The Gloucester Democratic City Committee will honor Joe Nogelo with the Charles McCarthy Lifetime Achievement Award during our virtual monthly meeting on Thursday, June 11 at 6:30pm. Please see our monthly newsletter for information on how to join us for the meeting.
Joe Nogelo has dedicated much of his life to the service of others and promotion of the common good. One of his greatest strengths is his ability to connect with, relate to and inspire people. Throughout his career and in his private life, Joe has mentored and championed individuals whom others overlook. His compassionate and generous leadership has changed the trajectory of many lives.
Joe grew up in Framingham, Massachusetts in a middle-class family. His mother was a passionate Democrat.
Joe graduated from Tufts University in 1967, with a major in economics. After college, he and his wife, Sinikka, were married and he reported to Officer Candidate School at Naval Station Newport. Joe was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy and stationed at Kagnew Station, a communications base in Asmara, Ethiopia (now Eritrea). While off duty, Joe taught economics at the University of Asmara and played basketball in tournaments in East Africa, the Middle East and Europe on a Navy basketball team. Reflecting on this period, Joe notes “My responsibility for community relations frequently took me off the base, where I built relationships with local people and learned about Ethiopian culture. Those experiences sparked my interest in mission-driven work and showed me I could make a difference.” After his service, Joe returned to the States and earned a master’s degree in education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Early in his career, Joe worked as a community organizer, driving anti-poverty efforts, and a social worker, with a focus on at-risk youth and juvenile offenders. On several occasions, Joe opened his home to particularly troubled teens, providing them with a secure space and helping them forge more productive paths. Joe believes in second chances and has a way of making people believe in themselves.
From 1984 until his retirement in 2009, Joe worked for the YMCA in various roles, including that of District Vice President of the YMCA of Greater Boston, where he was responsible for overseeing all of the association’s inner-city branches and their programs and community partnerships, including YMCA Achievers (an educational enrichment program that prepares city teens for college and careers), Families in Transition (an emergency shelter program that works to help homeless families become stabilized and self-sufficient), Training Inc. (an office skills training and employment program), the International Learning Center (an adult education program), Huntington House (an affordable housing complex), the City on a Hill High School and Operation Ceasefire, also known as the Boston Miracle, a partnership with the Boston Police Department and other agencies that fostered positive relationships between youth and the police and was credited with significantly reducing youth homicides and gun assaults. Under his leadership, the Greater Boston YMCA flourished as a premier social-services agency and delivered on its mission to strengthen communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
After his retirement from the YMCA, Joe was drawn to the Gloucester Democratic City Committee (GDCC). “As I considered where to direct my energy, I saw the GDCC as a way to have a broad impact on many issues I deeply care about, instead of focusing on just one or two. After a warm welcome from Catherine Bayliss at campaign headquarters, I was soon out the door with a stack of flyers to distribute across town. I’ve been honored to work with so many committed volunteers over the years.” Among his many contributions, Joe served as Ward 5 Chair, Finance Chair, Brunch Committee Chair and a three-time delegate to the State Convention, and was a founding member of Surfers for Obama. Joe also brought an innovative approach to GDCC’s major fundraising events and worked tirelessly to make them a success. Above all else, Joe enjoys canvassing. “It takes a lot of time to knock on hundreds of doors, but it’s the most effective way to increase turnout and win votes,” Joe emphasizes.
Joe Nogelo is the embodiment of a good Democrat. We are honored to celebrate his leadership, dedication and many contributions.
 |
|
The Nogelo Family: Sinikka, Alexis, Liisa and Joe
|