Karl L. Brady, Jr. has served as the Charleston City Councilmember for District 5, representing Outer West Ashley, since 2019.  In his role on City Council, Karl serves on the following committees:

• Committee on Special Facilities (Chair)
• Ad Hoc Rules Committee (Chair)
• Committee on Traffic and Transportation (Vice-Chair)
• Committee on Human Resources (Vice-Chair)
• Committee on Public Safety
• Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester Council of Governments Charleston Area Transportation Study Committee

Outside of City Council, Karl is currently the Director of Government Affairs for the Charleston Animal Society, directing the advocacy and public policy outreach efforts.   Prior to working at Charleston Animal Society, Karl was the Director, Development for Teach For America South Carolina, where he managed all of Teach For America South Carolina’s individual, corporate, and foundation giving.  Prior to that, Karl served in various development positions for Carolina Youth Development Center, The Salvation Army, and Trident United Way.

Karl is a 2006 Teach For America – Atlanta alumni and was a 2009-2010 School Board Fellow with the Center for Reform of School Systems. Karl was also a 2017 Public Leaders Fellow with Leadership for Educational Equity.  

Karl was named to the 2019 Forty Under 40 list by Charleston Regional Business Journal, was a 2021 Leadership Charleston Graduate with the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, a 2022 Port Ambassador with the State Ports Authority, and served as Mayor Pro Tempore of the City of Charleston in 2022.

In the community, Karl serves on the boards of the Gibbes Museum of Art, Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired – South Carolina, SHIELD Ministries, and the Wake Forest University Alumni Council.  Karl has also previously served on the boards of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of the Lowcountry, the Association of Fundraising Professionals – SC Lowcountry Chapter, and the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston.

Karl and his wife attend Bethel United Methodist Church in downtown Charleston, where he has served as chair of the Planning and Study Committee as well as chair of the Stewardship Committee.

Karl holds a BA in History and Political Science from Wake Forest University and holds an MS in Nonprofit Management with a concentration in Leadership from Northeastern University.   He is a Certified Fundraising Executive and a Certified Nonprofit Professional.  

Karl is a Paul Harris Fellow with The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, a member of the President’s Club of Wake Forest University, a James E. West Fellow with the Boy Scouts of America, a Life Member of the National Eagle Scout Association, and is an Eagle Scout.

He lives in Carolina Bay in West Ashley with his wife Kate and rescue dog Winston.