David Neubert MPP 1990 is a fintech entrepreneur and former Wall Street managing director who transitioned from a high-level corporate finance career to working as an independent fund manager and startup advisor. Today, he oversees long-term growth at Windshear Management, the investment partnership he founded in 2022. A member of the HKS Dean’s Council since 2025, David is also a volunteer mentor to students in HKS’s Alumni Career Connections initiative.
He shares how HKS influenced his life and career, why he believes so strongly in unrestricted giving, and what keeps him engaged with the mission of HKS.
What inspired you to join the Dean’s Council? What about the School’s mission resonates with you?
I went to the Kennedy School wanting to use my talents and ambition to make a difference in the world. A huge debt load, $200K in today’s money, meant that government work was largely not an option. After a career in finance, the Dean’s Council lets me live vicariously through what could have been my career. My focus on macroeconomics means that much of the Dean’s Council work overlaps with mine.
What led you to pursue your degree at HKS? How did your time here affect your career and life?
I was fascinated by a class at Pitzer College on water policy. It made me realize that government regulation involves complex decisions that have huge effects on the real world. After considering economics PhD programs, I wanted to get involved in a practical way. Also, my experience living in South America and my fascination with languages, math, and policy would mean I could combine all this in a career in diplomacy or economic development.
Looking back, I wish I had worked more before going to HKS. I think I would have appreciated it more and perhaps would have made enough money to have more options after graduation.
What impact do you feel your giving has?
I understand how much unrestricted funds are needed by leadership. I have always tried to give and encourage unrestricted funds in philanthropy. I can let the experts make the decisions. My investors don’t pay me manage and protect their money so they can call the shots; they rely on my expertise. I rely on the Dean to make the decisions in his area of expertise.
What do you like most about the meetings of the Dean’s Council?
The focus on what is going on in the world right now. The talks, the professor presentations—all seem so salient to current events. It also helps inform my macroeconomic work in useful ways immediately.