Dave grew up in Middletown and graduated from Middletown Area High School in 2004. He received his  Bachelors in Political Science from Mansfield University in 2009 and went on to get his Masters in 2011 in European Studies form Aarhus University, Denmark.  Once Dave finished his education he moved back to Dauphin County and became a community organizer and helped organize a local group of concerned citizens to elect a slate of candidates that implemented progressive policies such as police reform, funding the public library, and revitalizing Middletown. 

Dave’s efforts as an organizer and his work forming the Dauphin County Young Democrats lead to a position as a Regional Field Director for Governor Wolf’s first campaign in 2014. Dave oversaw Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry Counties. When Governor Wolf was elected Dave was offered a spot on the transition team.

Dave worked for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture before moving to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue where he served as a Tax Account Technician working tax collections and compliance. This position was an AFSCME position and Dave started attending local union meetings and became a shop steward. At one of the labor conventions Dave was attending he was introduced to a program called Path to Power where card carrying union members are recruited to run for local office. Dave, with the encouragement of fellow union members and friends, ran for and won a seat on Harrisburg City Council in 2017.

Shortly after getting elected to City Council, Dave began working at the Capital Region United Way as a labor liaison where he worked with unions to support various United Way initiatives. In 2020, Dave was brought on as the  Community Services and Education Director of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO. Dave’s job is to coordinate statewide social services programs with non-profits across the state. Dave works on mobilizing teachers, nurses, sanitation workers, supporting campaigns against hunger, supporting workers on strike, and expanding workforce programs.