Joe Fitzgibbon was born in Kirkland and grew up moving often as part of a Navy family. His home is in Burien, where three generations of his family have resided. Joe attended high school and college in the St. Louis area before returning home to begin his work in politics.
After college, Joe worked as an intern for the League of Conservation Voters, for the Washington Democratic Coordinated Campaign, and for (now Attorney General) Bob Ferguson on the King County Council. He became a Legislative Assistant for state Rep. Sharon Nelson, served as member and chair of the Burien Planning Commission, and advocated for bike and pedestrian safety in the city of Burien.
In 2010, Joe beat out a crowded Democratic field and was elected as a Representative for the 34th Legislative District, the youngest member of the legislature and a voice for young people in Washington State.
While representing the 34th LD in Olympia for the last twelve years, Joe has been a champion for policy addressing climate change, sponsoring and helping to enact laws reducing Washington’s greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, electricity, refrigeration, and buildings; improving marine habitat protections for salmon, orcas, and forage fish; and promoting smart growth and transit-oriented communities. Joe has also prioritized legislation to address voting rights, tax reform, criminal justice reform, public employee pensions, and transportation systems such as buses, trains, and ferries.
Joe now lives in the Highland Park neighborhood of West Seattle. He enjoys hiking, biking, cooking, gardening, traveling, and spending time with his dog.
