Michael Masuda

In high school, Michael Masuda delivered ice cream for Amador Creamery across three counties.¹ He grew up in Amador County with two brothers, cousins nearby and his grandmother next door.¹ His parents were Air Force veterans who maintained F-15 aircraft, and his Japanese American grandparents were incarcerated at Utah's Topaz camp during World War II.¹ He and Brittany, his longtime partner, have two children.¹

Masuda earned bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.² He worked at Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory on advanced defense prototypes and led internal efforts to support innovation and employees beginning their careers.²

In October 2021, he joined the State Department through the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Science and Technology Policy Fellowship.² His work as a foreign affairs officer included smart community policy, international cooperation, human rights and privacy.² His portfolio also covered emerging technologies including semiconductors, quantum information science and neurotechnology.²

His congressional platform calls for more forest thinning and prescribed fire, stronger staffing for federal land agencies, and grants to help residents make their homes safer from wildfire.³ He supports protecting Medicare and California's Medicaid program, strengthening rural hospitals and telehealth, and lowering prescription costs.³ He also proposes expanding apprenticeships, local hiring and support for rural homebuyers.³ He faces Tom McClintock in November.⁴