Dave grew up in warm and sunny Jensen Beach, Florida. He earned his undergraduate degree in Biology and Chemistry at Florida State University and was one of the first students in the innovative Program in Medical Sciences.. He received his Medical Degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine and then completed his residency in Family Medicine at the University of North Carolina Mountain Area Health Education Center in Asheville, NC where he served as Chief Resident.

After two years of practice in Mars Hill, NC (population 600), he relocated to Strasburg, VA (population 3,500) where he practiced inpatient, outpatient, and community oriented Family Medicine for 15 years. In November 2000, he entered academic Family Medicine at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV. His roles there included Family Medicine Clerkship Director, Director of the WVU Department of Family Medicine Rural Scholars Program, FMIG Faculty Advisor, and Faculty Advisor to MUSHROOM (Multidisciplinary UnSheltered Homeless Relief Outreach Of Morgantown).

Dave joined the UW DFM faculty in March 2009 in the role of Director of Medical Student Education. His clinical practice is based at Belleville where he has a particular interest in wellness promotion, health screening, adolescent health, men's health, and care of rural communities. .

His educational research interests include student engagement in underserved care, role modeling and its power within the curriculum, community-based curriculum development, transdisciplinary collaborative teaching, and provision of health care to unsheltered homeless.

Dave lives in Fitchburg with his wife Diane. They have two grown sons. Dave enjoys gardening, travel, the performing arts, and hiking.