David Grossman (BA’87), award-winning author and renowned leadership communication expert, has been selected to deliver the keynote address at the 2025 School of Journalism and Mass Communication Graduation Celebration on Friday, May 9.
Throughout his over 30 year career, Grossman has established himself as one of the foremost authorities on communication and leadership. As Founder and CEO of The Grossman Group, an award-winning Chicago-based strategic leadership development and internal communications consultancy, Grossman helps Fortune 500 leaders develop strong, strategic internal communications to drive success.
“David Grossman’s mission to develop authentic, courageous and trustworthy leaders through communication is truly inspiring,” said SJMC director Kathleen Bartzen Culver. “I’m excited to welcome David back to campus for our graduation celebration and I’m confident his remarks will resonate with our graduates.”
In 1987, Grossman graduated Phi Beta Kappa, Suma Cum Laude with a degree in journalism from the SJMC and went on to earn his Master’s degree in Corporate Public Relations from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. While at Northwestern, he founded the Journal of Corporate Public Relations (now the Journal of Integrated Marketing Communications), the nation’s first student-run journal of its kind.
Grossman began his career at Golin as an account supervisor where he championed the value of community involvement for McDonald’s and later created two new practice areas for the agency – field relations and internal communications. This experience led him to become the director of communications at McDonald’s where he implemented a wide range of communications structures and processes to better support employees and drive business success. In 2000, Grossman founded The Grossman Group and expanded his expertise to a wide range of clients, including Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, Kimberly-Clark, Microsoft and Stanley Black & Decker, among others.
“It feels both humbling and deeply meaningful to return to UW-Madison as the graduation speaker. This campus is where my journey in communication began, and it shaped so much of who I am professionally and personally,” Grossman said. “Coming back to address students who are sitting where I once sat brings everything full circle in a powerful way. There’s a certain magic in being able to share life lessons with the next generation of communicators from the school that helped launch my own career.”
In addition to his professional work, Grossman is committed to giving back to younger generations of communicators. He has taught at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies and serves on multiple professional organizational boards, including the Institute for Public Relations, Communication Leaders of Chicago and the SJMC Board of Visitors, among others. He has also published five books, with his sixth book, The Heart Work of Modern Leadership: 6 Differentiators of Exceptional Leaders coming in August 2025. His previous title, “Heart First: Lasting Leader Lessons from a Year that Changed Everything is now in its second edition. He has also adapted a version of “Heart First” for emerging leaders to inspire the next generation of impactful leaders.
The SJMC’s strong emphasis on communication ethics has been a core tenet for Grossman throughout his professional and personal life.
“The SJMC instilled in me a deep appreciation for the responsibility that comes with being a communicator. I learned that our work at its best isn’t just about crafting compelling messages—it’s about building bridges between people, fostering understanding, and driving positive change,” Grossman said. “These values have guided my entire career, from my early days in corporate communications to founding The Grossman Group and developing my Heart First leadership approach. The school’s emphasis on both excellence and ethics has shaped how I work with leaders to create workplaces where people can thrive while driving meaningful results.”
As he prepares for his keynote speech, Grossman hopes to inspire the class of 2025 to use their communication skills to make a positive impact on the world.
“I hope my speech serves as both a wake-up call and a source of inspiration. I hope they’ll leave with a deeper commitment to living purposefully, trusting their intuition, and surrounding themselves with people who lift them up,” Grossman said. “Beyond that, I want them to understand the profound impact they can have through communication—their ability to create clarity in confusion, foster connection in a fragmented world, and use their skills not just to build careers but to build a better world.”
The 2025 SJMC Graduation Celebration will be held on Friday, May 9, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery. After the ceremony, Grossman will be giving all graduates a free copy of his book, “Heart First for Emerging Leaders: What Exceptional Leaders Do in Extraordinary Times.” For more information, please visit our event page.