Marine Corps combat veteran. Navy officer. Business founder. Seasoned diplomat. Crisis response expert. Negotiator. Spanish speaker. Husband. Dad. Deacon. Friend. 

Dana grew up in poverty and homelessness, aging out of foster care the day he shipped off to Marine Corps boot camp. Overcoming a hard start in life developed grit, empathy, and a strong desire to serve.

Dana has excelled in military, business, and diplomatic leadership. Now he is ready to put that experience to work for his neighbors in Washington County.

Dana served in combat as a non-commissioned officer with the Marine Corps and is a former Navy Reserve officer. He spent two decades as a U.S. diplomat, rising to the senior ranks while serving in combat zones and other hardship and danger posts around the world. He led the U.S. response to hurricanes, earthquakes, and mass evacuations. He carefully stewarded budgets of tens of millions of dollars and oversaw hundreds of interagency professionals, including law enforcement and military. 

After his service abroad, Dana returned home to Arkansas where he founded Fayetteville-based Arkansas Global Connect. This successful business meets the needs of companies based in Arkansas and around the country. He has experience with a wide variety of sectors including agriculture, food processing, retail, and hospitality. He is a member of the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation and Arkansas Poultry Federation.

Dana has also been a public-school teacher, neighborhood association president, Scout leader, non-profit board member, and church deacon. He has been married to Stephanie, a social worker he met at Bible camp, since 1992. They have three adult sons. One is a mental health therapist, one is a senior at the University of Arkansas studying photojournalism, and one is a recent Fayetteville High graduate who has enlisted in the Navy with a 2026 start date.