Patrick Clerkin

Nominee's Key Links: 

Bio: 

Resume or CV: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpatrickclerkin/overlay/1730699936208/single-media-viewer/?profileId=ACoAAAmMvN0B-g4hY80e4YCzzucdtQff8ozdAJw

Writing or Publications: 

Website: 

Video: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7121709280918953984/

Socials: 

 

Agency or agencies for which nominator feels nominee is best suited:

  • Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
  • Federal Election Commission
  • White House Office
  • United States International Trade Commission
  • United States Institute of Peace
  • Office of The Director for National Intelligence
  • Office of Government Ethics
  • Government Accountability office
  • Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service


    Organization name(s) and position(s) for which nominator feels nominee is best suited:

    department/agency mapper, integrator, framer, de-duplicator, merger

     

    Policies which the nominator knows the nominee supports or in which they have expertise:

    Civic revival -- unifying factions, building trust, increasing engagement and diminishing polarization
    Ensuring infrastructural changes are accompanied by cultural changes and vice versa
    Coherence within interdisciplinary teams
    Information and resource flows within and between organizations
    How entities or groups differ and overlap
    Multi-scale systems integration
    Hierarchy and network interfacing for organizational robustness
    Multi-metric management
    Dynamic maps and models
    Complexity and emergent properties

     

    Nominator's thoughts on what would make this nominee a valuable member of a future Trump Unity Government

    1) Is Competent ...Ive pursued multiple projects and spinoffs, sometimes requiring vision, technical expertise, bringing others together, high degrees of improvisation, resourcefulness, communication in multiple formats to a variety of audiences, bringing together depth and breadth in distilled yet comprehensive graphics and emotional stability during crisis. From how I brought the pieces of my abstract and practical involvements together, to developing friendships bridging all demographics to figuring out what to do after my rental car was flipped during a solo road trip -- Ive trained my focus and sense of perspective which are critical for a job such as this.

    2) Is Honest... When I was running for city council I spoke in the chambers about how staffing of city hall and public elections should include merit-focused anti-nepotism, conflict of interest and DEI considerations. I had noticed that the various parties running had either neglected or weaponized some of these processes for political gain.

    After I had been officially hired by the Kennedy campaign in early June (I was S4K lead in MA and unofficially nationally before that) my supervisor told my co-lead and I several weeks later that our weekly metrics were being reduced to one and that we would now be paid based solely on commission rather than base pay.

    I insisted through multiple channels (co-lead, supervisor, supervisors supervisor and state lead) that not only was the new metric of 26,000 students recruited a week until Election Day not possible from dead stop and during the summer but that it would destroy infrastructure and core team morale (unless changed from a linear cliff to an exponential ramp path). On top of this the commission-based pay, although theoretically making it possible to make much more if we hit those numbers, was incentivizing us towards numbers that we could not reach and which would destroy our outreach coalition out of financial self-interest (whether seeking maximum or merely survival levels of pay).

    I was ignored, chastised and subordinated for insisting that the changes were unsustainable and ought to be reconsidered. When the following week we came nowhere near our new metric the plan was abandoned and we were pushed to choose new metrics rapidly. My insistence that we were once again at risk of duplicating the same error and that we needed at least a day to consider what metrics and how to measure them ultimately fell on deaf ears. These shortsighted policy and leadership changes led to a sense of confusion and alienation among the core teams student volunteers and my termination the following week.

    3) Is Respectful ... I attempt to be a universal adapter that brings together and intermediates between many types of people. I know that different beliefs can be complimentary if the patience to figure out how they fit together is invested. I once hosted a podcast called Man v Mob based around these very concepts. My favorite guest Daryl Davis, who I seek to emulate, embodies this respect and patience for even others that vehemently dont reciprocate.

    My involvements value freedom of speech to the core while also acknowledging that there is personal responsibility and wisdom necessary in determining how and when a message is delivered. One must learn to reconcile freedom of speech with emotional intelligence and know how to diffuse situations among those who dont. I got an early start in exercising these skills as president of my fraternity ten years ago and have been building upon that foundation ever since.

