Shanleigh Thomson is a second year MBA student in the UC Davis online program with more than 13 years of experience across the global beverage alcohol industry. Her work centers on making fermented beverages more accessible, technically grounded, and culturally engaging through education, storytelling, and strategic insight.

She is a UC Davis Master Brewer and holds a Master of Food Science from Purdue University, blending deep technical expertise with a strong foundation in marketing, communication, and brand development. Her career has spanned sales, product development, supply chain, and technical education, with experience at organizations including Diageo, Agriculture and Agri Food Canada, and Yakima Chief Hops.

Most recently, Shanleigh served as Western Sales Manager and Marketing Manager at Roy Farms, where she led customer relationships and sales strategy across the West Coast while acting as a technical resource on hop varieties, sensory evaluation, and application. In this role, she also developed marketing initiatives that highlighted farm level decision making, sustainability, and the agricultural realities behind hop production.

She is now the founder of Shan Ferments, an independent platform focused on education, events, and content that connects producers, industry professionals, and engaged consumers. She is also the creator of Terroir Tuesdays, an ongoing series examining how place, climate, and agricultural practices shape flavor across beer, wine, spirits, and other fermented products.

As a lecturer with Washington State University, Shanleigh has developed and taught brewing and fermentation coursework, translating complex scientific concepts into practical, engaging learning experiences grounded in real world industry application.

An avid traveler, long distance runner, and certified yoga instructor, she draws on global experience and cross industry perspective to foster collaboration, inspire curiosity, and support thoughtful innovation within the craft beverage industry.