Michael Shepard
District 1, South Whatcom County
Four year term: 01/01/22- 12/31/25
Michael Alvarez Shepard has lived and worked in Bellingham for over 20 years. He currently teaches graduate and undergraduate eLearning classes in Environmental Studies, Anthropology and Cultural Sustainability at Goucher College, and is a Research Associate at Western Washington University's Center for Pacific Northwest Studies. Commissioner Shepard holds two degrees from WWU and received his Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia. Commissioner Shepard is a trustee for the Kulshan Community Land Trust and has worked on a broad range of issues important to the Port of Bellingham including workforce development, marine resource management, and affordable housing. Commissioner Shepard and his wife Minh Nguyen (Ming) have two young children and own a home in Bellingham's Fountain District. He and his family enjoy great local food, a variety of outdoor sports and international travel.