A neighbor who cares.
I came to the Johnson City area 20 years ago after Hurricane Katrina upended my family's life. What started as a fresh start quickly became a genuine home, and I've been rooted here ever since.
By day, I am a Senior Software Engineer who gravitates toward hard problems. My professional experience spans impactful work at Siemens, Amazon's Prime Video, and the social platform VRChat - places where clear goals, transparency, and follow-through matter.
Outside work, I've taken on a community advocate role - taking up initiatives that shine a light on government actions, aim to protect our community from harmful enterprises, and keep our city's success in the hands of local businesses and residents.
I live in Boones Creek with my high school sweetheart and wife of 8 years, Jessica - as well as our two kids, Bash and Charlotte. (Honorable mention to our dog, Buddy)
To me, serving the city is a labor of love from a sense of duty. I've seen firsthand how local government failures impact our neighbors, and I'm done watching from the sidelines. It's time to fight for our seat at the table.
I don't come to you from a political family, a development interest, or a friend in high places. I come to you as a neighbor with a clear vision - local government should beopen, responsive, and focused on results.
If you're looking for something different, welcome to the team.
Career Background
Background in accountability systems, legal compliance, and operations at scale.
“The commissioner is the bridge between residents and city government - an accountable voice to elevate their concerns and explain city actions.”
Platform
Transparency. Integrity. Progress.
Rebuild Community Trust
- →Ask the uncomfortable questions publicly, on the record
- →Engage residents proactively via regular roundtables and town halls
- →Reduce barriers to public records and information
Strengthen Small Business
- →Data-driven, collaborative decisions on last call policies
- →Incentivize and prioritize healthy local growth before out-of-state development
- →Reduce bureaucratic friction for new business formation
Address Housing Affordability
- →Implement Tennessee HB 2623 Attainable Housing Initiatives
- →Create a registry of qualified preservation buyers (nonprofits, housing authorities)
- →Regulate Short-Term Rentals — currently completely unregulated in JC
- →Earmark STR tax revenue directly for housing growth programs
Public Safety
A police department the whole community trusts.
Dave has reviewed multiple JCPD reports and lawsuits. Johnson City can have a police department the whole community trusts. Right now, that's not where we are.
Continuum of Care
Connect people to ARCH and real services. Enforcement cycles don't fix anything.
Community Policing
Build real community relationships before things go wrong.
Accountability
Full transparency on matters of public trust. No more settlements buried in closed sessions.
Want to know more?
Dave genuinely loves talking to neighbors. Schedule a coffee chat or reach out directly.