Meet David Clarke

We were lucky to catch up with David Clarke recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi David, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

Developing my own confidence and self-esteem has been a pretty long journey. It has definitely been more of a marathon than a sprint, even if there there have been a few sprints sprinkled in along the way. I grew up in and around some conservative parts of the Greater Houston, Texas metroplex. From a young age I knew I was different, even if I didn’t have the language for it then. I was definitely an effeminate kid forced to exist in a world that didn’t make space for that. That disconnect planted deeply rooted seeds of self-doubt, and, for years, when I looked in the mirror I saw someone unworthy of joy, love, and belonging.

In my early thirties, though, things began shifting. In 2016, I joined the gay rugby team in New York—Gotham Knights Rugby Football Club—after a close friend, Australia’s first openly gay Olympic Bobsledder Simon Dunn, suggested I give the sport a try. At that time, he believed in me more than I believed in myself. I weighed around 330 pounds, was deeply insecure, and convinced I didn’t belong anywhere. As I promised him, I showed up to a practice. Then, I kept showing up. That team changed my life. I found strength I didn’t know I had, both physically and emotionally. I lost weight, but more importantly, I gained a true sense of self.

For me, confidence didn’t come from pretending to be or trying to emulate someone else. It, to my surprise back then, came from embracing exactly who I was and am: gay, emotional, analytical, resilient, and endlessly curious. My self-esteem began growing the moment I stopped hiding the facets of me that make me different from my peers and colleagues.

Now, as a communications leader and PR strategist, I do my best to pay that forward. I show up authentically so others feel safe doing the same. I live by the idea that a rising tide lifts all boats, and I’m deeply committed to helping others find their voice, because I remember what it was like to be voiceless.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Professionally, I wear many hats. Probably, too many! But, at the core, I’m a storyteller. Currently, I am the Lead Communications Manager at Oh Hello Agency, which is a thriving part of the growing Sentral Media Group (Sentral Holdings, LLC.). In this role, I help brands and burgeoning thought leaders articulate who they are, why they matter, and how to build authentic relationships with the audiences they serve.

As a company, Oh Hello is a dynamic creative agency that specializes in full-spectrum brand and communications strategy. We meet our clients where they are and come onboard as true partners who are focused on elevating our clients to push them above the noise. Then, as a part of the larger Sentral Media Group ecosystem, we’re also building a global communications powerhouse, along with Sydney, Australia’s The Big Smoke Media Group, that keenly blends PR, marketing, branding, digital, and design into one unified force. This is the kind of ambitious and future-facing work that excites me and makes me look forward to going to work every day.

My tasks allow me to humanize brands, especially those led by women, queer entrepreneurs, BIPOC founders, and other visionaries who have been historically underestimated, and that’s what gets me out of bed each morning. Whether I’m helping an ethical beef producer reach new markets, an allied sexual wellness brand refine its pro-trans and gender non-conforming voice and vision, or a legacy manufacturing firm modernize its messaging, I relish helping my clients show up authentically and strategically in this discombobulating world.

As far as what’s new, right now, Oh Hello is in a moment of enchring evolution. The company’s recent integration into the Sentral Media Group is creating opportunities for scaling the brand’s capabilities and impact. We’re consistently onboarding new clients across industries, from consumer goods and tech, to public health and lifestyle. Likewise, our team is expanding across the United States of America and also internationally. What we’re doing is fast-paced, high-stakes work, but it is also deeply fulfilling. And I’m especially proud to be collaborating with two powerhouse women founders, Natalie Micale and Alexandra Senter, who are boldly reshaping what leadership in this industry can look like.

At the end of the day, I absolutely believe that good PR is not about spin. It’s actually about clarity, connection, and trust. To that end, I am convinced that PR actually stands for polite and resourceful, which is reflected in my personal brand. Meaning I am a values-driven communicator who believes in mentorship, equity, and helping others find their voice. If I can use my skills to uplift, empower, and move the needle for people and causes that matter, I know I’m doing my job right.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I would emphatically say the three most impactful assets in my journey have been 1.) empathy, 2.) adaptability, and 3.) strategic curiosity.

