David is a strategic advisor, subject matter expert, educator, and facilitator to federal, state, local and international government leaders and the private sector. He also supports the Naval Postgraduate School, Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS), Executive Education Program. The CHDS Executive Education Program encompasses a diversified portfolio of executive-level educational offerings, including the Pacific Executive Leader Program (PELP), which he developed and continues to lead. PELP has become a key source of education and collaboration between senior civilian and military leaders at all levels in the Pacific in addressing critical challenges.
David has served multiple state and federal government appointments, most recently with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) for the January 2025 Fires as a Special Consultant. He previously served Cal OES as Deputy Director for Response and Recovery Operations, Assistant Director for Training and Exercise and Superintendent of the California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI).
David’s federal service included an appointment as a Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO). As an FCO, he led federal interagency response and recovery operations across the county in support of state, local, tribal, and territorial governments. He also led one of FEMA’s National Response Teams for catastrophic disasters, national special security events, and terrorist incidents.
During his time at FEMA, the DHS Secretary appointed him as the Principal Federal Official for California for potential terrorist incidents. His other assignments included serving on the California Governor’s Blue Ribbon Fire Commission, as the Deputy Principal Federal Official for former President Reagan’s internment, as Deputy Federal Team Leader at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake, and details as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of Homeland Security and Special Assistant to a former U.S. Coast Guard Commandant.
David has been an advisor to the U.S. State Department, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, FEMA, U.S. Army Pacific, U.S. Forest Service, International Programs, states of California and Mississippi, the County of Santa Barbara, CA, City of Ventura, CA, the J. Paul Getty Trust, and the RAND Corporation.
He is Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees for Community Memorial Healthcare and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Museum of Ventura County.