David is the curator of the living collection of woody plants at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum. He just the third curator since the collections inception in 1935, overseeing the largest and most diverse array of woody plants in the state. His work background includes tree breeding and selection, greenhouse facility management, public garden supervision, and commercial vegetable production. He has a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Virginia Tech and a master’s degree in horticulture from the U. W.– Madison. When not at the Arboretum, he manages his family’s 130-acre certified organic farm by Baraboo.