David Carl Wilson is professor of philosophy at Webster University, where he served as dean of the College of Arts & Sciences for 14 years. He teaches in both the Management and the Philosophy Departments, concentrating his teaching and research on the nature of leadership, the social responsibilities of leaders, and the intellectual contributions of Niccolò Machiavelli. He earned his Ph.D. in philosophy from UCLA, where he taught for many years and rose to the level of Associate Provost before moving to Webster. He is the author of the acclaimed A Guide to Good Reasoning (now in its 2nd edition with the University of Minnesota) and serves on the executive editorial board of Philosophy of Management.
He has long been an advocate for both the arts and the sciences in St. Louis. In addition to his service as a RAC Commissioner, Wilson has served on many other arts-related boards, including the Missouri Arts Council, Tennessee Williams St. Louis (where he was also Staff Philosopher), the Missouri Humanities Council, Cinema St. Louis, and Upstream Theater. Other board service has included the American Council on Education, the Missouri Biotechnology Association, and the Academy of Science-St. Louis.