David Blanding formerly worked for the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), a nonpartisan agency that conducts research on federal policies and programs for Congress. He started as a senior methodologist in GAO's Applied Research and Methods mission team before becoming the Director of Leadership and Executive Development Programs in the Learning Center. He has also taught political science, public policy and constitutional law at American University, McDaniel College, and Brown University, and published research on U.S. voting rights, economic development and social welfare policies. Earlier in his career, he supported racial justice advocacy at the American Civil Liberties Union.

Blanding earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in political science from Brown University and was awarded a dissertation fellowship from the Ford Foundation/National Research Council. He also received an undergraduate degree in political science from Boston University. Outside of his work in government and academia, he has been active in not-for-profit organizations focused on educational equity, mentoring and workforce development.