About Us

David Haas

David was born and raised in the city of Syracuse, living in the Eastwood neighborhood, an area he continues to call home. He graduated from Bishop Grimes High School before completing degrees at both SUNY Oswego and SUNY Cortland. In 2011, David began working as a nonprofit program manager for Launch (formally known as the Learning Disabilities Association of CNY). In 2015, David was recognized by CNY Business Journal as one of the 40 people under 40 who have excelled in the workplace and in the community.

In 2018, David was named the Executive Director of Sarah’s Guest House, a healthcare hospitality home located in the Strathmore neighborhood of the city of Syracuse.

David volunteers his time with several organizations including working with the Democratic Committee of Onondaga County, the Eastwood Neighborhood Association and the Bishop Grimes Alumni Committee. David is also a board member for the Historic Oakwood Cemetery Preservation Association.

He is also co-leader for the Syracuse chapter of the National Stuttering Association. A person who stutters himself, David uses his voice to spread awareness and advocate for individuals with fluency disorders. He often speaks to local schools, organizations and agencies and has given a TEDx Talk on the topic.

Most notably, David owns and operates the Instagram account, @SyracuseHistory.

Photo by Michael Massenzio

David shares stories of our city’s past in an effort to unlock mystery and evoke pride in Syracuse. His account was voted ‘Best Blog’ in the 2016 Syracuse New Times ‘Best of Syracuse’ competition and has been featured in various media outlets including The Post Standard, Time Warner Cable News, 9WSYR, CNY Central, The Daily Orange, The Catholic Sun, Syracuse Woman Magazine and Thistle Magazine, among others. 

In 2017, Katrina Tulloch of The Post Standard named David as one of Syracuse’s leading innovators, stating: “Dozens of organizations and CNY marketing campaigns promise to enhance Syracuse’s reputation as a destination for culture/tourism/etc. Frankly, Haas is better and more effective at stimulating local pride. Why? Because he’s telling, not selling.” In May of 2018, David was awarded second place at the 40th annual Syracuse Press Club awards in the category of “Best Use of Social Media,” by an individual.

David is also a contributor to the Syracuse New Times. A link to his most recent piece, Highway Robbery: The razing of Syracuse’s 15th Ward, can be found by clicking this link.