David W. Brown has owned or managed five advertising/public relations firms throughout his 30+ career in Philadelphia. He has the distinction of being the only person to have served over his career as both the President of PRSA’s Philadelphia chapter and the Philadelphia Advertising Club. He is also the only living African American inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) Hall of Fame. He was named a “Champion of Change” by the Obama Administration for his communications work around empowering non-profits to make a difference in the communities they serve.

In 2018, Brown was awarded the Harris Wofford Active Citizenship Award by the Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service Committee for his “dedication and longtime support” of the King Day of Service — the largest single day of service in the country. He also co-founded the “Bridge Walk for Peace” — the nation’s longest such observance marking the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

He is a published author and has served as the General Manager for 900 AM WURD (Pennsylvania’s only African American-owned talk radio station). He serves as Managing Director for CommonSoul Communication which is a consultancy that works with mission-focused organizations. Most recently, he led the effort in helping the Philadelphia Inquirer pursue its goal toward becoming a more anti-racist media institution. He is also working with RESOLVE Philly as it pursues its ongoing work around solution-based, community centered journalism.

He is an ordained Reverend in the United Methodist Church and has led an effort to transform a 175-year-old historically Black (and underused) church into a vibrant community resource. Brown is currently serving as the Assistant Dean for Community and Communication at the Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University.