My work in Fitchburg and greater Madison has centered collaboration and equity, bringing all voices to the table to inform governmental decision making. I am excited to take these values to the State Capitol.
JOE VALUES
EQUITY
TRANSPARENCY
ACCESS
COLLABORATION
A life long Wisconsite
A first-generation college graduate
A father of two
A community builder and youth worker
A public servant
An engaged volunteer and community member
An activist
PULL UP A SEAT WITH JOE
A Lifelong Wisconsinite, born and raised in Milwaukee, 22 years in Madison and Fitchburg
A first-generation college
graduate of UW-Madison,with
a working class background
A father of two, aged 8 and 18,
in theVerona Area School District
A community builder and youth worker with 20 years of experience in nonprofit, higher education, and grant making
A public servant, serving on the
Fitchburg Common Council since 2020, Madison College Board Trustee 2023-2024
An engaged volunteer and community member, serving on the Verona School District Superintendent's Advisory Committee
An activist that raised and distributed $100,000 for Hurricane Maria disaster relief in Puerto Rico
Collaborative Progressive
Relentless Change Agent
Community Builder
Collaborative Progressive
Relentless Change Agent
Community Builder
MEET JOE MALDONADO
Joe was born and raised in Wisconsin by a nurturing working class family, where his father was a union worker, his mother worked at an insurance company, and his grandmother was a head start teacher.
After his grandparents immigrated from Puerto Rico, they settled in Milwaukee, where he saw first hand the effects of a highly segregated city. However, thanks to the support and guidance of his community, he was fortunate to participate in college access programs that exposed him to new friends and experiences.
He became the first in his family to attend and graduate from college, earning two degrees from UW-Madison. Being actively involved on campus gave him the opportunity to meet people from across the state and beyond, experience the ‘practice’ of democracy in action, and taught him the value and importance of bringing people to the table.
MEET JOE MALDONADO
Joe was born and raised in Wisconsin by a nurturing working class family, where his father was a union worker, his mother worked at an insurance company, and his grandmother was a head start teacher.
After his grandparents migrated from Puerto Rico, they settled in Milwaukee, where he saw first hand the effects of a highly segregated city. However, thanks to the support and guidance of his community, he was fortunate to participate in college access programs that exposed him to new friends and experiences.
He became the first in his family to attend and graduate from college, earning two degrees from UW-Madison. Being actively involved on campus gave him the opportunity to meet people from across the state and beyond, experience the ‘practice’ of democracy in action, and taught him the value and importance of bringing people to the table.
From Working Class Roots
A CAREER IN SERVICE
Through a service learning course in college, Joe developed a greater understanding of the impacts of structural inequality. He sought out service opportunities beyond campus, volunteering with an afterschool program for elementary school students experiencing homelessness. He realized that Madison faced many of the same issues he had grown up seeing in Milwaukee, including a lack of affordable housing, accessible transportation, and healthy food.
In graduate school and after graduation, he pursued a career working with youth and families. For two decades, he has worked with kids across the K-12 system, adults released from jail, and college students, and has managed funding systems through United Way and UW-Madison, Division of Extension.
In 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic, he was elected to the Fitchburg Common Council, representing one of the most racially and socioeconomically diverse districts in the city, where he has worked to center the voices of those often left out of decision making processes.
Two Decades of Experience
COMMUNITY BUILDER
Joe is an active volunteer, leveraging his strengths to give in the ways that are most responsive to expressed community needs. He currently serves as a member of the Verona Area School District Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Committee. He previously served as a Board Trustee of Madison Area Technical College (2023-24), Verona Area School District Attendance Areas Advisory Committee (2018-2019), Puerto Rico Relief Fund of South Central Wisconsin (2017-2018), raising and distributing almost $100,000 in aid to victims of Hurricane Maria.
As a supporter of Luna’ s Groceries, he served as lead planner for the annual community block party, toy drive, and youth culinary educational programming. He serves as a public speaker and workshop presenter; having led numerous one-time and ongoing educational opportunities for youth and young adults around college access, leadership, values, and career pathways. In Fitchburg, he has hosted numerous voter drives, bike repair workshops, COVID testing and vaccine workshops, Community Block Parties, and educational forums.
Responsive and Engaged Organizing
COMMUNITY BUILDER
Joe is an active volunteer, leveraging his strengths to give in the ways that are most responsive to expressed community needs. He currently serves as a member of the Verona Area School District Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Committee. He previously served as a Board Trustee of Madison Area Technical College (2023-24), Verona Area School District Attendance Areas Advisory Committee (2018-2019), Puerto Rico Relief Fund of South Central Wisconsin (2017-2018), raising and distributing almost $100,000 in aid to victims of Hurricane Maria.
As a supporter of Luna’ s Groceries, he served as lead planner for the annual community block party, toy drive, and youth culinary educational programming. He serves as a public speaker and workshop presenter; having led numerous one-time and ongoing educational opportunities for youth and young adults around college access, leadership, values, and career pathways. In Fitchburg, he has hosted numerous voter drives, bike repair workshops, COVID testing and vaccine workshops, Community Block Parties, and educational forums.
TANGIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Throughout his time in elected office, Joe has prioritized community centered and inclusive action for tangible outcomes. He understands that achieving the big things often takes time and persistence, working through small wins, setbacks, big wins, and roadblocks towards meaningful and important change. Seeing the process through to the end is core to his leadership.
In 2020, he successfully moved his aldermanic district polling place from outside of the district into a centrally located, densely populated neighborhood. This allowed more residents to walk to vote and has consistently increased voter turnout in each election. In the beginning of the pandemic, he piloted the process to develop a dedicated Teen Center in Fitchburg, engaging hundreds of youth and adults and leveraging funds and partnerships from private and public partners. The Fitchburg Teen Center is anticipated to be completed in 2026.
As a member of the Fitchburg Common Council, he is a member of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee, Community Economic Development Authority, Personnel Committee, and a former member of the Housing Advisory Committee. He also supports and votes for the initiatives of other council members who lead on policies or budget items that advance public transit, renewable energy, investment in underserved neighborhoods, and public parks. In addition to his many public roles, he is always active behind the scenes, building coalitions, connecting people to one another, and linking them with relevant local organizations.
Community Centered and Inclusive Action
