Your catalyst for
community transformation
Dave is a strategic movement builder. Over more than three decades,
he has served as the executive of
four public policy nonprofits advancing sustainable mobility
and equitable urbanism.
“Dave knows everything there is to know about transportation, and more than almost anyone on the formulation of policy and about politics. He's a good guy to have on your team...”
– Alex Clemens, Progress Public Affairs
“As a bicyclist and urban planner, I always wish I had Dave in my city to shake things up and get them moving.”
– Todd Boulanger, Bike share executive
Dave is a movement builder.
– hold this space
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Winning Campaigns
Being right isn’t enough. You have to be strategic. I have helped and trained hundreds of leaders around the country set the right goals, communicate effectively, build the right coalitions, and amass the funding and people power needed to win.
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Executive Leadership
I have launched (or re-launched) four nonprofits, each of which is thriving today. Whether you are starting a new initiative, or your organization is in need of a refresh, I can put you on the track to powerful success.
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Fundraising
Money isn’t power, but it makes power easier to come by. I know the secret to raising enough money to win and I want to share it with you.
The Movement Newsletter celebrates and inspires the local leaders who are building the nation of the future by transforming their communities. It touches on topics at the intersection of transportation and social justice, With insights about the future of mobility and practical tools to help bend that future toward social justice, it shows a serious path to a hopeful future.
About Dave
With a degree in politics and a passion for social justice, Dave moved to San Francisco in 1989 to be an activist. On a bicycle parade he helped organize on Earth Day 1990, he had a revelation: "I could be a bicycling advocate, organize my own community for better conditions, and in the process also help the environment, reduce the need for oil wars, and make the city more equitable by reducing transportation costs."
He was the founding executive of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition which he built into a powerhouse that Mayor Willie Brown called the "second most powerful organization in the city." He was named one of the 40 most influential people under 40 by San Francisco Magazine. In 2002, he founded Transportation for a Livable City to make the connection between sustainable mobility and housing and land use. In 2004, he founded the San Francisco Transit Riders Union to build a cross-class, multi-racial movement for better public transit. His most recent executive role was from 2012 to 2022 at the helm of the California Bicycle Coalition.
He was elected by voters to serve on the Green Party County Council and appointed by the Board of Supervisors to the Board of Directors of the Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District. He has served as a senior level policy advocate, as a nonprofit Board leader, and as a coach for hundreds of leaders around the country. These broad experiences have provided Dave the capacity to see an issue from diverse perspectives, informing communications and campaign strategies that win.
Dave lives his car-free life in the Tenderloin of San Francisco where he volunteers to build community among his neighbors in this highly impacted district.