Dave grew up in a Sicilian-American home in Oregon’s Willamette Valley – surrounded by bountiful landscapes and an environment of hop growers and vineyards. There, he collected many food memories filled with wild foraged ingredients and the knowledge that in order to make good wine, you need to have good beer. Before af&co., Dave worked at several craft breweries and wineries, occupying roles in the brewhouse, cellars and marketing departments where he developed a love for telling stories centered around the importance of food and beverage traditions and the people who take part in that journey.

Previously, Dave graduated with a degree in Cultural Anthropology & Geology at The Evergreen State College. He’s worked as an archaeologist and ethnographer throughout the Western United States and Canada, specializing in how food systems, libations and land-use impact culture and identities.

Wherever David is, there’s usually a camera with him. His free time is filled with photography, travel and finding the perfect pizza. He enjoys incorporating wild foraged ingredients into his home kitchen where he loves preparing Mediterranean cuisine.