Kamau M. Marshall

Kamau M. Marshall
Kamau M. Marshall, American political advisor, strategist
Born
Kamau Mandela Marshall

December 27
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
EducationTexas Southern University (BA, MPA)
Occupation
  • Strategist, Spokesperson, Political Advisor, Communications Executive
Known forDirector of Strategic Communications, Biden 2020 campaign
Political party
Democratic
Websitekamaumarshall.com

Kamau Mandela Marshall (born December 27) is an American political advisor, strategist and communications executive. He served as director of strategic communications for the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign,[1] and as deputy assistant United States Trade Representative for media and public affairs.[2]

Marshall also served in Baltimore city government under Mayor Brandon Scott as chief communications officer and chief strategy officer,[3][4] and is the founder of Think Toplines, a strategic communications and public affairs consultancy.[5]

Early life and education

Marshall was born in Chicago, Illinois, but spent most of his childhood in cities including Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Birmingham, Atlanta, and Columbus, Georgia.[6][7] His father was a Presbyterian minister.[6] Marshall graduated from George Washington Carver High School in Columbus, Georgia.[8]

Marshall earned a Bachelor of Arts in broadcast journalism and a Masters in Public Administration from Texas Southern University in Houston.[9] While at Texas Southern, he served in the student government association, was a member of the Ocean of Soul Marching Band.[9][10][11]

Career

After graduating, he worked as a middle and high school teacher and served as a graduate teaching assistant and assistant debate coach under Dr. Thomas Freeman at Texas Southern.[9][12] He later worked as a field organizer on Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.[3]

During the Obama administration, Marshall served as a White House presidential political appointee. He worked as a communications adviser and speechwriter at the United States Department of Agriculture under Secretary Tom Vilsack.[13][14]

U.S. Congress

Marshall held staff and communications roles in both the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. He served on the staff of Senator Tom Carper and as a special assistant to Congressman Elijah Cummings.[3][15] He later served as communications director for Congressman Al Green.[13][4][16] While on Capitol Hill, Marshall was a Security Fellow with the Truman National Security Project.[17]

Campaigns

During the 2018 midterm cycle, Marshall worked at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee under the leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Chairman Ben Ray Luján.[16][18] He served as director of African American media and deputy national press secretary at the DCCC.[16]

In 2019, Marshall joined the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign as director of strategic communications.[17][19][10]

Prior to President Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race, Marshall served as a senior adviser and senior spokesperson on the Biden 2024 campaign.[20] In July 2024, it was reported that Marshall joined Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign as a senior adviser.[20][21]

Biden administration

In July 2021, the Office of the United States Trade Representative announced Marshall’s appointment as deputy assistant U.S. trade representative for media and public affairs, serving under Ambassador Katherine Tai.[2][14]

In January 2023, Bloomberg News reported that Marshall moved from USTR to the United States Department of Education, where he served as a senior adviser under Secretary Miguel Cardona.[22][3][21]

Municpal government

In January 2025, Marshall was hired by Mayor Brandon Scott as director of communications for the City of Baltimore.[3][4] He subsequently served as chief communications officer and chief strategy officer.[23]

Private sector

Earlier in his career, Marshall worked at SKDK, a public affairs and political consulting firm.[17] Following his government service, he founded Think Toplines, a strategic communications consultancy.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Harris campaign taps communications strategist as senior adviser". ABC News. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Biden campaign spokesman joins USTR as top communications officer". CNBC. July 16, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Kamala Harris campaign aide becomes Mayor Scott's new spokesman". Baltimore Brew. January 7, 2025. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Fields, Ashleigh (February 26, 2025). "Baltimore native Kamau Marshall joins Mayor Scott's team to shape city's message". Afro-American Newspapers|AFRO American Newspapers. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Baltimore mayor's ex-communications director launches political consulting firm". The Baltimore Sun. November 12, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  6. 1 2 Williams, Chuck (January 13, 2023). "Carver High School graduate joins U.S. Department of Education as senior advisor". Ledger-Enquirer. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
  7. ↑ Keith, Eric (November 12, 2025). "Kamau Marshall Is Reframing How Leaders Show Up, And He's Launching His Own Firm to Do It". The Quintessential Gentleman. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Kamau Marshall profile". Ledger-Enquirer. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 "Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Rep. Kamau Marshall credits Texas Southern University for providing foundations of success". Houston Chronicle. June 13, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  10. 1 2 Garrett, Brianne. "Meet The HBCU Alums On The Biden-Harris Campaign". Forbes. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
  11. ↑ Stevens, Ashlei (December 4, 2023). "The White House Turns Black and Gold". Black Enterprise. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Thomas Freeman, influential debate coach at Texas Southern, dies at 100". The Washington Post. June 18, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  13. 1 2 "President Biden's Former Director Of Strategic Communications, Kamau Marshall, Is Tapped As Deputy Assistant At USTR". Black Enterprise. July 20, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  14. 1 2 "Kamau Marshall on joining Biden administration as deputy assistant USTR for media and public affairs". TheGrio. July 16, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  15. ↑ Dingle, Derek T. (October 28, 2020). "Meet Kamau Marshall, Biden's Communicator Seeking To Rally A Diverse Coalition To Victory". Black Enterprise. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
  16. 1 2 3 "2018 Rising Stars". Campaigns & Elections. 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  17. 1 2 3 "Around the office with… Biden for President's Kamau Marshall". PRWeek. October 2, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Democrats aim to turn more red seats blue in the South". USA Today. May 20, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Black Staff Matters: Behind The Scenes With The Biden 2020 Team". Ebony. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  20. 1 2 Jones, Arthur, II (July 23, 2024). "Harris campaign taps communications strategist as senior adviser". ABC News. Retrieved March 10, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. 1 2 "Kamala Harris pressed for a debate with Donald Trump during her Atlanta rally". ajc. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Former Biden Spokesman Marshall Moving to Education Department from USTR". Bloomberg News. January 4, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Mayor Scott expands his communications team to fit his second-term ambitions". Baltimore Brew. May 6, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
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