We recently connected with David Clarke and have shared our conversation below.

David, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

In 2014, I was teaching in Goose Creek CISD by day and moonlighting as an arts journalist for BroadwayWorld’s Houston page by night. Those two parallel paths hadn’t quite intersected, yet. But that all changed when my reviews of Houston Grand Opera productions caught the attention of the Public Relations team at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. I was invited to meet with their Senior Director of Publicity and Public Relations while she was in Houston. We met at the cafe in her hotel, across the street from the Wortham Center, and when she asked if I’d ever consider moving to New York, I said, “Only every day of my life!” and handed her my resume. A couple of months later, I was offered a nine-week temporary role as the 2014 Festival Ticket Coordinator. It was a clear risk to leave my full-time teaching job, my family, and Texas for a short-term opportunity with no guarantees. But I trusted that if I could just get in the room, I’d figure the rest out.

The experience was invaluable, but not in the way I expected. A hiring freeze meant the full-time role I’d hoped for wasn’t possible, and suddenly I was in New York without a job or a safety net. What followed was a few months of real hustle that included odd freelance work, including a gig standing outside of Broadway theatres handing patrons tickets they had purchased via the TodayTix app. I also spent that time doing some serious networking. Then, in November 2014, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts invited me back to join the PR team in an interim junior role.

Nearly twelve years later, that leap of faith still defines my career. I’m still in New York, working in PR, and now have experience across institutions like National Sawdust, Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, and The WNET Group, while continuing to write for outlets like OutSmart Magazine, BroadwayWorld, and have written for Out.com, NewNowNext.com, Playbill, and others. The risk wasn’t just taking a temporary job. It was choosing possibility over predictability. And while it didn’t unfold exactly as I imagined, it ultimately built the career I was betting on.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a senior communications leader and journalist with over a decade of experience helping organizations shape their stories, build visibility, and earn trust. My path into this work wasn’t linear. I originally set out to become a theater critic, with dreams of writing for outlets like The New York Times or the Houston Chronicle. When I was told journalism was a dying industry, I pivoted toward academia, earning a degree in English with plans to pursue a Ph.D. But after the 2008 financial crisis closed that door, I became a public school teacher in Texas, teaching students with Autism Spectrum Disorders before moving into 7th grade writing. Storytelling, it turns out, was always the throughline. I was just finding different ways to practice it.

At the same time, I was building something on the side. I cold-emailed BroadwayWorld, after years of being an active reader, and offered to cover Houston’s arts scene. That email turned into me attending six to seven performances a week and becoming the outlet’s sole writer in the market. That same tenacity carried me to New York, where I took a leap on a temporary role at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and ultimately built a career in public relations. Currently, I serve as Lead Communications Manager at Oh Hello Agency, where I lead integrated PR, social, and thought leadership strategies for a diverse portfolio of clients, while continuing to write for outlets like OutSmart Magazine and BroadwayWorld.

What I do is help organizations and the people who lead them translate complex ideas into clear, compelling narratives that earn attention and build credibility. I’ve secured national media coverage, led high-impact campaigns, and advised executives on visibility and positioning, but what sets me apart is perspective. I understand both sides of the media equation as a publicist and a journalist. More than anything, I’m proud of my unrelenting tenacity, curiosity, and willingness to take risks. Those are the things that have truly shaped my career. It’s also the same mindset I bring to every client, with a focus on thoughtful storytelling, strategic clarity, and work that ensures they’re not just seen, but understood.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Resilience, for me, has often looked like forward motion without certainty. This means I do my best to stay in the game, even when the next step isn’t obvious. After my nine-week role with Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts ended, I found myself in New York without a job or a safety net. Instead of retreating, I doubled down. I networked relentlessly across the PR industry, kept my byline active by writing constantly for BroadwayWorld, and said yes to opportunities that kept me close to the work. Through a connection I made while briefly playing with The Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps Marching Band, I landed freelance copy editing work with Condé Nast Traveler. I also worked part-time as a Ticket Concierge for TodayTix. None of it was linear, but it kept me afloat. And, more importantly, those experiences kept me building relationships and credibility. That persistence paid off when Lincoln Center ultimately invited me back to join their PR team.

I had to tap into that same resilience years later after a surprise layoff from NYC Pride | Heritage of Pride, Inc. due to budget cuts. Rather than wait for the next opportunity, I made a strategic decision to re-enter the classroom as a substitute teacher with NYC Public Schools while simultaneously pursuing a communications role within the system. It wasn’t just about staying employed, it was about staying purposeful. Being inside those classrooms gave me firsthand insight into the system, its challenges, and its communities, which ultimately made me a stronger candidate and communicator when I stepped into the Deputy Press Secretary role. Even though that chapter was brief, it reinforced something I’ve learned time and time again. Resilience isn’t just about bouncing back. It’s about staying intentional, resourceful, and open to growth in the in-between moments.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

At the core of my work, whether in public relations or journalism, is a commitment to making sure important stories don’t go unnoticed. I’ve always been drawn to the narratives that exist just outside the spotlight. I am drawn to and inspired by the voices, communities, and perspectives that deserve visibility but don’t always have the platform. That’s shaped everything from my work with nonprofit organizations to the stories I choose to center as a journalist, particularly within both the LGBTQIA+ and QTPOC communities.

In practice, that means being intentional about what and who I amplify. As a publicist, I help organizations and leaders find clarity in their message and ensure it reaches the audiences who need to hear it. As a writer, I approach every interview and feature with a responsibility to represent people truthfully and thoughtfully, creating space for their voices to lead. What drives me is the belief that storytelling, when done well, can shift perception, build empathy, and create real opportunities for communities that have historically been overlooked.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/declarke85/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.e.clarke
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davideclarke/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/writerclarke
• Other: https://www.outsmartmagazine.com/author/davidclarke/
  https://www.broadwayworld.com/author/David-Clarke

Image Credits

IMG_8398.JPG – Photo by David Clarke.
David Clarke Headshot. Photo by José Eneas Núñez.jpg – Photo by José Eneas Núñez
David Clarke. Photo by D Juan Tiznado.JPG – Photo by D Juan Tiznado
David Clarke. Photo courtesy Elton John AIDS Foundation.JPG – Photo courtesy Elton John AIDS Foundation