David Shafie received his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and did his undergraduate work at California State University, Northridge. 

He is co-author of Rethinking California: Politics and Policy in the Golden State, and has published articles in American Behavioral Scientist and the Southeastern Political Review. His research interests include public policy and state politics. His current project, which is funded by the Morris K. Udall Foundation, is entitled Regulatory Agenda-Setting and Environmental Risk.