Biography

David Burnham served nearly three decades in the U.S. Navy before transitioning to leadership roles in the private sector. A combat-experienced F-14 pilot and F/A-18 squadron commanding officer, he also served as executive officer of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and as an instructor at the U.S. Marine Corps Aviation Weapons and Tactics Instructor School.

Burnham graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in General Engineering. His military education also included U.S. Navy jet training and Naval Nuclear Power School, where he was a distinguished graduate.

Following his naval service, Burnham served as a senior vice president overseeing domestic and international performance excellence consultants for a global solutions company. His work has included leadership coaching and mentoring for high-performance and high-reliability organizations, with an emphasis on planning, communication, execution, debriefing, and lessons learned.

Burnham is CEO of CAVU International, a Virginia Beach-based safety, leadership, and performance consulting company. He is also President of CAVU Construction, a federal general contractor specializing in Veterans Affairs hospital, military, and government building renovations and modernizations.

Burnham continues to support the military community through charitable organizations focused on service members experiencing PTSD and scholarship programs supporting dependents of fallen Naval Aviators and Special Forces members.