Featured Member David Gorodetski

June 2, 2016

Regarded as one of the region’s most experienced branding and marketing strategists, David drives Sage’s creative strategy for all media. With two decades of experience, he’s led a broad range of branding, advertising, PR, and digital projects for national and international clients including Motorola, HP, Amazon, Intelsat, Mitsubishi, Smithsonian, National Cherry Blossom Festival, DC Jazz Festival, T-Mobile, AT&T, S&R Foundation, and many more.

Previously, David was VP, Interactive Services Worldwide for Ogilvy Public Relations, where he led the development of strategic and tactical interactive communications plans, launching advertising, public relations, and public education campaigns via digital media for IBM, Nokia, Coca-Cola, MasterCard, Ford, GlaxoSmithKline, Midas, Children’s Hospital Center, CDC, and NIH.

Prior to Ogilvy, David worked with Stackig Advertising and Public Relations, where he built the interactive division from the ground up, developing a full line of web-based products and services that increased the agency’s offerings and revenues.

David is also a Senior Interactive and Online Marketing Consultant for Frost & Sullivan, a consulting firm with more than 1,700 industry consultants around the globe.

David serves as an advisor to Halcyon Incubator, a social incubator that helps entrepreneurs transform new ideas into scalable and sustainable ventures with measurable social outcomes. Additionally, he serves on several nonprofit boards including DC Jazz Festival, LGW, and Theatre Washington.

David’s creative efforts have earned numerous interactive, advertising, marketing, and print communications awards, including the Telly Award, Addys, W3 awards, EMA honors and Top Marketer of the Year Awards from the American Marketing Association.

How did your involvement with LGW start, and what has the organization come to mean to you?

Mioshi Moses, the wife of one of my best friends, introduced me to LGW and encouraged me to signup to the class of 2015. Getting to know my classmates and the LGW community at large quickly turned into one of my professional and personal life highlights. This is an amazing community of senior-level leaders who are prominent both in their industry and in the Washington community. This experience has helped me to grow both professionally and personally, as we focus on creating positive change in the region.

Can you give us a little background on how Sage's partnership with LGW formed, and how your team supports the work of the organization?

Toward the end of my 2015 signature class, I was invited to join the LGW board. I saw an opportunity for a great collaboration between LGW and Sage Communications. LGW needed fresh brand and messaging, and I knew that my team of 65+ employees had the expertise to develop LGW with new brand and messaging, which are inline with the board vision, and ultimately to position LGW as a sought-after organization in our region.

Sage Communications supports LGW in almost every aspect of communications, from conducting messaging sessions, establishing a public relations voice and communications plan that prioritizes the organization’s objectives to logo, website and brand elements development. Sage continue to support LGW with a full team dedicated to updating the website, public relations support and even conducting social media trainings to help LGW’s constituency become masters of communications.

Can you describe a truly special moment from an LGW experience - a connection you made, something you learned or a memorable experience?

During my second Mind Trust meeting I found myself talking to nine strangers about my deepest personal and professional challenges. For over 30 minutes they listened, and when I was done they unconditionally supported me as if we knew each other for decades, and they made me feel safe and welcome. These amazing people have become my best friends, my brothers and sisters. This experience will stay with me forever.

How would you describe LGW - the alumni, leadership, staff and overall mission of the organization?

I truly believe that LGW is the best professional networking organization in the Washington metropolitan region. With strong leadership, an engaged board, amazingly dedicated staff, and alumni made of the region’s most prominent leaders, we are committed to making the Washington region a more dynamic and collaborative community as we embrace and value the diversity – geography, people, sectors, and professions – of our region.

What is the most rewarding part of being a member of the LGW network?

One of the most rewarding parts of being member of LGW is the access to some of the smartest, compassionate, and powerful decision making individuals in our region. From personal to professional advice, these trusted advisors are an email or a phone call away.

What advice would you give other members looking to become more active within the LGW network?

I will always remember my dear friend and my then-ambassador Charlotte Reid advice as she said, “What you give is what you get,” and if I have to give advice to other members, it will be along the same lines. You see, if you put your time into LGW…if you make the effort to meet and connect with other members, you get a whole world in return.

Whom do you admire for their leadership?

There are so many members I admire for their leadership. After all, LGW is made of leaders. My 2015 experience was made of amazing leaders of all walks of life. Some that captured my attention are Amy Austin, Nancy Roman, Mark Buscaino, and Sara Gibson for their work in the non-profit world. I admire Rev. Howard-John Wesley for his leadership and passion, Doug Duncan for his amazing ability to know how to ask, and of course many of the government and business leaders that made the 2015 class the best LGW ever had – Enough Said!

How did you come to live and/or work in the region?

I came to visit a childhood friend who uses to live in Columbia, MD. Almost 20 years later I still blame him for being the reason why I ended up in the Washington region. I moved to McLean in 1998 and I have never looked back since…. At least not until I visit NYC.

What is one of your biggest concerns for the future of the region?

I am concerned about the affordability of living in the area.

What is one of your hopes for the future of the region?

I really hope that the region will remain culturally, racially, religiously, sexually and educationally diverse. Diversity is what makes our region special…its drive for arts, food, culture, and experiences, which in return drive business and prosperity.

Tell us something most people might not know about you.

Most people don’t know that I love painting, and I am working toward having enough painting to have my own show.

Featured Member David Gorodetski