    Because my curiosity often means divergence into new idea territories before practical solutions materialize, I am constantly engaging in communications where dissent and its consideration is an inherent part of continuous improvement. Its so second nature to me that I would only register and question its absence.

    4) Has Integrity ... Aside from my focus on integrity within and between organizations Ive also developed a considerable degree of integration within myself. This involves seeing myself as both a whole of parts smaller than myself and a part of wholes larger than myself. Such an awareness requires a constant maturing and balancing. Emphasis on a well-roundedness of joining of perspectives means not just understanding the macro incentives that corporate interests respond to but also the micro needs hierarchy that individuals respond to. While large entities magnify our individual influence, they do so for both the good and bad in human nature.

    Because I view people as complex beings deserving dignity, it is counter to my core values (light triad and heavenly virtues) when entities behave as if people exist to serve corporate, state or church interests. In reality, those super-entities derive their sovereignty from the transcendent will of the people (and must therefore contend with dissent considerately).

    This is a core principle behind my advocacy and framing of the Unity Coalition bringing together populists, independents and third parties for our most critical shared reform goals. Corporate capture of institutions and civic decline go hand in hand because in the absence of civil society there is no third balance of power to offset the intertwining of enormous state and market forces.

    5) Has Courage ... While thankfully I have not had to blow the whistle on high-profile corruption, I did take on both the city government and the primary opposition partys excesses when I felt that they were burning the village down to save it.

    Aside from that, my growing awareness over the years of my relatively short life that all national institutions, regardless of their politics, had eroded trust and become entangled in webs of corruption -- strongly encouraged me to develop a venture called Tether. It was a self-funded passion project designed to enable joining forces across disciplines to work on projects and investigations that would re-establish civic trust.

    I refined and expanded this idea for years as I worked to support myself and find mentorship on the side. While it took a degree of courage (and foolishness) to bushwhack away from a respectable career in mechanical engineering I felt like I knew too much about national and global problems and had to go to work so that the various whistleblowers and visionaries could join forces and bring about a transformative revival of our civic institutions and motivating spirit.

    6) Has a Proven Record... As the national lead of college student outreach in the Kennedy campaign I was responsible for being a motivating organizer who students trusted. I brought together the early model in MA which is a national and global hub of higher ed. Next, I brought together a core team and established a summer plan to build scalable culture and infrastructure.

    We recruited independent Students for Kennedy efforts from across the country to be under one banner with a common message while being sure not to disrupt what was working locally, only to try those things elsewhere that needed more development. By the time the national campaign officially endorsed us we had a lean and energized team of student leads across the country ready and eager to recruit their peers during fall semester. The org chart, information repository, critical campus map, collaboration with other outreach leads and weekly meetings kept student efforts intertwined and synchronized.

  • There’s quite literally nobody I’d turn to more quickly for hard work and genuine support.

    Founding and developing S4K alongside Patrick was my first experience working hand-in-hand with someone as passionate as I was about a cause.

    As someone with addictive tendencies, it was incredibly helpful having someone like him to hold me accountable to my word. The experience transcended the initiative, and found it’s way into my daily life.

    I couldn’t think of a better fit.

    1 Like

    I strongly endorse Patrick Clerkin for the positions he’s applied for and believe he would be an invaluable asset. Patrick demonstrates not only a deep understanding of complex governmental structures and efficient organizational management, but also a rare blend of vision, creativity, technical expertise, and adaptability.

    He is a thoughtful, highly intelligent, creative, complex thinker—when he has a goal, he works his hardest to follow through and get things done!

    Patrick’s prior civic involvement—from his Kennedy campaign leadership in student outreach to his advocacy for transparency and accountability—reflects his dedication to fostering trust and unity. He is committed to a mission of transformative change, which is essential for roles that may demand both innovation and integrity.

    I believe this (and much more) makes Patrick exceptionally well-suited for leadership in the agencies he has applied for!

    Thank you.

    Patrick is a born leader and would be an asset to our new unity government, in whatever way he would like. I worked with Patrick on the Kennedy campaign, and he embodies the same values that the campaign did. He is hard working, dedicated, creative and compassionate. Patrick had a way of making everyone feel welcome and valued - he’s a great collaborator and leader. I would absolutely want to see him in our new administration!

