The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate announced that David J. Urban ’86 joined its Board of Directors.
Urban is the managing director for the bipartisan public affairs firm BGR Group and Of Counsel at Torridon Law. As a member of the board, Urban will help direct the Institute’s mission to foster bipartisanship among political leaders, promote civil debate, and educate the public about the role of the Senate.
“David’s insight, perspective, and relationships in Washington make him an ideal member of our board and clearly demonstrates our commitment to bipartisanship and opinions from both sides of the aisle,” board Chairman Bruce Percelay said.
Urban joins a board that includes eight former members of Congress – four from each party — and other political and policy experts.
“As someone who got to work with Senator Kennedy during my time as a Chief of Staff in the Senate, I’m deeply honored for the opportunity to contribute to the legacy of leadership and bipartisanship that the Senator exemplified,” Urban said. “I am grateful for the trust placed in me, and look forward to working alongside my esteemed colleagues to further the Institute’s mission of educating and inspiring the next generation of leaders.”
A graduate of West Point decorated for his service in the first Gulf War and a former chief of staff to the late Senator Arlen Specter, Urban also has been an analyst for CNN, appearing almost daily as one of the network’s most conservative voices.
“David Urban has earned respect for not only his military service but his thoughtful commentary about today’s political environment through CNN and his various public-facing positions,” board member and former U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy 3rd said.
Urban has consulted on a variety of high-profile House, Senate, and Presidential campaigns, and joined the 2016 Trump campaign in its early days as an advisor in the Pennsylvania and Indiana primaries. After helping secure victories in those states, he helped direct caucus operations at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Post-convention, he played a pivotal role in securing Trump’s historic victory in Pennsylvania, an outcome crucial to Trump’s capturing the Presidency.
In 2018, President Trump appointed Urban as the 11th chairman of the American Battle Monuments Commission, where he played a lead role in the commemorations of the 100th anniversary of the First World War armistice and the 75th anniversaries of the D-Day landings and the Battle of the Bulge. President Trump also appointed him to the Board of Visitors (Trustees) for the United States Military Academy at West Point.
