Joe grew up in Pittsburgh, PA when the Steelers were winning one Super Bowl after another, the Good Humor man came down the street every evening like clockwork and where sandwiches were served the proper way (at Primanti Brothers in the Strip District ... with fries and coleslaw).

As a five-year-old kindergarten student, Joe enthusiastically volunteered to play the Ringmaster in his circus-themed class play.

“The teacher was looking for the lead and my hand shot up immediately. It just sounded like a lot of fun to pretend to be someone else. And as a kid, the glitzy red, white and blue top hat just sweetened the deal.”

So began his love affair with acting.

Exploring more of his creative side, Joe learned to play the saxophone in 4th grade. By 6th grade he had been voted Best Musician in his class by his fellow classmates.

Even outside of school, Joe’s imagination would kick into overdrive. He and his friends would make up games to play, explore the woods behind the neighbor’s farm and pretend to act out parts of their favorite characters from TV and movies. Even though Joe had not yet decided to pursue acting, it was already in his blood.

In 8th grade, because he needed an elective class, Joe enrolled in Theater Arts 101 where he learned about Stanislavski and “The Method.” Another two semesters of Theater Arts classes followed and his love of the acting craft, as well as his skill and technique, grew.

Around this time, Joe began to play the guitar with encouragement from his stepfather. The following summer on vacation, he toured The Plant recording studio in Sausalito (after sneaking in the side door) and had a chance meeting with the band Journey and a conversation with guitarist Neil Schon, who inspired him to continue playing the guitar. Several years later, Joe enrolled in Musician’s Institute in Hollywood, honing his guitar chops and playing with other musicians. Upon graduation, Joe enrolled in Penn State and earned his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering.

Missing the creative outlet of acting, Joe realized that he needed to “go back to his roots” and decided to pursue acting on a professional level. One audition led to another and Joe was cast in leading and supporting roles in independent films and soon had a thriving career in local films.  Feeling the need to explore his craft in a larger market, Joe moved to Los Angeles and studied with Ivana Chubbuck and Baron Brown Studios and earned his Screen Actors Guild membership in 2006.

In 2009, Joe married his college sweetheart, Michele, in an Orthodox Christian ceremony, performed by a close friend of the couple in Pittsburgh. They have a son, Nicholas, and a beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Bailey, named after the main character from “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Joe and his family currently live in the Los Angeles area.