Meet Joesiah
GIRL DAD
LEADER
PUBLIC SERVANT
Joesiah was born and raised in the City of Springfield and is a proud graduate of Springfield Public Schools.
He is a husband to his wife Melanie, and a father to their 4-year-old daughter Annalise. Melanie is a Springfield Public Schools teacher at Gerena Elementary School in Ward 1, matching the dedication of her husband to public service. Joesiah is a proud homeowner in Ward 1 with a serious belief that commitment moves beyond rhetoric and is a manifestation of our life decisions such as where to buy a home and raise a family.
Joesiah is a principled leader dedicated to seeing transformation in the City through Government, Education, and the non-profit sector.
He currently serves as the Chief Philanthropy & Communications Officer at Home City Development, a community development corporation in Springfield dedicated to building homes and services and currently provides home to 400+ families and individuals. Most recently with the completion of the Gemini Townhomes producing 40 homes in the Springfield’s South End and 275 Chestnut St (former YMCA in Ward 1) that will create 29 additional homes.
Prior to joining Home City, Joesiah was the Chief of Development & Programs at the New North Citizens Council where he secured millions of dollars resulting in the revitalization of Youth Programming for the City and Region and the purchase of the 3-story Youth Center located at 4 Birnie Avenue.
In November 2021, Joesiah was elected uncontested to the Springfield School Committee representing Wards 1 & 3, with the following key accomplishments:
Increased funding for Springfield Public Schools totaling $145 Million Dollars over his progressing tenure on the Springfield School Committee, working with his committee colleagues and strong ties with state legislators.
Increased School Safety, with the passage of Critical Incident Drill Policy, the approval of additional safety technology at each school such as emergency two-way radio communication.
Joesiah worked diligently to center the voices of the largest stakeholder group in the system, Springfield’s 20,000+ students by aligning and restarting Springfield’s Student Advisory Council as required by Mass General Law that was not operational prior to him being elected.
Despite an upbringing on government public assistance and separated parents, Joesiah’s adverse experiences at an early age made him a fiery advocate for the underdog and underrepresented.
Joesiah currently holds a master’s in business administration (MBA) from Fitchburg State University and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Hartford now in his second year.