Dan, born and raised in Auckland, left high school at 15 and completed a butchery apprenticeship. He earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) from the University of Auckland, and a Master of Public Policy in Economics from Harvard University on a Fulbright Scholarship.

Elected to Parliament in 2018 and re-elected in 2023, Dan is the Chair of the Māori Affairs Select Committee and a member of the Economic Development Select Committee. Before Parliament, he worked as a management consultant, senior executive, and economist for the OECD and other organisations.

Dan lives in Birkenhead with his wife Courtney, their dog Mylo, and family.