Brian is a senior public affairs executive with over 30 years of experience at the highest levels of the U.S. government and private sector with key communication roles in some of the most demanding national security operations and policy decisions. He has extensive strategic planning, and crisis communications experience in the field as well as at the White House level — spanning three decades. He has served as a key communications advisor to the President, senior White House staff including National Security Advisor, and Secretaries of Navy, Defense, and State, as well as to senior executive defense industry leadership. He retired from U.S. Navy in the rank of Captain.
Brian most recently served as Senior Advisor on Intergovernmental Affairs to the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, 2012-2013, responsible for coordinating U.S. foreign and national security communications strategies, planning and execution within State Department and the Inter-agency.
He also served as Director, Communication Planning and Integration, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) from 2010 – 2012, standing-up up and leading a new directorate in DoD Public Affairs — chartered to re-introduce strategy and planning in policy and operational communications to the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. In this role he and his team spear-headed Departmental communications for Afghanistan-Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Egypt, China, New START, missile defense, and DoD budget issues.
Brian has also assumed leadership positions in industry and the non-profit sector as Senior Vice President Corporate Communications, ATK, (2007- 2010) overseeing all internal and external communications for a major US aerospace and defense company. As Director of Communications for Foreign Policy, Brookings Institution. (2006-2007), he oversaw the development and execution of this new position, successfully generating higher visibility and more effective engagement for Brookings Foreign Policy scholarship and scholars during a period of critical national debate. Also, as Director of Communications for Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, (2004-2006), he directed all communications initiatives for sector defense programs. In this position he and his team received the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) highest award in emergency communications, the Gold Quill, for the company’s efforts in Hurricane Katrina.
He held numerous communications leadership positions in uniform. He was Director of Public and Congressional Affairs, Naval Sea Systems Command, from 2002 to 2004. He also led the development of the media embedding plans for Iraq Operations in the fall of 2002, originating and recommending large-scale media embedding plan for U.S. forces and implementation of first-of-its-kind media basic training. As Director of Public Affairs, U.S. European Command, (2001-2002), he directed all public affairs operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) including historic humanitarian assistance actions for Afghanistan, and unprecedented international media coverage opportunities in War on Terror. He served as the Navy’s Assistant Chief of Information for media operations in 1998 and later (1999-2001) was selected as the Special Assistant for Public Affairs to the Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Richard Danzig. As PAO for Commander Sixth Fleet (1996-1999) he served throughout Mediterranean and Black Sea regions and directed public affairs initiatives in support of evacuation of Albania and U.S./NATO operations leading up to the Kosovo conflict.
Brian served as Assistant White House Press Secretary and Director, NSC Press Office (1995-1996), traveling with President Clinton to Moscow and Jerusalem in support of U.S. foreign policy goals. He played a significant role in the development and execution of U.S. public affairs policies in the Balkans, Africa, and the Middle East.
In early 1990’s he served the Secretary of Defense in contingency peacekeeping throughout Africa – establishing press centers in Kenya, former Zaire, Rwanda, and Somalia. He also was involved in the Haiti communications planning.
During the mid-1980’s, Brian served the Office of Secretary of Defense in Persian Gulf (Iran-Iraq War) supporting international press covering U.S. operations in wake of attacks on USS Stark and USS Robertson.
Brian holds an M.A. (National Security Studies) from the Naval War College, and a B.A. in History from the College of William and Mary
