David E. Benson is a Senior Managing Consultant in PFM's Management and Budget Consulting practice, where he advises clients on organizational improvement, financial sustainability, and workforce challenges across the spectrum of local government services.
David joined PFM in April 2022 after contributing as a subcontractor on PFM projects in Danville, Virginia (equitable investment of anticipated casino revenues) and Harris County, Texas (operational and organizational reviews of county government and the criminal justice system). His decades of local government experience include service as a mayor’s chief of staff, assistant city manager, and chief of staff to the City of Houston’s chief financial officer.
At the City of Houston, David oversaw development of a 10-year financial plan for achieving sustainable budgets while improving service efficiency and quality. He also guided procurements and helped develop equity-based frameworks for allocating CDBG-DR housing and community development funding as a founding member of the City’s recovery team after Hurricane Harvey.
As an assistant city manager in League City, Texas, David managed the City Council agenda process and contributed to budget development while guiding communications, community engagement and customer service initiatives. In Pasadena, Texas, David led a nationally recognized community visioning process and later developed the City’s first communications and community relations department while serving as executive director of Pasadena’s economic development corporation. In the latter role, he directed millions of dollars in annual funding to underserved neighborhoods for streets, sidewalks, utilities, drainage, parks and trails.
David has also served as chief growth officer for KIPP Houston’s network of public charter schools and has worked with Texas’ largest school district and second largest community college on strategic planning and policy development. A native of Portland, Oregon, he began his career as a newspaper reporter, earning awards for coverage of crime, government, business and education in Pasadena, Texas.
