Candidate for
State Representative; Pennsylvania State House of Representatives; District 187; Democratic Party

Joe is a lifelong Pennsylvanian who makes his home in Kutztown, Berks County.

He took a non-traditional path through college+lacking the resources to pursue a traditional 4-year degree, Joe spent his post-high school years working in retail in order to finance his education. At 24, with the increased availability of federal and state grants, this became a possibility. He attended one of Pennsylvania's fine community colleges before transferring to Kutztown University, where he graduated summa cum laude. Joe considers himself incredibly fortunate that such resources were available, but knows that his story is not typical. Many young Pennsylvanians, discouraged by the high costs and diminishing quality of public education, do not or cannot pursue a similar path. They find themselves unemployed or underemployed, and fail to achieve their true potential. This hurts both the individual and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a whole.

At Kutztown University, Joe became involved in politics. A lifelong Republican until that point, he was appalled by the malicious shift in political rhetoric and the Republican party's abandonment of fiscal sensibility. He served as President of the Kutztown University College Democrats from 2007 to 2008, and began work in the political field upon completing his studies. Since then, he has been involved in numerous state and local campaigns, as well as managing operations for the Kansas Democratic Party, the Wisconsin State Senate Recall Elections, and the re-election campaign of Governor Steve Beshear in Kentucky. Through these positions, Joe came in contact with countless Americans who are struggling to live productive lives. From 20-year-old single mothers with 11th grade educations to hardworking people in their mid-40s with Masters degrees who are still unable to make ends meet in our current economy, Joe understands the obligation we all have to better the lives of those around us. He will work tirelessly to ensure that everyone in Pennsylvania has access to the same opportunities that he had in order to ensure that we can all enjoy living in a healthy and vibrant society.