David Thomas

David grew up in Massachusetts, where he learned to love the ocean and the small towns, but not the ticks and poison ivy. His searching brought him to many parts of the country and many jobs in the food and beverage world, eventually driving him to start coffee roasteries and bakery-cafes in towns he found love for.

The draw to wilderness kept bringing him further north until he reached Southeast Alaska, where the mountains meet the sea and the far flung towns all feel like one big community. No poison ivy, but plenty of biting insects!

After starting a coffee roasting business in Juneau and spending summers observing fur seals or kayaking around the Inside Passage, he eventually moved to Haines, Alaska, where he distilled spirits for the local distillery until he joined the team at Spruce Root as a Program Manager for Small Business.

Favorite thing about Southeast Alaska: The vitality of the land, sea and people, and the never ending areas to explore!