Don Baer joined Brunswick Group in 2021, based in Washington, D.C., building on a career that has spanned
leadership roles in business, media, government, politics and the non-profit sector. He has deep experience
creating long-term value for and helping manage the reputations of major enterprises across the world. Baer
works with Brunswick’s clients on their most critical issues, drawing on his background as a communications
and policy strategist for leading clients, especially technology, communications, media, consulting and financial
services businesses.
From 2012-18, Baer was Worldwide Chair and CEO of strategic communications firm Burson-Marsteller, and,
after its merger to form BCW, Global Chair from 2018-19. He joined the firm in 2007 as Worldwide Vice Chair.
Since 2014, Baer has been Chair of the Board of Directors of PBS and a member of the Board of Directors of
publicly traded media company Meredith Corporation.
From 1994 – 98, Baer served President Bill Clinton, as Assistant to the President and White House Director of
Communications and Strategic Planning, and, before that, as Chief Speechwriter/Director of Speechwriting and
Research. He played a senior role across the Administration, including in President Clinton’s historic 1996 reelection campaign.
From 1998 to 2007, Baer worked at global media company Discovery Communications as Senior Executive Vice
President for Strategy and Development and a principal deputy to the CEO. He led corporate communications
and marketing, research, public policy and corporate responsibility, along with new ventures and acquisitions
and the launch of key Discovery businesses including digital media, education, mobile services and public
affairs productions. He played a key role in the Discovery/New York Times Company joint venture in the
Discovery Times Channel. His productions included the 2004 Emmy Award-winning series Decisions That Shook
the World and the feature-length documentary With All Deliberate Speed about the U.S. Supreme Court’s
Brown vs. Board of Education decision. Baer helped found the Silverdocs documentary festival with the
American Film Institute (now AFIDocs).
Before the White House, Baer was a journalist at U.S. News & World Report, as an assistant managing editor,
national political reporter and White House correspondent, and at The American Lawyer. Baerstarted his career
as a media lawyer in New York City at Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler.
Baer is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He serves on the Planet Word Board of Directors,
NewsGuard’s Advisory Board and OZY Media’s Board of Advisors. In 2020, he was a Walter Shorenstein Media
and Democracy Fellow and a Hauser Leader at Harvard's Kennedy School. For 15 years, he was a writer for the
annual Kennedy Center Honors TV production, winning two Writers Guild of America awards.
Baer received a B.A. from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Phi Beta Kappa), a Master’s in
International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science (Rotary Fellowship) and a J.D.
from The University of Virginia School of Law.