His younger brother James Santee was also an elite-level skater.[2]
David was inducted to both the U.S. Figure Skating and ISI Hall of Fame in 2015. He achieved the PSA Master Coach's rating in 2017.
Santee is an ISU Technical Specialist.[3] He also works as a coach. He coached Agnes Zawadzki for seven years as a child and again since June 2011.[4][5] He is currently the Director of Skating at the Oakton Ice Arena in his hometown of Park Ridge, Illinois. He has served on the ISI Board of Directors as the Instructors Rep for many years and is ISI's representative to the US Figure Skating Board of Directors.