Mike Pruitt

Mike grew up in a blue collar family in a rural corner of the South Carolina Blue Ridge. His career that followed involved eight moves, two combat deployments, and countless flights and sorties around the globe. He came to Albemarle shortly after ending military service looking for the one opportunity he’d never had: a place to make a home.

With the help of a military scholarship Mike was able to attend Duke University before commissioning into the US Navy. He led teams aboard two warships, deploying twice to the Middle East to defend American citizens and support operations against ISIS. He later joined the Office of Naval Intelligence, where he served as a senior analyst and advisor as the country teetered on the brink of war with Iran.

Since leaving the Navy, Mike has continued his commitment to public service. In addition to his service on the Board of Supervisors, he works as a civil rights lawyer for a Virginia-based nonprofit. His legal work focuses on housing, discrimination, and helping those who have been mistreated by corporations and landlords. He previously worked to expand workforce training opportunities and apprenticeships for veterans and rural communities through a national nonprofit and helped combat racial housing discrimination with the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

Mike lives in the Scottsville District with his husband, an Episcopal minister, and his rescue dog, Jo (pictured). He worships at Trinity Episcopal Church in Charlottesville. You’re likely to spot Mike jogging around the Rivanna Trail or Keene when the weather’s good or picking up produce at the Ix or Scottsville Farmers Markets—don’t hesitate to say hello!