    1 Like

    We worked on the Kennedy campaign together and his energy was always welcoming and energizing. He is extremely hard working, dedicated, great at problem solving, is a great team player, takes the lead and is very articulate! I would love to see him work in the new administration to make our country and the world great and healthy again. Let’s go!

    1 Like

    Agree! And, I’ll contribute my thoughts as well!

    1 Like

    *Thank you all for your votes and thoughtful comments everyone :melting_face:

    I’m getting some helpful feedback on my answers above and because I can’t edit them after I’ve submitted, instead I’m adding this addendum to clarify:

    1. For some reason a considerable amount of the punctuation, such as apostrophes, was stripped from my responses when I submitted. I’m not sure what happened on the back end but I’m sorry that makes it more difficult to read.

    2. The prompts are not visible to the viewers so some of the context as to the content and length of the answers is missing. Before submitting, each of the character traits had an info button with elaboration on what was being requested. I attempted to tailor my answers towards those specific micro-prompts which led to them being a bit lengthier than I would have otherwise chosen. Particularly where specificity was needed.

    3. Building off of that, the second character prompt about honesty was requesting instances in which the nominee had pursued what was true or right in the face of pressure and/or incentives not to. Part of my answer came across like I was taking the opportunity to pick a bone and air grievances, but that was not the tone in which I had intended.

    I realize that many of the nominees for these positions are high-stakes whistleblowers of the Ellsberg, Snowden, Malone, Boeing cast. My thinking was that although I have never been under such intense duress as that, I have still had to hold my ground reasonably, regardless of consequence. Conveying that capability required giving the most recent example that I could which was during a position of influence and responsibility doing campaign work.

    I gave the key details to paint the scenario, stakes and consequences without throwing anyone specific under the bus. I do not see these circumstances as intentionally malevolent and I do not harbor a grudge. Most importantly, they convey a character trait which is desirable for roles of significant responsibility – namely, moral courage and truth-seeking in the face of conflicting, dynamic demands.

    I hope this helps clarify. Thank you for your consideration and advocacy.

    2 Likes

    I highly recommend Patrick. He clearly has great organizational skills & is dedicated to building unity. I was impressed with a wonderful presentation given at a Republican & Kennedy event in Harvard, MA. At the Rescue the Republic I was able to obtain & distribute his business cards for the Kennedy unity coalition. I used these cards & a revised MAHA palm card when lit dropping for the Trump campaign in door knocking in N H. Patrick’s innovative thinking , intelligence & dedication will serve him well in a role to move the country forward!

    I highly recommend Patrick for a role in the Department of Government Efficiency.

    I was fortunate to meet Patrick soon after becoming the Middlesex County Chair (MA) for Robert Kennedy Jr.’s campaign. He was passionate about the campaign and willing to help at every opportunity. His reliability and competence made my job much easier.

    Patrick is visionary, strategic, and solution-focused with a strong work ethic and an abundance of energy to carry out any project he tackles. He adapts to challenges, and takes initiative where he sees a need.

    Recognized for his dynamism and integrity, he was chosen to lead the Students 4 Kennedy group in our state, and eventually selected to lead the national group.

    Immediately after Kennedy endorsed Trump, Patrick maintained his pro-active, resilient nature and eagerly and easily stepped up to support the Trump campaign.

    Without a doubt, Patrick will bring great value to this or other well-matched roles he plays in our future government.

    During spring and summer of 2024, Patrick was able to steer my passion for RFK Jr into a specific role that allowed me to have the greatest impact. We met at a Boston meet and greet, and I eagerly wanted to get involved with agriculture and nutrition. He followed up with me, included me in students for Kennedy meetings, and personally connected with my by text to Jacqueline Capriotti who was leading the Victory Gardens effort that has since transformed and expanded to Health Revolution USA. believe in his ability to follow through, connect people who need to be connected, and streamline communication so that multiple voices are together in a room. He speaks with such care and empathy for the public, no matter their political background, and it is evidently clear he is a public servant. Somehow, he is able to channel frustration with corruption into a joyous energy, not an angry one, and transform people’s attitude into finding excitement in making the country better. I highly recommend Patrick for this role.