David has over 25 years of public policy, management, and education experience within government, private, not-for-profit and university sectors. His areas of expertise include border management, biosecurity regulation and operations (animal, plant and human health), compliance management, intelligence, public policy, government relations, and leadership. He has experience in developing and leading teams from 10 to 100 staff, establishing new functions and programs, directing legislation, policy and operational transformations, and representing the interests of organisations at national and international levels.

David was a founding academic staff member of the Biosecurity Training Centre (BTC) and is the current professorial Academic Director. He has developed and delivered the biosecurity frameworks and border modules for the BTC's Biosecurity Core Elements, Timor-Leste and Indonesian Biosecurity Capacity Building courses. He has also developed and delivered BTC course on Regulatory Note-taking, Regulatory Report Writing, and Building and Maintaining High Performing Teams.