proving that this style of programming could resonate at scale. That success fundamentally changed my trajectory at SiriusXM. It led to expanded creative ownership, allowing me to conceptualize and launch a suite of mood-based channels in the app such as The Sleep Channel, Tranquil, Soothe, Rainfall Radio, Music for Plants, and more. It also built trust in my programming abilities within the company, allowing me to move to the SXM LA office when it opened. There, I continued studying radio programming under excellent mentors and eventually took over Program Director duties for The Loft.

What is the most challenging part of your job? What is the most rewarding part?

The most challenging part of my job is programming music in a way that consistently engages listeners. It requires making thousands of small judgment calls like balancing familiarity with discovery and personal taste with audience needs, selecting song order so that mood, tempo, and genre constantly evolve yet never clash, and more.

The reward is that when that challenge is met, radio becomes storytelling: curating a never-ending narrative that reflects life and culture through great artists. Ideally, listeners don’t just hear the music, they feel understood by it
and the radio station becomes their companion.

What is something current you are working on that you are excited about?

One of my recent focuses has been facilitating Disorder, a weekly show on The Loft hosted by Meg Griffin. We’ve been building thoughtful, thematic episodes, from Women’s History Month specials featuring artists across seven decades, to a deep dive on the iconic Greenwich Village venue The Bottom Line. It’s exciting because it combines storytelling, music history, and high-level curation, giving me the chance to help shape something that truly resonates with a passionate audience.

Outside of SiriusXM I am always working on a musical project, whether that’s composing electronic music (of which I’ve released 6 albums since graduatingGU), recording, engineering, and mixing local LA bands’ live sets and studio albums, or organizing local shows and pop-up festivals. Right now I’m working with LA post-punk band Dark Fantasy on their next album which has already been an extremely fun and rewarding process.

How is the ever-changing media landscape affecting your industry?

The biggest shift is that listeners expect everything to be on-demand, personalized, and fresh. That change has caused programmers to think beyond traditional radio formats and focus more on mood, context, discovery, and connection. At SiriusXM, that’s led to the growth of app-exclusive channels and more specialized, experience-driven programming.

At the same time, the abundance and pervasiveness of choice has made curation more valuable, not less. The opportunity lies in “cutting through the noise” by creating programming that is intentional, human, and deeply connected to its audience.

Are there any ways that you feel Georgetown especially prepared you for your career?

I regularly think about readings and discussions from The Problem of God, the class every Hoya takes in their first year. It’s a perfect example of Georgetown’s academic environment which pushes students to engage with a wide range of perspectives. This directly influenced how I approach programming music: thinking about context, meaning, and the larger narrative resulting from the sum of the pieces.

Outside the classroom, founding the Georgetown University Collective of Creative Individuals was especially formative. It taught me how to build something from scratch, unite creative people, and shape a shared vision. Those skills help my daily work in music programming and channel development.

What is your best advice to those who are starting out in your field?

Start from your passions and work from there to build or contribute something new (or different from what currently exists) that serves a community sharing those passions.

If you love what you’re doing you’ll be much less likely to burn out. If you build something that genuinely serves people, those people will treasure it and you will feel proud of your service.

Also, networking is extremely important in entertainment. It can be a natural, enjoyable process if you’re passionate about what you do and seek out like-minded individuals who share your enthusiasm.

Best Business Advice Received:

Georgetown’s Entrepreneurship Fellowship emphasized focusing on better solutions to real problems, thinking long-term, and taking ownership of ideas from concept through execution.. That mindset has stuck with me. At SiriusXM, mentors reinforced something complementary: get involved beyond your immediate role and learn how different parts of the business connect. That’s pushed me to collaborate broadly across teams, which has made both the work and the outcomes stronger.

Trait You Most Admire in People: 

I most admire people with a developed, authentic sense of humor – that quality seems to improve every aspect of life and people who have it are the most fun to be around.

Favorite App, Website, Podcast or Social Platform (other than related to your own company):

I’m pretty nostalgic for the early 2010s internet… when people posted song lyrics as Facebook statuses without context and Tumblr was a genuine discovery engine for music. It introduced me to so many artists I might never have found otherwise (shout out to Cap’n Jazz!), shaped a lot of my early taste, and informed how I think about music communities and discovery.

Favorite Georgetown Professor:

Professor Catherine Payling’s music business courses combined sharp discussion with real-world exposure to the D.C. music ecosystem. She has a quick wit and a clear passion for supporting the arts, which made the classes both challenging and genuinely enjoyable. One of the most practical takeaways was learning how to write grant proposals (among other industry fundamentals), all taught in a way that made the work feel approachable and fun.

Favorite Georgetown Restaurant or Bar:

I love the spot commonly referred to as “Healthy Wiseys” and occasionally daydream about their Oasis Smoothie.

Favorite Georgetown Memory:

I organized, booked, and promoted a sold-out concert at Songbyrd Music House featuring all Georgetown student musicians. It was a moment where much of what I’d been learning came together tangibly, turning ideas about music, community, and curation into an actual live event. Seeing the room packed with students enjoying themselves while one of my favorite student bands played made the night especially memorable.

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