Dave was born at Waterville Maine and raised on the East coast until his family relocated to his Mother’s hometown of Helena. He graduated from Helena High and worked in the Helena area for many years. Notably he groomed the MacPass ski trails for classic striding in the early 1980s before attending the UMT Exercise Science Masters program under his mentor Dr. Brian Sharkey (A US Ski Team advisor).

He later moved to Maryland to pursue a PhD (Exercise Physiology, Statistics and Psychophysiology) at the U of MD College Park which was awarded in 1993. While in MD he founded the National Capital Area Women’s Paddling Association and coached small boat racing from 1992 to 2022 in the DC area.

He has been an avid athlete since the early 1970’s competing in running, cycling, triathlons, canoeing, and Nordic skiing. He has raced the Clinton canoe regatta 70-mile race 25 times and the 120-mile Ausable Canoe Marathon 4 times. Nordic skiing was limited in the DC area, so he trained on roller skis, racking up many miles on the area bike paths. He has skate skied the 50K American Birkebeiner 10 times, placing  top 10 in his age group.

A career as a clinical research scientist kept him in the MD area until in retirement he relocated back to Helena in 2022. On his return he noted that opportunities existed to promote and coach Nordic skiing for Helena area Juniors. In 2023 he and Luke Osborne founded the Great Divide Nordic Ski Team under the banner of the Belmont Ski Education Foundation to promote excellence in Nordic skiing for Helena area juniors.

He is a Nordic Level 200 US Ski and Snowboard certified coach.