{{Use American English|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Jake Fitisemanu | image = JFitisemanu 2.jpg | caption = Fitisemanu speaking on the floor of the Utah House of Representatives | state_house = Utah | district = 30th | term_start = January 1, 2025 | term_end = | predecessor = Judy Weeks-Rohner | successor = | birth_place = Wellington, New Zealand<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fagogo.org/about|title=Digital Fāgogo Collective about page|access-date=December 28, 2025}}</ref> | party = Democratic | website = [https://house.utleg.gov/rep/FITISJ/ Legislature website]<br>[https://www.jakeforutah.com Campaign website] | education = Westminster University (BS, MPH) }}
'''Jacob James Fitisemanu Jr.''' is an American public health professional and community advocate serving as a member of the Utah House of Representatives from the 30th district since 2025. He and Verona Mauga are the first Samoans elected to the Utah State Legislature.
== Early life and education == Fitisemanu was born in Wellington, New Zealand and raised in Hawaii and Utah. He is the oldest of eight children, raised by an American mother with Korean and Chinese ancestry, Karen Jun Lin Dang, and a Samoan father, Sauaga Jacob Fitisemanu.<ref name="Davidson 9/13/2018">{{cite web|url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2018/09/13/census-west-valley-city/|title=Census: West Valley City is now ‘minority majority,’ where minority groups outnumber the white population|date=September 13, 2018|access-date=May 25, 2025|last=Davidson|first=Lee|website=The Salt Lake Tribune}}</ref> He earned a Bachelor of Science in social studies and a Masters of Public Health from Westminster University.<ref name="Voyage">{{cite web|url=https://voyageutah.com/interview/rising-stars-meet-jake-fitisemanu-of-west-valley-city-utah/|title=Rising Stars: Meet Jake Fitisemanu of West Valley City, Utah|date=June 26, 2024|access-date=May 25, 2025|website=Voyage Utah}}</ref>
== Career == ===Public health and early political career=== thumb|Fitisemanu speaks at a White House's initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders event in 2015. Fitisemanu has over 15 years of professional experience working in public health and clinical administration in both the state government and private hospital system sectors. He has taught as an associate instructor at the University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College and has authored several peer-reviewed publications, including a textbook chapter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uofuhealth.utah.edu/workforce-excellence/news/2024/01/u-of-u-health-doctors-looking-share-health-equity-research|title=U of U Health doctors looking to share health equity research with National Academy of Medicine for better patient outcomes|date=January 4, 2024|access-date=May 25, 2025|website=University of Utah}}</ref> He co-founded the Utah Pacific Islander Health Coalition in 2011, where he worked to combat high rates of obesity and diabetes in the local Pacific Islander community.<ref name="Sarup 9/13/2024">{{cite web|url=https://www.civilbeat.org/2024/09/debate-persists-over-rights-denied-to-millions-from-u-s-territories/|title=Debate Persists Over Rights Denied To Millions From U.S. Territories|first=Eshaan|last=Sarup|date=September 13, 2024|access-date=May 25, 2025|website=Honolulu Civil Beat}}</ref>
President Barack Obama appointed him to the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders, where he served until his resignation in 2017.<ref name="Sarup 9/13/2024"/> He also served two appointed terms on the U.S. Census Bureau's National Advisory Committee and has served on the board of directors for the Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Mana Academy Charter School.<ref name="Voyage"/> He currently sits on the University of Utah's Dentistry Advancement Board, the Board of Directors of The Children's Center, and the advisory committee of the National Academy of Medicine - Culture of Health program.
He was elected to the West Valley City council in 2017, succeeding a 16-year incumbent and becoming the city's first Pacific Islander councilmember, and he was re-elected in 2022.<ref name="Sarup 9/13/2024"/><ref name="Voyage"/>
=== Utah House of Representatives === Fitisemanu ran for the Utah House of Representatives in 2024 for the 30th district, which Republican incumbent Judy Weeks-Rohner was vacating to run for Utah State Senate. He defeated former Republican representative Fred Cox in the general election.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2024/11/07/democrats-may-gain-a-utah-house-seat-but-republicans-retain-supermajority/|title=Democrats may gain a Utah House seat, but Republicans retain supermajority|first=Alixel|last=Cabrera|date=November 7, 2024|access-date=May 25, 2025|website=Utah News Dispatch}}</ref> He and Verona Mauga, are the first Samoan Americans elected to the Utah State Legislature.
== Personal life == Fitisemanu and his wife, Lucia Carvalho, and their two daughters reside in West Valley City, Utah. He holds the registered Samoan chiefly title "Laufou," bestowed upon him by the village of Toamua-Puipa'a.<ref name="Voyage"/> His father, Jacob Fitisemanu Sr., successfully ran for two terms as president of the Samoan Community Council of Utah and spearheaded notable Polynesian community initiatives, including the building of the first cricket pitch in Utah (at Southridge Park in Taylorsville). His relative, John, was a plaintiff in ''Fitisemanu v. United States''.<ref name="Sarup 9/13/2024"/>
== Electoral history == === 2024 === {{Election box begin no change |title = Utah's 30th House District General Election, 2024 }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Utah Democratic Party | candidate =Jake Fitisemanu | votes = 7,371 | percentage =52.53% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Utah Republican Party | candidate = Fred Cox | votes = 6,662 | percentage =47.47% }} {{Election box total no change | votes =14,033 | percentage = 100% }} {{Election box end}}
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Utah House of Representatives}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fitisemanu, Jake}} Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Democratic Party members of the Utah House of Representatives Category:American people of Samoan descent Category:21st-century members of the Utah Legislature Category:Asian-American state legislators in Utah Category:American politicians of Chinese descent Category:American politicians of Korean descent Category:New Zealand emigrants to the United States Category:People from West Valley City, Utah Category:Westminster University (Utah) alumni