State Rep Polito and Fitchburg Mayor Wong to Address Youth Leaders

State Representative Karyn E. Polito and Fitchburg Mayor Lisa Wong will join Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr. on a government ethics panel to address over 100, 9th grade students at the START Conference for youth leadership at Nichols College on June 8th.

The START Conference is co-sponsored by Nichols College and the Student Leadership Training Program (SLTP). With registration for the two-day residential experience June 8th and 9th, students receive all meals, lodging and materials, and complete exercises in identity building, team building, situational leadership, ethics, and goal setting.

State Representative Karyn E. Polito
Karyn E. Polito is a Republican State Representative for the eleventh district in Worcester consisting of the towns of Shrewsbury and Westborough.

In her four terms in office, Polito has advocated for a safer Commonwealth by filing legislation in a number of key areas: establishing minimum mandatory sentencing for sex offenders, cracking down on drunk drivers, closing school registration loopholes for missing children, requiring defibrillators in public schools, and strengthening the experience requirements for young drivers.
She serves on the House Committee on Rules, the House Committee on Ways and Mean, the Joint Committee on Bonding/Capital Expenditures and State Assets, the Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Business, and the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development.

Polito's gubernatorial appointments include: Governor's Commission on Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence, Governor's Interagency Council on Substance Abuse and Prevention, and the Cervical Cancer Commission. In addition, she has been recipient of SGTV's "Shrewsbury Government Television Producer of the Year," the Massachusetts Police Association's "Legislator of the Year," the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business's "Guardian of Small Business," the Tara Bean Foundation's "Woman of Distinction Award," and the Italian-American Victory Club of Shrewsbury's "Citizen of the Year Award."

Polito earned her B.S. from Boston College and J.D. from New England School of Law. She is a member of the Shrewsbury League of Women Voters; Shrewsbury Education Foundation; Worcester County Bar Association; Corridor Nine Chamber of Commerce; and is on the board of directors of the University of Massachusetts Memorial Foundation.

Mayor Lisa Wong
In November 2007, Lisa Wong, a 28-year-old political newcomer and daughter of Chinese immigrants, defeated with 75% of the vote a four-term city councilor to become the first minority mayor in Fitchburg's 243-year history.

From 2001-2006, Wong worked for the Fitchburg Redevelopment Authority, including two and a half years as the agency's director. She was responsible for all technical, financial and administrative management of agency operations, including: directing a $10 million renovation of Putnam Place, a former General Electric steam turbine facility, which generated over 100 construction jobs and 150 permanent jobs; raising $1.2 million in public and private funds to construct the Riverfront Park; and negotiating the acquisition of land and managing road reconstruction to accommodate Intermodal Garage, a new 400-car parking facility for the regional transit facility.

Wong also served as the executive director of the Women's Institute for Housing & Economic Development, a regional non-profit with a mission to provide economic security for low income women and families through affordable housing. Wong was responsible for oversight of staff and projects, fundraising, strategic planning and economic development programming.

She graduated with honors from Boston University with a B.A. in economics and international relations and an M.A. in economics and has worked extensively in New England and abroad as an economic consultant, including working as a human rights advocate in Australia. She also taught global economics at the University of Wyoming.

Wong resides in Fitchburg. She enjoys swimming, hiking, scuba diving and tennis.

Joseph D. Early, Jr.
After working for the Hampden District Attorney's Office and for the Massachusetts Attorney General, Joseph D. Early, Jr. hung out his shingle and practiced law for 17 years, specializing in civil and criminal litigation. His varied experience struck a chord with voters, and he was swept into office with 78 percent of the vote on November 7, 2006.

Early works with the law enforcement agencies in 60 communities that make up the Middle District. He oversees a law office of more than 70 prosecutors, the operation of 11 District Courts, Superior Court, Juvenile Court, three six-member jury sessions, the grand jury and an appeals division.

Early grew up in Worcester, the oldest of eight children born to former U.S. Rep. Joseph D. Early and Marilyn (Powers) Early. He graduated from Holy Name High School, Williston-Northampton Academy, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Georgetown University Law Center.

Before starting his private law practice, Early served as an Assistant District Attorney in Hampden County from 1985 to 1988. He then spent two years in the trial division of the state Attorney General's Office. From 1990 until January of 2007, Early ran his own law office. During this time he also represented the commonwealth as a special assistant attorney general.

Early lives in Worcester, Massachusetts, with his wife Judy and their four children.