Starting with empathy, it is key to remember and recognize that public relations is always a people-first business. Whether I’m drafting messaging for a brand, crafting talking points for a spokesperson, or managing a crisis behind the scenes, the ability to understand and connect with others on a human level is absolutely a non-negotiable. Well-honed empathy allows one to anticipate needs, navigate stressful and sensitive moments with grace, and compose meaningful communications that resonate with both key stakeholders and members of the general public. For anyone early in their journey, I would suggest that you truly listen and never shy away from asking follow up questions. In practice this means that you engage in active listening in every room that you’re in, whether you’re sitting with clients and colleagues or chit-chatting with your barista. Great communication starts with taking the time to actually distill what makes every story appeal to human interests.

Secondly, adaptability has also been a crucial skill for me to develop. I began my professional life teaching composition at the collegiate level and working in public school classrooms as a special education teacher. Transitioning into public relations and communications, I’ve worked in the nonprofit, arts, events, and even government sectors. Each change in scope and focus has required me to recalibrate my approaches and strategies. Additionally, the pandemic that tested all of us gave me the opportunity to reimagine my career as I explored and chased my dream of being a personal trainer and nutrition coach. Ultimately, that industry was not for me, but I’m grateful that I never shied away from or resisted change. Instead, I have practiced pivoting with purpose and built an expansive and fully stocked toolkit that I can take anywhere.

Lastly, as a proud lifelong learner, I implore everyone to cultivate their sense of strategic curiosity. Give yourself permission to feel like a toddler and ask “why.” Do it a lot. Why is this message resonating or not? Why does this campaign work? Why is this story relevant right now? If one stays curious it will be easier to see, identify, and appreciate the bigger picture. Curiosity, and even wonder, allows us to uncover the small, easily overlooked insights that drive big impact. Likewise, staying sharp through reading outside of one’s industry, following what’s trending, and studying topics like history, psychology, and tech will give you a leg up in this field. The more context we can bring to the tables were invited to, the more valuable our instincts will become.

Naturally, none of this will happen overnight. It takes practice. And, it also takes leading with heart, staying flexible, and remaining curious. If you do this, you’ll be surprised how much impact you can actually have.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

Truly, overwhelm is something we all face. Especially in a high-paced, emotionally intelligent field like public relations. For me, managing it is less about pushing through and more about pausing with purpose. I’ve been truly lucky to work with incredible mentors and also therapists who’ve helped me build a robust toolkit of strategies that I can lean on regularly to help me reset.

My first boss in PR, Eileen McMahon, taught an extremely important lesson early on. She expertly modeled that you are allowed to walk away from your desk. Literally. She would step outside and take a walk in Central Park. This change in environment is not quitting, it’s recalibrating. That advice has stayed with me and saved me more times than I can count. And, it doesn’t always have to be a trip outside. Sometimes, stepping away from your desk to refill your water bottle is enough.

As someone who struggles with anxiety, therapy has also given me tools that go beyond the workplace. My first therapist introduced me to daily gratitude journaling with the 5 Minute Journal App. This is something that seems too simple to be effective, but it has radically reshaped my perspective. My second therapist encouraged me to nurture my photography hobby as a creative break and grounding practice. As part of this, I sometimes take photos of beautiful or unexpected things that catch my eye in a moment to later edit and share on my Instagram as a way to connect with joy and creativity during high-stress moments.

More recently, my current therapist has helped me master the art of the body scan, which is taking the time to actively check in physically and emotionally. He has also taught and empowered me to ask myself: Why am I reacting this way? What am I truly feeling? What’s underneath the surface? That level of self-awareness is not only deeply grounding but also clarifying. It turns emotional chaos into something tangible and manageable.

Each of these tools works differently depending on the day and the stressors I’m dealing with. Sometimes it’s a walk, sometimes it’s writing down five things I’m grateful for, and other times it’s simply taking a deep breath and saying, “What’s really happening here?” It’s a mix-and-match approach, and it takes practice. You can’t expect these tools to work in crisis if you only pull them out when you’re spiraling. You have to sharpen them when you’re steady, so they’re ready when you’re not.

Most importantly, we must remember that overwhelm doesn’t mean you’re failing. It just means you’re plate is full, and that’s okay. You can always take a step back, reset, and come back stronger.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

All photo credits are included in the file name.

Primary Headshot – David Clarke Headshot. Photo by José Eneas Núñez

Additional Photos:
Waterfall Background – David Clarke. Photo by D Juan Tiznado
Graffiti Background – David Clarke. Photo by David Clarke
Orange Background – David Clarke. Photo courtesy Elton John AIDS Foundation

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