City Council > Meet the Council

Michael Fitzpatrick

Position No. 5

Expiration 12.31.2029
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Biography

Education:

B.A. in English & Philosophy (summa cum laude) – California State University, Chico
M.A. in Literature – California State University, Chico
M.A. in Philosophy – Stanford University

Professional Experience:

U.S. Army Sergeant (2003-08)
Combat Veteran of two deployments during Operation Iraqi Freedom
College Instructor in Literature and Philosophy – CSU-Chico, Stanford University, Menlo College, De Anza College (2013-present)

Community and Volunteer Experience:

HOA Treasurer (2009-2011)
HOA President (2011-2014)
Participant and Organizer in a wide variety of church-led community service programs, including feeding veterans, providing short-term shelter, helping at soup kitchens, and teaching elective credit for women in halfway house programs.

My wife and I moved to Poulsbo after years of encouragement by friends who already live in Poulsbo. We sought a smaller community surrounded by trees, water, and mountains. We came here to find home and to put down deep roots. As the son of a Caltrans worker, I really value the importance and centrality of public service. That’s why I’ve taught at a community college for the past 7 years, and why I want to serve my neighbors here in Poulsbo. I believe every resident is entitled to a government they can trust, and that starts with prioritizing integrity and selflessness over partisan commitments or personal agendas.

I teach college courses on political philosophy and I work hard to inspire my students to believe in building a community that serves the common good. But, “lest I appear as a pure theorist, unwilling to touch any practical task” (to quote Plato, the philosopher who guides my work), I want to model for my students a commitment to both the theory and the practice of promoting the common good. It’s easy to opine in the classroom; I’m here to live what I teach by helping us all to thrive in our local community.

As a college philosophy teacher, my strengths include an ability to facilitate discussion, to hear multiple sides of complex issues, and to advocate for the common good. Whatever your background, beliefs, or perspective, if you are a resident of our town, then it is my privilege to advocate for your needs and do my best to be a good neighbor to you. My hope is that we continue to unify around our common life together, setting aside our differences to ensure that Poulsbo remains a sanctuary on the Sound for decades to come.

If you’d like to talk about life in Poulsbo, please reach out to me! I am committed to an informal, accessible, and fully transparent City Council, and no concern is too small to skip an opportunity to meet more of my neighbors!