Bro. Cleveland E. Beckett, Jr., is a lifelong Bronx, New York resident. During his formative years, he was taught about the value of faith, educational attainment and perseverance. He serves as Chief Executive Officer of Beckett Strategic Communications, a consulting services practice focused on governmental relations, public policy analysis, civic engagement, leadership capacity building and campaign management.  His professional attributes have enabled him to serve in a variety of challenging capacities within the governmental, private and not-for-profit sectors.  Through these experiences, Bro. Beckett has interfaced with elected officials and their staff representatives, as well as with business and philanthropic leaders.  He understands the importance of strategic alliances and establishing personal and organizational objectives to achieve desirable results. 

For nearly three years, he served as Assistant Director for The Urban Male Leadership Program (UMLP) at Lehman College, one of the college’s comprising the City University of New York (CUNY) system.  This program affiliated with the CUNY Black Male Initiative (CUNY BMI) provides cultural competency training, mentorship, leadership development and academic intervention support services to African, African American/Black, Caribbean and Latino/Hispanic males. He coordinated the program’s Inaugural Awards & Scholarship Brunch Fundraiser, generating in excess of $40,000 for student scholarships, and facilitated several leadership development programs, retreats and implemented donor cultivation strategies to benefit African American & Latino youth retention and graduation.     

Bro. Beckett served as Chief of Staff to a New York City Council Member from 2006-2012. In this capacity, he maintained management responsibility for the Council Member’s two District and City Hall Offices.  He interfaced with City agencies and community organizations on a myriad of budget, legislative and community issues. His civic engagement training and acumen were previously enhanced, serving as the Northeast Region Prison Project Coordinator for the NAACP, and New York State Congressional Director with the NAACP National Voter Fund. Bro. Beckett has also independently coordinated several non-partisan and partisan voter registration activities.  Additionally, he served as legislative representative for the United Federation of Teachers and public policy analyst with PaineWebber Incorporated (now UBS), with administrative responsibility for the firm’s 501c4 political action committee. 

Bro. Beckett was initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. via the Iota Chapter on November 19, 1989.  He was elected Chapter Vice President (1990-1991) and Historian (1991-1992).  Bro. Beckett was also elected Southern Region Assistant Vice President, and served on the fraternity’s National Board of Directors from 1991-1992.  He has remained steadfast in his fraternal involvement at the chapter, district, regional and national level, through the following appointments: New York City Area 5 Director (1995-1999); Chairman, and Eastern Region Committee on Public Policy (1995-2005). Bro. Beckett was elected to three consecutive terms as President, Alpha Gamma Lambda Chapter in New York, NY (2003-2006).  During this period, he increased the chapter’s membership and delegate strength through reclamation, enhanced chapter programming, and cultivated corporate, private and not-for-profit sponsorship and partnerships. One of his signature accomplishments included negotiating and signing, a three year multi-million dollar property and liability insurance agreement for the chapter fraternity house.   

Cleveland was appointed Chairman, National Commission on Racial Justice & Public Policy (2005-2008) by 32^nd General President, Bro. Darryl R. Matthews, Sr.  Bro. Beckett has presented the 2010 keynote address at the Iota Kappa Lambda Chapter Founders’ Day Luncheon in Syracuse, New York, and the 2019 Virginia Association of Chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (VACAPAF) Area 4 Annual Founders’ Day Breakfast in Fairfax, VA. He chaired the 2015 Metropolitan New York Area Founders’ Day Celebration, and on several occasions has facilitated civic engagement presentations at the Eastern Region Leadership Development Institute North in New York City. 

Most recently, Bro. Beckett was appointed Chairman, Eastern Region Committee on Political & Civic Engagement (2017-2021) by the current Eastern Regional Vice President, and Vice Chairman, National Commission on Political & Civic Engagement (2017-2020) by 35^th General President, Bro. Dr. Everett B. Ward. Bro. Beckett has made regional convention presentations on political campaign engagement and the 2020 Census. At the request of General President Ward, Bro. Beckett facilitated the “I am Counted: 2020 U.S. Census” Workshop at the 2019 General Convention in Las Vegas, NV. He authored an article in The “Health & Wellness” edition of The Sphinx Magazine (Winter 2019, Volume 12, No. 2), titled, “Time to Engage the 2020 Decennial U.S. Census: A Critical Instrument in Protecting Democracy.” 

Bro. Beckett also made a presentation to the National Board of Directors in March 2020, on the status of the fraternity’s census engagement and philanthropic opportunities across our five regions. His presentation also provided a status overview of the fraternity’s “ The Alpha Advocacy: Fierce Urgency of Now” initiative.  

Bro. Cleveland E. Beckett, Jr., Life Member #8035, is a long-time member and ministry leader at  
The Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City, NY.  Bro. Beckett received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Cum Laude from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, GA, and Master of Public Administration, specializing in Financial Management & Public Finance, from the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at
New York University. Following graduation, Bro. Beckett served as a member of the Wagner Alumni Association (WAA) Board of Directors, before his subsequent successful four elections as President (1998-2000 & 2006-2008).