Council Member Joe Bushnell - Position 5
Joe Bushnell, the Tacoma City Council's first Cambodian-American City Council Member, was elected to represent District 5 in November 2021. A lifelong resident of Tacoma, Council Member Bushnell has a long history of public service.
In his current role, Council Member Bushnell is dedicated to the needs of his constituents in District 5, which encompasses parts of the South End where he now lives, South Tacoma, and East Tacoma. He previously served as Chair of the South Tacoma Neighborhood Council and is now committed to addressing the concerns of residents and businesses across all of District 5, prioritizing their needs in his work on the City Council.
Council Member Bushnell also currently serves as Vice Chair of the City Council’s Government, Performance, and Finance Committee and is a member of the City Council’s Economic Development Committee. He represents Tacoma regionally as well, as Chair of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, Chair of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Board of Health, and member of the South Sound 911 Board of Directors.
Before his political career, Bushnell spent over a decade in the U.S. Marine Corps as an ammunition logistics manager. He now serves as Chair of the National League of Cities 2025 Military Communities Council.
Additionally, Council Member Bushnell has supported local businesses while working with the Washington Hospitality Association in Pierce County and serving on boards such as Travel Tacoma and the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Food Advisory Board. His dedication to community welfare is also evident through his involvement with organizations like the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation and his service as a Tacoma Public Utility Board Member.
A 2008 graduate of Stadium High School, Council Member Bushnell holds a bachelor's degree from The Evergreen State College where he focused on political science and economics. He remains committed to public service and promoting inclusive governance that benefits all of Tacoma, the city he proudly calls home.