Joe believes that our stories have immense power. In our diverse world, people need to see parts of their own stories in others to feel less alone. Joe understands this power from personal experience and has dedicated his life to empowering others to use their stories to create great change in our world.

Born with an incredibly uphill battle from the very beginning, Joe’s story is unique, but powerful and uplifting to many. Having a laundry list of diagnoses and many obstacles in his way before he even began middle school, Joe felt as if his fate was sealed from the very beginning.

Feeling angry, lost, and alone for much of the first 13 years of his life, it took hard work, determination, and a whole lot of support for Joe to overcome the many barriers that stood in his way. Raised primarily by his mother, Tracee, Joe relied on her determination to provide him the resources he so desperately needed to live his life to its potential, no matter what it may have taken. Joe is the success story he is because of so many determined teachers, therapists, doctors, friends, and neighbors.

Joe is the proud alumni of North Shore Academy in Highland Park, Illinois, Deerfield High School in Deerfield, Illinois, and the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch in Billings, Montana. He is a graduate of Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago with degrees in Communication and Media Studies, Human Resource Development, and Public Administration and Policy. Joe wakes up each and every day grateful for the lessons he has learned that has made him who he is today. He remains committed to owning his story and empowering those around him to harness the power of their own experiences to live their life to its potential.