David Vernal serves as AI advisor to the California Reserve Peace Officers Association and is a member of the Defense Innovation Unit's AI/ML Portfolio. In this role, he provides strategic guidance on implementing artificial intelligence solutions to enhance public safety operations and law enforcement capabilities.

During his military career as a U.S. Air Force intelligence colonel, Vernal held several pivotal leadership positions, including Director of Intelligence for 16th Air Force-Air Forces Cyber, Director of the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Division for Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, and Director for Defense Cyberspace Policy and Strategy at the National Security Council. His experience spans cyber operations, information warfare, and intelligence analysis, valuable perspectives for law enforcement agencies navigating emerging technologies.

A Sloan Fellow from Stanford's Graduate School of Business, Vernal combines executive leadership skills with technical knowledge of AI systems. He is proficient in Japanese and Mandarin Chinese and completed two years of study in Taipei as a Department of Defense Olmsted Scholar. He holds advanced degrees from the Air War College and National Chengchi University, complementing his undergraduate education in East Asian Studies from Harvard College. He is a graduate of the California POST Basic Academy - Module III.