Candidate for
State Representative; Pennsylvania State House of Representatives; District 78; Republican Party

Joshua is a 2005 graduate of Bedford Area High School, where he graduated with academic honors and lettered all four years in cross country, track and wrestling. At a young age, Joshua understood the importance of hard work and wanted to achieve the American Dream.

After witnessing the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001 he decided to turn down his acceptance into Shippensburg University to take the oath of enlistment in 2005 to serve his country as a 19 Delta Cavalry Scout with the 82nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan for 15 months. During his time in Afghanistan, Joshua conducted hundreds of combat patrols and coordinated several combat missions. In addition, he worked with members of his team to provide humanitarian aid to the Afghan populace. For his service, Joshua was awarded several distinguished awards to include the Army Commendation Medal and Combat Action Badge.

When Joshua returned from his combat deployment, he still had an urge to serve his country and enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard in 2008, with the 2nd of the 104th Cavalry Regiment where he served until 2011. In 2010, Joshua was named the unit's soldier of the year. While in the National Guard, Joshua trained and mentored younger soldiers in preparation for future combat deployments.

Joshua would begin his college career at Shippensburg University in 2009. When he began college, Joshua noticed the transition barriers and challenges that many veterans where facing. This led to him taking action by first starting the Shippensburg Student Veterans Association. Joshua was instrumental in working with campus administrators to ease the transition of veterans from combat to college. Since the founding of the organization, Shippensburg now has a veteran's resource center that assists veterans, service members, and family members to ensure they achieve their academic and career goals. During the organization's first year of existence they were awarded as the top student organization of the year and biggest impact of the year. Recently, Shippensburg University was selected as a top-veteran friendly school in the U.S. Veterans Magazine.

In November 2010, Joshua was sworn in as the Pennsylvania Outreach Coordinator for Student Veterans of America (SVA)--a National Organization that provides the resources, support, and advocacy for all veterans to succeed academically and following graduation. While in this position, Joshua hosted several events to include the first ever Student Veterans of America Pennsylvania state conference at Shippensburg University. From there, he worked with Penn State University in 2012 and in 2013 with the University of Pittsburgh and Drexel University to host conference that assist student veterans with transitioning from combat to college and higher education professionals with providing an effective support network on their campuses. His efforts were instrumental in increasing the number of student veteran's organizations and the level of support for military student veterans across Pennsylvania. In 2010, there were just 10 student veteran organizations, but due to Josh's efforts there are 42 student veteran organizations across the Commonwealth. Joshua also advocated the state capitol in Harrisburg and testified before the Pennsylvania Senate to increase the support of veterans across the Commonwealth.

Following his duties as Pennsylvania Outreach Coordinator, Joshua was elected as the National Leadership Council's Vice President in December 2011 by his peers. In this role, Joshua and the other council members advised the SVA staff in strategic direction and organizational planning and served as the primary vehicle in which student veteran organization leaders could address their concerns. While in this position, Joshua served as a Mission Continues fellow, an organization that provides fellowships to Post 9/11 veterans in exchange for public service with a non-profit. Remotely, Joshua assisted student veteran organizations and higher education professionals in Colorado and again hosted a state wide conference to provide the resources necessary to ensure student veterans in Colorado are successful. Since joining SVA, Joshua has helped numerous institutions increase the support of veterans across the country by traveling on his own dime to provide consulting services.

While at Shippensburg, Joshua was also a member of the Red Raider wrestling team, the student government, information technology and academic and legislative affairs committee and political science club. As a result of his efforts, Joshua was named as the 2012 Student Veteran of the Year for the entire country, an Academic All-America as a member of the Shippensburg University wrestling team, outstanding Junior of the year, a member of the Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society, and a member Pinnacle, a National Honor Society for Non-Traditional Students. In addition, Joshua is a published author in Higher Ed Jobs and is currently working with colleagues of his to publish a book on serving student veterans and service members in higher education.

Joshua graduated from Shippensburg University in 2013 with a B.A. in Political Science. Slightly before graduating from Shippensburg, he became the founder and current chairman of the Pennsylvania Student Veterans Coalition, the only state-wide organization solely focused on assisting student veterans. When he graduated, Joshua accepted a job with VetAdvisor® as a Business Analyst, where he has played a crucial role in growing the business.

Joshua is a member of several local, state and national organizations to include the National Rifle Association, the United States Global Leadership Coalition Smart Power Initiative, the Bedford Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Downtown Bedford Inc., Moose Lodge, Pennsylvania Advisory Council for Military & Veteran Education, Bedford Sportsman Club, previously served as a member of Mitt Romney's Military and Veteran Families Advisory Council, and attends church at the Bedford Presbyterian church.