Data is where I find my purpose. The organizing principle of my career is the desire to work on creative, impactful projects involving data and AI. And thanks to the fact that I took a non-linear career path and didn’t discover data science as an option until the middle of my career, I honed a bunch of other skills as well. I’m a well-rounded executive leader with a diverse background. My ability to communicate effectively technical concepts and how they apply to business has helped me establish credibility and trust.I was a slightly weird kid who would sit down with a phone book or the newspaper’s sports page and read through it, finding patterns and memorizing the contents. It never really occurred to me that that sort of activity could be a career option. That’s why I always describe data science as “the job that I always wanted but didn’t exist yet.”My educational journey led me to major in engineering at Rice, followed by an MBA in finance and strategic management at Wharton. Throughout these experiences, I gained valuable skills and knowledge while meeting lots of talented people, but a sense of purpose eluded me.After working in various roles, including product management for mortgage origination software, I stumbled upon the field of data science in early 2015. The moment I discovered it, I recognized it as the perfect fusion of my aptitudes, interests, and aspirations.With renewed passion, I embraced data projects and even taught a course on data analytics. Eventually, I joined Anda Pharmaceuticals, where I delved into a treasure trove of data, aiding leaders in various departments to make informed decisions.From 2018 to 2024, I founded and led the data team at TheVentureCity, rising to the position of Chief Data Officer. During my tenure, my team and I assisted startups and investment teams in maximizing the value of all available data. This is where a colleague dubbed me “David the Data Dude,” and it stuck.In mid-2024, I transitioned to an advisory role at TheVentureCity and founded Fractionalytics, which offers data strategy and managed analytics services to help growing companies and VC/PE investors use data to their advantage.