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MEET DAVE

Colorado Springs City Council

El Paso County Board of Health

Pikes Peak Area

Council of Governments

Colorado Springs Utilities

Board of Directors

Center Director

Men’s Health Clinic

Special Forces (Green Beret)

Physician Assistant

Wilderness Guard

Bob Marshall Wilderness, MT

 

Russian Linguist

Defense Language Institute

 

Bachelor of Science

University of NE School of Medicine

  

B.A. in Political Science

University of New Mexico

Dave Donelson is a retired US Army combat veteran who served his country for 21 years.

He and his wife Holly have lived in Colorado Springs for thirty years, and their children still call Colorado home.

After retiring from the Army, Dave continued to care for his community as a Physician Assistant, running a Men’s Health Center. 

Dave became the Colorado Springs City Councilman representing District 1, after winning 33 of 37 precincts in a three-opponent race in April 2021. 

COMMITTED

EXPERIENCED

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“House District 16 has been home to my family for 30 years, and now I want to serve our community in the State House, just as I served our country for over 20 years.”

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A 21-year veteran of the U.S. Army, Dave and his family often relocated for his assignments. However, when he and his wife Holly moved to Colorado Springs, they knew it was the place they wanted to raise their family. Dave and Holly prioritized staying in our family-friendly, vibrant city, and have lived here for over 30 years. 

Family has always been Dave's first priority. Between overseas tours of duty, he coached his kids’ sports teams, enjoyed the Colorado outdoors, and remained an active member of Corpus Christi Catholic Church.

Dave believes strongly in our duty to serve, and sacrifice for, our community and country. As a soldier in the U.S. Army, Dave served as a Russian linguist in military intelligence, Special Forces medical sergeant, HALO freefall team member, and finally, as as commissioned officer and physician assistant.

In 2010, Dave retired from the Army. In addition to making up for lost time with his family and caring for his father with Alzheimer's Disease, he continued to serve his community as a physician assistant. Dave went on to become center director for a men’s health center in Colorado Springs. He budgeted, planned, managed employees, hired employees, maintained business infrastructure, and ensured his clinic served the community to its full potential.

 

As a small-business director, Dave was responsible for the bottom line -- whether or not his clinic was profitable. He holds great appreciation for the challenges our small-business owners face.

An avid outdoorsman, Dave fostered his passion for nature as a wilderness guard at the Bob Marshall Wilderness Region in Montana. Supporting search and rescue efforts, building bridges/trails, performing fire mitigation, and even meeting grizzly bears, instilled a lasting respect of nature. 

 

As a member of the Pikes Peak Road Runners, Dave has completed the Pikes Peak Ascent and Garden of the Gods 10-Miler many times -- as well as the Colorado and Denver Marathons. On days he's not running, he likes to fish, hike, and ski.​

Dave holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nebraska School of Medicine, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of New Mexico. He also graduated from the Defense Language Institute, in Monterey, California, as a Russian linguist.

 

Dave is a an active member of the Special Forces Association, the Knights of Columbus, and Corpus Christi Catholic Church.

Dave and Holly have two children. Lily is a CSU graduate, and works for Lockheed Martin in Denver. Joe graduated from UCCS with a degree in Finance, and works for the Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs.

In the summer of 2019, Dave retired from medical practice. Soon after, he and Holly traveled to Europe for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day. Holly's father had landed on Utah Beach on June 6, 1944, and it was at that very location where Dave decided to continue serving his country and community by running for public office.

 

Support Dave for House District 16!

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