John Marino

John Marino, Managing Partner of DKC Public Relations, Marketing & Government Affairs (DKC), has devoted much of his life to public service. Born in East Harlem when it was still a thriving Italian American enclave, John was influenced greatly by family, faith and the importance of community. As a young man, John was inspired by the progressive leaders of the 1960s and early on decided politics and public service were a public good that could significantly improve people’s lives.

After graduating from Fordham University, John began his career as a teacher of middle and high school students in the Bronx and Manhattan. From that experience, John developed a life-long commitment to education and mentorship, seeing both as essential to the success of future generations. To this day, John reaches out to young people by supervising both DKC’s Account Executive and Internship programs.

John joined the administration of Governor Hugh Carey in 1979, first in the Appointments Office and then served five years as New York City Assistant Commissioner and Regional Director for the New York State Department of Transportation.

John was also the campaign manager for three of Governor Mario Cuomo’s state wide elections, including the two elections where the Governor won by historic margins. John also served as Chairman of the New York State Democratic Party under the first Governor Cuomo, where he also helped Bill Clinton achieve victory in New York in 1992.

After leaving the New York State Democratic Party, he became a Senior Vice President at Glickenhaus Investment Management. He continued to focus on community work, including serving on the Board of Louise Wise, a foster care and adoption agency, and has provided pro-bono counsel to a wide-range of clients, including CURE, Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy. He has also remained a confidante to many elected officials who are committed to his values of public service.

John joined DKC in February, 1995 and has been an integral part of the growth of the firm. With a focus on strategic planning and a 360 approach to communications, John leads the Government, Not-for-Profit and Education Groups and manages the day to day activities of the firm. John holds a Master’s in Public Administration from New York University, a Master’s in Education from Iona College, and a Bachelor of Arts from Fordham University. He is married to Donna De Bernardo and has two daughters, Sara and Maggie.