Michael J. Fonte is the director of the Democratic Progressive Party Mission in the United States, where he facilitates engagement between Taiwan’s DPP and policymakers in Washington. His connection to Taiwan goes back to 1967-70, when he served as a Catholic missionary working in central Taiwan. Before joining the DPP Mission as liaison in 2002, he was senior policy analyst at the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA). At FAPA, he was responsible for tracking US policy toward Taiwan, Taiwan security issues, and developments in Taiwanese political affairs, as well as producing opinion pieces, journal articles, and a member newsletter on these questions. He also lobbied the US Senate on Taiwan-related concerns. From 1993-1999, Fonte served as executive director of the Council for a Livable World Education Fund, and before that as foreign policy analyst and consultant for various international groups and clients. With a M.Th. in theology from the Maryknoll Seminary and an MA in Chinese Studies from the University of Michigan, Fonte’s resume includes time as both an educator and journalist.
