Dan Moilanen isn’t the usual kind of person who runs for office. He’s not from a wealthy family that’s politically connected, he’s lived the realities of living paycheck-to-paycheck, and he’s someone with the political grit and tenacity to work on behalf of working and middle class people everywhere. When it comes to politicians, Dan breaks the mold.
Dan is a resident of Flint, Michigan and the Executive Director of the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts (MACD) where he advocates at the State and Federal level on behalf of all 75 of Michigan’s Conservation Districts. Dan also serves as Chair of the Genesee Conservation District Board of Directors, where he supports local conservation efforts in the Greater Flint Area. Conservation Districts are unique local units of government that are the local providers of natural resource management services, utilizing state, federal, and private sector resources to solve today’s conservation challenges on privately and publicly owned land.
Over the years, Dan has worked as a line-cook, a construction worker, in retail, in a “Fortune 100” corporate call-center, as a cashier, as a bookseller, and more. Every role shaped his understanding of the challenges people face. He knows firsthand what it’s like to live paycheck-to-paycheck and believes we need better representation in our citizen government from leaders who understand how hard it is for the middle and working class to get ahead in 2024.
Before returning to political organizing and policy advocacy work, Dan was the owner and founder of Vehicle City Tacos, Flint’s first major food truck operation, which remains popular to this day at Tenacity Brewing.
Dan also founded Social Cycling Flint, a social bicycling club centered around promoting cycling infrastructure and complete streets initiatives in the City of Flint by hosting various social bike rides. Social Cycling Flint was awarded the “Club of the Year Award” by the League of Michigan Bicyclists in 2019.
Dan also has an extensive background working in the Flint non-profit arts community, where he formerly promoted all-ages concerts and events via the Flint Local 432, an all-ages arts space in Downtown Flint. Moreover, as a product of the “DIY” punk rock community, Dan has been promoting concerts and art shows independently for 20 years. In addition, Dan works a side-gig as a working musician and tour-crew professional and has traveled the entire United States and Canada extensively. As a working musician, Dan is a member of United Musicians and Allied Workers who are organizing around the issues of fairness in streaming platform royalties, SXSW compensation, eliminating venue merchandise cuts, and more.
In 2022, Dan was elected to the Flint Institute of Music Board of Trustees; the governance board for the organization that manages the Whiting Auditorium, the Capitol Theater, the Flint Repertory Theatre, and the Flint School of Performing Arts.
In addition, Dan serves on the Charles A. Fellows Trout Unlimited Chapter Board of Directors, where he supports additional conservation efforts in the region.
Moreover, Dan serves on the Grand Traverse District Neighborhood Association as Treasurer, where the group has successful implemented several neighborhood improvement projects in Memorial Park and Spring Grove.
In 2022, Dan was recognized by the Flint & Genesee Group as one of Genesee County’s “40 Under 40” accomplished professionals, entrepreneurs and influencers who are helping to shape the future of Genesee County.
In 2009, Dan graduated Magna Cum Laude from Albion College, with a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy, with a concentration in Public Policy from the Gerald R Ford Institute for Public Service.
In addition, Dan previously served as the Chair of the Genesee County Democratic Party in 2021.
Dan enjoys gardening, fly-fishing, playing guitar, and bicycling in his little free time.