👋 Hi, I’m
David
Gorshein
I work across
Turning strategy into experiences, content, and programs that bring people together.
I turn strategic priorities into content, live experiences, and programs that bring people together.
I work with leaders, creative teams, and subject-matter experts to develop experiences and communications that connect organizations with the people they want to reach. My work spans experiential marketing, live events, brand activations, executive programs, strategic communications, and learning. My clients have included the United States Tennis Association, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, LinkedIn, JPMorgan Chase, Crunch Fitness, Cabi, Princess House, Yum! Brands, and the It Gets Better Project. I’ve worked on everything from national brand activations and premium hospitality concepts to executive conferences, digital learning initiatives, and large-scale stakeholder events. Alongside my agency and consulting work, I teach at the UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television, where I have developed more than 65 undergraduate and graduate courses reaching more than 10,000 students. Across both sides of my work, I’m interested in understanding an audience and creating something that connects with them.-
PhD
Theater and Performance Studies
University of California, Los Angeles -
BA with high honors
Communication Studies
Text-to-Performance minor
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
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Biz Bash Event Experience Award
Taco Bell Franchisee Convention: “Unstoppa-Bell”
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GLAAD Media Award Nomination, Outstanding Talk Show Episode
Conan, First same-sex wedding aired on Late Night TV
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Excellence Review
UCLA 2024
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Continuing Lecturer Status
UCLA 2019
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Fellow
Mellon Program on the Holocaust in American and World Culture
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Recipient
UCLA Library Affordable Course Materials Initiative
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Debut Prize, LGBT Focus Group
Association for Theater in Higher Educaiton
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Research Prize
James Pendleton Foundation
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McKinsey
Forward Program
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Cvent
Event-Led Growth (ELG) Certified
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Anthropic
AI Fluency
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AWS
Generative AI for Executives
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Google
Generative AI for Educators
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Databricks Academy Accreditation
Generative AI Fundamentals
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HubSpot Academy
Social Media Certified
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Chekhov International Theatre Festival
Research Fellowship, Moscow, Russia
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Summer Fellow
Northwestern Performance Studies Institute
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Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation
Board Director | 2026–Present
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City of West Hollywood Arts Division
Arts Grants Panelist | 2026–Present
SELECTED PROJECTS
Academic Leadership
I'm a Continuing Lecturer at UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television, where I've developed and taught 65+ undergraduate courses reaching more than 10,000 students, including:
– Introduction to Theater
– History of American Musical Theater
– History of American Theater and Drama
– Global Theater History
– Play Reading & Analysis
– Jewish Theater
– Classical and Medieval Theater
Recipient of UCLA's Affordable Course Materials Award for expanding access to lower-cost course materials.
I also serve as a UCLA Admissions representative, interviewing prospective students and supporting the school's recruitment efforts.
Previously I taught at California State University, Long Beach, where I served as Coordinator of Critical Studies and taught:
– Theater, Protest & Social Change
– Dramatic Theory and Criticism
I've also taught at Loyola Marymount University:
– Western Theatre History and Literature
– 19th Century US Theater
And I've taught at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy:
– Early Theater Traditions
– American Theater History
– Musical Theater History
Publications
• Academic Peer-Reviewed
– Jews on Broadway
– Transposing Broadway
– The Dig: Death + Genesis + The Double Helix
