Dan was born in Philadelphia in 1958, spent his formative years in North Dakota, graduated high school in Boston before settling in Madison in 1978.

Dan started working as a Kelly Girl temp employee before making his way through the UW-Madison, graduating in 1986 with a B.A. Degree in Economics and English.

Dan's career as a public servant spans 24 years in State and Municipal government, starting in 1985 as a project assistant for the Department of Natural Resources, followed by a short stint at the Office of the Public Defender, then several years at the State of Wisconsin Investment Board and the Department of Public Instruction, with his State service concluding at the Department of Corrections.  Since 1997, Dan has served as a Budget Analyst for the City of Madison.

Dan's prior political experience includes a 1998 campaign for the State Assembly and a 1995 run for the Madison School Board.

Dan lives with his lovemate Pamela on the north side of Madison.  He has three grown children:  Sam, a teacher at Middleton High School, and twin daughters Emma and Madeline, both of whom are students at  UW-Madison.