David directs industry engagement for the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business in the Scheller College Business at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Central to this role is identifying and recruiting Georgia-based companies and businesses with a significant presence in the state to participate in the Drawdown Georgia Business Compact, a business consortium aimed at achieving a just, prosperous, and sustainable transition towards net zero carbon emissions in Georgia by 2050.

David has 30 years of experience leading sustainability initiatives and facilitating stakeholder engagements through various professional and civic roles. He started his career as a community organizer working with grassroots groups on environmental and public health challenges in low-wealth and rural communities in Georgia. After graduate school, David joined the Army Environmental Policy Institute (AEPI) through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and continued as a research associate in Georgia Tech’s School of Public Policy. As an AEPI Fellow, he was influential in bringing sustainability principles and practices to the United States Army and Department of Defense, culminating in strategies and initiatives that received two White House Closing the Circle Awards, including special recognition for “Sowing Seeds of Change.”

Prior to rejoining Georgia Tech in 2018, David spent 14 years in management consulting focused on strategic analysis, planning, and partnerships to address operational, social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainability across complex organizations. He also served 12 years on the local planning commission and eight years on the governing council for the City of Oxford, Georgia, before becoming the city’s mayor in 2020. David received an MS in Urban Studies (Community Planning and Development) from Georgia State University, and a BA in philosophy from the University of Georgia.