As a Senior Conservation Policy Analyst at Defenders, Dave uses his legal and scientific experience to research and analyze environmental laws and policies that are wildlife-focused, or that have a significant impact on wildlife, to improve their effectiveness in conserving imperiled species and habitats.

Prior to joining Defenders, Dave practiced law in Colorado, and was a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Maryland. Dave’s previous scientific research covered taxa ranging from sharks to carnivorous plants but largely focused on topics at the intersection of community ecology, conservation biology, and global change biology.

He holds a JD, magna cum laude, from Vermont Law and Graduate School, a PhD in Biology from the University of South Florida, and an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation and a BSc in Zoology from the University of Surrey Roehampton.