David Gershwin Consulting

With more than 20 years of experience on political campaigns, as a senior staff member to elected officials at the state and local levels, and as an experienced advocate for dozens of clients, David Gershwin has been instrumental in ensuring the passage of key legislation, ballot measures, and initiatives. David has also helped clients secure major government contracts in highly competitive and politically-charged environments.

David has a unique ability to translate complex policy issues into language that can be understood by target audiences - an essential skill to achieve larger legislative objectives. David Gershwin Consulting will work with you to help key stakeholders know your issue inside and out, enabling you to have a pathway for success.

And when you need to engage a local community or key constituency, we'll deliver a ground game on behalf of your project or cause that doesn't just get you heard - it will get you a victory.

Your first impression with the media isn't just a conversation with a reporter - it's a dialogue with thousands or even millions of people. You've got to make sure your message is authentic, clear, and compelling. We'll help you prepare for interviews, create effective press releases, pitch stories, and work with you to develop hard-hitting, impactful opinion page pieces that put you on the map with your target audiences.

And just as the media landscape is always changing, your external communications tactics should be changing as well. While social media isn't a replacement for other forms of communication, used strategically, it can help you reach target audiences in a precise fashion. Whether it's helping you develop a Twitter campaign to establish thought leadership, or working with you to generate a platform for you to showcase unique perspectives or projects, we'll help you create the best pathway forward to achieve your short- and long-term goals.

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David Gershwin is a public affairs and public relations executive whose career has spanned three decades. David specializes in providing strategic advocacy and communications blueprints for a wide range of clients, including: transportation agencies, business organizations, law firms, banking executives, corporate real estate executives, retail industry leadership, social service agencies, advocacy organizations, and elected officials.

David opened his own firm, David Gershwin Consulting, in 2010. David helps organizations maximize their opportunities by identifying and implementing effective strategies to help realize larger objectives.

As a Vice President at Cerrell Associates from 2008 to 2010, David developed comprehensive advocacy and communications blueprints for real estate developers, associations, financial institutions, public agencies, universities, and non-profit organizations.

As Chief of Staff to Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti (who also served as Mayor of Los Angeles from 2013 to 2022), David was the architect for the Council President’s key policy and political initiatives. David managed all aspects of the Council President’s office, overseeing the 13th Council District’s legislative, planning and economic development teams and managing the office’s City Hall, District Office, and Communications staff.

Prior to working with Garcetti, David was Director of Communications for the Los Angeles City Council's prior Council President, Alex Padilla, California's recently-elected U.S. Senator. David was also a Legislative Manager for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, where he created the business organization's first-ever Legislative Day at City Hall.

David has been a featured commentator on Fox Business Network and KTTV-TV, and has been interviewed by KNX-AM and KFWB-AM in Los Angeles. David has also been quoted to provide public affairs perspectives in the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Los Angeles Daily News, the Los Angeles Daily Journal, the Los Angeles Downtown News, and the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles.

David is also a Lecturer at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, where he teaches Management Communication in its Masters of Engineering program. David was a Lecturer at the UCLA Anderson School of Management in Spring 2022, teaching Communications Development for Leaders to full-time M.B.A. students. Additionally, David is a Teaching Fellow for the Leadership Communication course in UCLA Anderson's Executive M.B.A. program. David has also been a guest lecturer at USC's Annenberg School of Communications, at USC's School of Policy, Planning, and Development, and at the University of LaVerne.

David was also named by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal to its list, The Valley 200 - The Most Influential Leaders In The Valley Area in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

David also serves on the Board of Directors of the Valley Industry & Commerce Association, and chairs its Government Affairs Committee. David previously served as a Board Member of Zocalo Public Square, a non-profit organization that frequently partners with educational, cultural, and philanthropic institutions, as well as public agencies to connect people to ideas and to each other by examining essential questions in an accessible and broad-minded spirit.

A proud graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, David enjoys sports, photography, music, and hiking in local mountains.

David, his wife Beverly, and their daughter reside in the Valley Village neighborhood of Los Angeles.