Joe graduated with honors from the Catholic University of America in 1988 with a BA in Economics and Financial Management and received the award for Outstanding Major in Economics. He received his Juris Doctorate from the Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law in 1991. Joe moved to Raleigh, North Carolina in 2014 after reuniting with his college sweetheart, Kellie Jo Falk. Shortly thereafter he was approved by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission to serve as a mediator for the Superior Court of North Carolina. While licensed to practice law in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, Joe limits his practice to mediating disputes for the Superior Court of North Carolina.

Joe fell in love with the children and families of the Frankie Lemmon School & Developmental Center shortly after calling Raleigh his home. Since joining the Board of Directors, he has served as Chairman of the Building Committee, Chairman of the Executive Director Search Committee, Vice Chair and Chairman of the Board. Joe also serves on the Board of Beginnings for Parents of Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and is a supporter of a variety of other local charities.