Thomas' mom wanted him to be a weatherman. He did go to school for journalism, but the closest he got was as the Snow Reporter for Northstar-at-Tahoe, one of his first jobs after leaving WSU. #epicfailThomas Ellingson is now the Chief Operating Officer of GDP, a firm that combines the best strategy, design, and journalism to build story-driven brands. From brand strategy to long-form journalism or brand campaigns to documentaries, GDP helps the world's most progressive and vital brands, organizations, and movements propel their brands forward through stories. Before joining GDP, Thomas was with Landor for five years, where he was the General Manager of the West Coast studios, including the founding studio in San Francisco and the emerging studio in Los Angeles.Some highlights from his career are the experience and design partnership with Scout Motors, which was the foundation for the rebirth of an iconic American brand. Or the once-in-a-career opportunity to redesign the iconic National Geographic publication. As head of the San Francisco studio, he oversaw vital partnerships with Intel, SVB, Scout Motors, Comcast, Riot Games, Purple, and many others.When Thomas isn't working or traveling, he lives in Marin with his wife, their two sons, and two dogs.