David Clanaugh was born in a Detroit home that knew financial struggles and instability. His older brother was struck and killed by a truck, and a younger brother sustained multiple childhood traumas that left him disabled. When David was seven, he moved in with his grandparents in northwestern Wisconsin. The family-operated motel gave David an opportunity to learn about working with the public and the challenges of sustaining a small business. 

David became a journalist, and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for his work in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The community was divided over a proposed pulp mill, and despite the threats David received over his reporting, he followed the money all the way to some of the local politicians. 

David then became a community mental health counselor. He also worked in afterschool programming, ran a camp to teach adolescents work skills, worked at the Duluth YMCA in mentoring, ran the Kids’ Kitchen at Damiano, worked at CHUM where he co-founded the Rhubarb Festival, and was the executive director of the regional Habitat for Humanity chapter. David now works at the Minnesota Sex Offender Program in Moose Lake as a clinician. His volunteering has included the African American Men’s Group, May Day planning committee, and community service through Rotary.

David is a union steward with MAPE, on the statewide board, and on the team that successfully negotiated a contract for 18,000 state employees across Minnesota. David’s union roots run deep: his dad was a Teamster, and David walked the picket line with him in 1967.

David is a curler and a deer hunter. He lives in Lincoln Park with his wife, Tracie, who is the Executive Director of First Witness Child Advocacy Center. Tracie and David have raised three children.