David Goldman

David Goldman is a seasoned local government executive bringing rare depth across municipal finance, strategic operations, and cross-departmental leadership in a full-service city environment.

As Deputy City Administrator and Finance Director for the City of Oak Harbor, WA, David oversees a $215M biennial budget and a $67M capital improvement program while driving citywide strategic initiatives. He has modernized budget processes from the ground up — introducing target-based budgeting, program-performance frameworks, and communication-first approaches that make fiscal decisions more transparent and defensible to councils and communities alike.

David is a recognized national voice in public finance reform. He serves on GFOA's Budgeting and Fiscal Policy Committee, contributes to the Rethinking Budgeting and Rethinking Financial Reporting initiatives, advises on the Budget Awards program, represents local government on the National League of Cities FAIR Committee and Small Cities Council, and serves on the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council (GASAC) — a rare combination of practitioner credibility and national policy influence.

He holds a BA in Urban Studies (Rutgers), an MPA from Virginia Tech, and is completing his Doctorate in Public Administration. He is AICP-certified and a licensed real estate broker in two states.