David Shaffer concentrates on economic development, higher education and workforce development. He has written about state government and public policy since 1973 — first as a reporter for The Associated Press, and, from 1980-2008, on the staff of The Business Council of New York State, Inc. From 1993-2008, he was president of the Public Policy Institute, the Council's research affiliate. He served as a member of Governor George Pataki's budget transition task force in 1994-95; worked with the Institute on the Commissioner's Review of the New York State Education Department in 1996; and served on the Governor's Commission on Education Reform in 2004. He is a graduate of Duke University (B.A., 1970) and of Rockefeller College at the University at Albany (M.A., 1972).