HomeMy WebLinkAboutMikiyo AokiMikiyo Aoki
3019 Erwin Ave,
Bozeman,MT 59715
(406)581-6521
Dear Mayor Cunningham,Deputy Mayor Morrison,Commissioner Madgic,and
Commissioner Fisher,
I am writing to you today to express my interest in the open Bozeman City Commision
position.
My family moved here when I was one,and I have been a lifelong resident of Bozeman
ever since.I was here when the old Hastings shopping center was still a field and have
since seen tremendous and exciting growth happen over the last 30+years.
Like the rest of you,I have experienced the highs and lows that have inevitably
coincided with this exponential growth.On one side,I have experienced the crunch of
rising home prices and cost of living.On the other hand,growing up as a minority in a
predominantly homogenous population,I have enjoyed seeing a greater diversity of
citizens with different backgrounds and experiences moving in to contribute to our great
community.
While everyone applying has an interest in this position,I wanted to focus on my
qualifications that I believe will complement the existing skill set of the current
commission.
I have worked for 15 years in the tech sector.My first job in college was working as an
intern and later contractor for RightNow Technologies here in town.Since then I have
worked for Oracle after the acquisition,and currently work remotely for Salesforce.
Something I have learned in this field is the importance of making data driven decisions.
Everyone has their own background and preferences.Some wheels are squeakier than
others,and everyone will choose to vocally champion their own agenda.
An analysis of the data allows us to cut through the noise and provide actionable
change that actually coincides with the needs and desires of our community.
One of Bozeman’s strengths is that it draws people with varied interests and
backgrounds.My mom has worked at local nonprofits for the majority of her life,while
my brother and dad both started small businesses here in town.Over the years I have
become close with people across all walks of life,all existing and thriving in our local
community.I have had the opportunity to develop a deep understanding of the
community from various (and oftentimes competing)perspectives.
But what do you do when one faction adamantly opposes a project or initiative from
another group?By focusing on the data we are able to track the effectiveness of policy
decisions and ensure the decisions the commission makes are providing the biggest
impact for its intended stakeholders.
Furthermore,while reading through the city’s Strategic Plan I noticed various goals and
initiatives that could strongly benefit from the right technological implementations.
Everything from how we can efficiently engage with the community and gather
feedback,how we can develop and train our workforce with relevant skills,and how we
can build strategic partnerships,all can be accelerated and refined using the right tech
stack.
I was encouraged to see the city is already using Tableau as their data platform,as
Tableau is owned by my current employer Salesforce.I would love the opportunity to
take ownership of how we can continue to drive technology to gain insight and drive
actionable change within our community.
As a resident I have been grateful to see all the amazing projects and developments
this commission has provided over the years.Bozeman is truly an incredible place to
live and I credit much of that to the decisions made by the very people reading this
application today.Regardless of the outcome here today,I wanted to thank you all for
everything you have done to improve Bozeman.I would love the opportunity to
contribute whatever expertise I can in service of our great community as well.
Thank you again for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Mikiyo Aoki