Mr. Fitzsimmons was raised in West Islip, New York just 50 miles from downtown Manhattan. He and his two younger siblings had a less than ideal childhood after their father abandoned the family. They were forced to rely on welfare payments which barely paid for food and rent but the experience gave him a unique perspective on the challenges faced by children living in poverty. Those experiences ultimately led to the formation of Alice’s Kids. Mr. Fitzsimmons spent most of his working years in the national political arena. Beginning in 1977, he worked for three Members of Congress, was the Director of Government Relations for a Portland-based law firm and in 1991 he formed a national organization that for 15 years lobbied to preserve reproductive rights for women. In recognition of that work, in 1994 the “Washingtonian Magazine” named him one of the “Top 50 Lobbyists” in Washington, D.C. Upon leaving the national scene, Mr. Fitzsimmons served as a staff person for Mount Vernon Supervisor Gerry Hyland for 5 years and as a substitute teacher at Mount Vernon High School. A strong believer in public service, Mr. Fitzsimmons has served on numerous boards and commissions, including the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority, the Landlord-Tenant Board, the Consumer Affairs Commission, United Community Ministries, the Wessynton Homeowner’s Association and the Fairfax Partnership for Youth. He was the President of the Mount Vernon High School Academic Boosters Corp and served on the Advisory Board for “Students Under Suspension.” In 2017 he was named “Mount Vernon Citizen of the Year” by Supervisor Dan Storck. A published author (“Chicken Soup for the Soul: Golf Edition”), Mr. Fitzsimmons received his B.A. in Political Science in 1977 from the State University of New York at Stonybrook. He is married and has two children.