While his peers were focused on the mechanics of flight, Dave found himself captivated by the mechanics of humanity during a crisis. After leading a response to a major tornado outbreak in Florida, the local news took notice—not of the planes, but of the young engineer managing the chaos. Dave realized then that his interest in aerospace was limited to what happens when things hit the ground. He pivoted his studies to Civil Engineering, focusing on the structures that keep people safe, and began a 26-year career that has touched nearly every corner of the industry.
A Career Defined by Diversity of Experience
Dave’s “practitioner” title isn’t just a label; it’s a hard-earned badge from decades on the ground across multiple sectors. His career began with foundational work for the State of Florida, where he traveled the peninsula inspecting buildings to ensure they met the rigorous standards required for hurricane shelters. This role allowed him to bridge the gap between technical engineering and public safety policy, making his mother proud that he was using his degree—even if he was more focused on emergency management than blueprints.
His journey then shifted into the complex worlds of Higher Education and Healthcare. Dave spent a decade at Florida State University and another five years at the University of Rochester, where he managed the unique safety ecosystems of massive student populations and critical hospital systems.
Navigating the stringent requirements of the Joint Commission and CMS, Dave became an expert at ensuring that life-saving institutions remain operational when they are needed most. Before joining Veoci, he transitioned into the consulting world with IEM, tackling large-scale federal and state-level projects that required a deep understanding of the bureaucratic and financial side of disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.
The Veoci Connection: A Full-Circle Moment
Dave was a vocal advocate for Veoci long before he joined the team. During his time at FSU and the University of Rochester, he frequently identified the platform as the ideal solution for his complex operational needs. However, as many of our customers understand all too well, the realities of institutional budgeting often “pigeonholed” him into using rigid, siloed products that didn’t offer the flexibility he knew was possible.
Joining Veoci was about removing those guardrails. In the consulting world, professionals are often told to stay in their lane, but Dave thrives in Veoci’s culture of open collaboration. He now leverages his multi-disciplinary expertise to help with everything from RFPs and product development to assisting customers with mutual aid.
The “Boots on the Ground” Philosophy
If you ask Dave for advice on entering the field, he won’t point you toward a textbook; he’ll point you toward a disaster zone. Despite his high-level credentials, including his CEM and PMP certifications, he remains a staunch advocate for field experience.
He believes that while book knowledge is essential, it lacks the weight of standing face-to-face with a survivor of a tornado or flood. To Dave, you must see, smell, and feel the reality of a disaster to truly understand the impact of the decisions made within an Emergency Operations Center.
This philosophy drives his current mission at Veoci to facilitate mutual aid between customers. Dave is actively working to connect jurisdictions so that practitioners in “quiet” areas can gain real-world experience by supporting those in active crises. He views mutual aid as the ultimate classroom, ensuring that when the next major event hits, the people behind the software are as battle-tested as the system itself.
Beyond the Desk: A Weather-Ready Life
Even when he is off the clock, Dave is never far from the elements. As a dedicated member of the weather safety community, he serves as a National Weather Service Skywarn Spotter, a CoCoRaHS precipitation observer, and a Weather Ready Nation Ambassador. Whether he is teaching the Incident Command System in Africa or reporting snowfall in Cleveland, Dave lives the mission of preparedness every day. As an Account Manager and Practitioner-in-Residence, he doesn’t just help customers implement software—he helps them build a more resilient world.