Chairperson of the Board of Directors: David Johnson

“David is an outstanding board chair for Public Counsel,” says Dan Grunfeld, Public Counsel’s president and CEO of David Johnson, Public Counsel’s newest board leader. “He brings to the organization exemplary commitment, an abiding dedication to our clients and a keen strategic sense of the organization's potential for future growth."

Mr. Johnson showed his commitment early in his tenure on Public Counsel’s board, Dan explains, “Within two months of starting on the board, David was doing direct advocacy for our homeless clients with our General Relief Advocacy Project. He’s a very hands-on type of board member. He really appreciates what our staff and volunteers do every day.”

Professionally, David Johnson is a founder of Agility Capital, LLC, a venture debt fund for private companies and a founder of The Johnson-Roessler Company, LLC, a new film and television production company. Prior to his current activities, Mr. Johnson was Senior Executive Vice President of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., where he was responsible for business and legal affairs, finance, and business strategy. Prior to joining MGM, he was partner of the law firm White & Case, specializing in corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. He is a graduate of Yale College and Harvard Law School.

David's community service commitments are far-reaching: In addition to his work at Public Counsel, he serves on the boards of the American Red Cross of Los Angeles; Children Now, a child policy and advocacy organization; the Dream Foundation, a national wish-granting organization for the terminally ill; the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA); and Reach Out and Read, a national program by pediatricians to promote early literacy. Mr. Johnson is also a member of the Los Angeles Mayor’s Council of Economic Advisors and the California Council for the Humanities.

David's stewardship as chair of the board is greatly anticipated by his fellow board members. Says Roman Silberfeld, David's predecessor as chair of the board: "David is extremely familiar with Public Counsel. He has chaired or served on just about every committee in the organization. But what he most brings to the organization is his passion, vision and heart."

David Johnson on What Public Counsel means to me...

"Public Counsel has had an extraordinary impact over its thirty-five year history – helping those most in need, often one person, one family, at a time. Public Counsel has made and continues to make its mark on some of the most significant issues of the last decades – poverty, civil rights, and how we treat our vulnerable children. Today Public Counsel is committed to working to resolve the central issue facing this country now – the increasing economic divide. I feel honored to play a role in this organization's efforts to build a better, more just community."

 

David Johnson joined the Board
of Directors in 1998 and is
Chairperson for 2005-06

 

Public Counsel founder Fred
Nicholas with David Johnson