David Gershwin

David Gershwin, former director of communications to recently-elected U.S. Senator Alex Padilla and a former chief of staff to former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, opened his public affairs consulting practice, David Gershwin Consulting, in January 2010. David Gershwin Consulting provides government relations, issue advocacy, media relations, crisis communications, and social media services for private sector, public sector, and non-profit clients.

David is Lecturer at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, where he teaches Management Communications. David is also a Teaching Fellow at the UCLA Anderson School of Management where he teaches Communications Development for Leaders for full-time M.B.A. students.

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

Prior to joining Cerrell Associates Inc., David served as Chief of Staff to Los Angeles Council President Eric Garcetti, and was the architect for the Council President’s key policy and political initiatives. As Chief of Staff, David managed all aspects of the Council President’s office, overseeing the 13th Council District’s legislative, planning and economic development, district, and communications staff.

David previously served as the Director of Government Relations for The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, as Director of Communications for Los Angeles City Council President Alex Padilla, and as a legislative manager for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

David is a board member and chair of the Government Affairs Committee of the Valley Industry & Commerce Association, one of the Los Angeles region's leading business organizations. David also served as a member the Los Angeles Committee for Zócalo Public Square, an organization that builds intellectual community and civic discourse through lectures and public events.

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

David has also been a guest lecturer at USC's Annenberg School of Communications' graduate journalism course on governmental reporting.

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