As Chairman of the Hitz Foundation, Dave’s focus areas include Mayan archeology, 3D scanning of ancient sites and museum collections, and global sustainability. As chairman of Deep Springs College, Dave helped guide the transition to coeducation after 100 years of all-male enrollment. He co-founded
Play On Shakespare, which is translating all of Shakespeare's plays into present-day, performable English. It has been called the single largest literary translation project since the King James Bible—and also “a waste of money and talent.”

In 1992, Dave co-founded NetApp, a Silicon Valley data management company. His roles included programmer, evangelist, architect, Executive VP of Engineering, cheerleader, strategist, and coach. Dave is an inventor on 29 patents. He wrote a book, How to Castrate a Bull: Unexpected Lessons on Risk, Growth, and Success in Business, about NetApp's journey from startup to Fortune 500. Dave is currently Founder Emeritus. Prior to NetApp, he worked for MIPS and Auspex.

Dave dropped out of high school. Nevertheless, he attended George Washington University, Swarthmore College, and Deep Springs College. After eight years as an undergraduate, he received a BSE in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from Princeton University. At Deep Springs College, Dave worked as a cowboy and learned to herd, brand, and castrate cattle.