David is an educator, author, songwriter, and documentary film maker whose expression is grounded in creating caring and compassionate school cultures where emotional safety and emotional intelligence are foundational belonging and relationship-building practices. After working with school districts across the country as a teacher, trainer, facilitator, designer, and coach, for 32 years, David created Teaching Empathy Institute (TEI) in 2016. He saw the need for a different way of engaging students and adults in the work of empathy development. So, he developed a set of tools and practices to introduce and cultivate belonging and inclusion in schools. The overarching goal for all TEI’s work is to help individuals, schools, and entire communities transform through dialogue, storytelling, and the celebration of human connection.
