David de Hilster, an American who lived in Brazil from 1987 and 1990, is the founder and President of SambaLá Samba School. He is also promoter, advertising director, and singer for the group.
 
Artist and Scientist

David is Chief Research Officer at Text AI where he is helping design the next generation of computer programming languages after C++ called Visual Text and NLP++. He is also a very accomplished artist, selling his paintings to private collectors and via the Art Rental and Sales Gallery of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
 
The Internet

He has brought his artistic and computer skills together to make SambaLá a very well organized and well-publicized group. He is webmaster for many sites on the Internet including the SambaLá website, the National Samba Website, and International Samba Website, the SAA (a physics group), Samba Collection (his wife’s business), and his own art site http://www.dehilster.com/.
 
International Samba Advocate

David have gained international recognition as co-founder, organizer, and webmaster of the Unidos do Mundo samba school which paraded in Rio Sambadrome in the year 2000 where David sang with Beija-Flor’s singer Neguinho da Beija-Flor. He is also the webmaster for the World Samba Home Pages.
 
Physics and a Film

He is also President of another nonprofit group that has gained worldwide attention via the Internet in the area of physics. He is currently writing a book and film script on the subject.

He is currently doing a documentary film on the subject. Einstein Wrong - The Miracle Year
 
Artist and Brazilophile

David is an accomplished artist whose works command thousands of dollars. He speaks fluent Portuguese and truly loves Brazil as his second country. He is married to his Brazilian wife Dóris and plans to eventually live and work both in Brazil and the United States. He also serves as M.C. and principal singer for the group.