Joseph Ferris, a proud resident of Hudson’s 5th Ward, is a dedicated Democrat with deep roots in public service. With a background in non-profit advocacy, political communications, and public affairs strategy, Ferris has served as a government relations manager at a New York anti-hunger non-profit working to bring universal free school meals to all New York students. 

Ferris has was raised in a family committed to civic engagement, he draws inspiration from his father, a five-term reform Democrat in the New York State Assembly, who worked alongside Shirley Chisholm to plant trees in Brooklyn, participated in the Young Christian Workers, and taught English at Rikers Island.

His mother also devoted her career to public service, working for the New York City Office of Management and Budget before leading tobacco cessation programs in Vermont after retirement.

Continuing this legacy, Joseph has been a strong advocate for transportation and anti-hunger initiatives. He serves as a trustee on the Hudson Area Library Board and remains actively involved in the Columbia County and Hudson City Democratic committees.

With degrees in International Relations and Campaign Management, I worked at the NYC Campaign Finance press shop during the 2009 election cycle, served as Communications Director on Tito Jackson's successful 2011 City Council Campaign in Boston, and spent six years at Global Strategy Group working on projects with clients running the gamut from the Rockefeller Foundation and the 2019 MTA's Congestion Pricing plan to Paid Leave for All and the National Disaster Resiliency Competition. 

As a member of the Hudson Area Library Board of Trustees, I am chair of the 414 Committee and a member of the Library Room Committee where I co-presented a talk in November of last year about Lafayette's visit to Hudson in 1824. I am currently researching a talk about the impact the crash of 1929 had on Hudson. I am a member of the Hudson City Democratic Committee and the Columbia County Democratic Committee where I serve as chair of the latter's Communications Committee. 

Outside of professional life and community organizations, I have been twice published in The Twin Bill with essays on the Montreal Expos and what it was like to throw out a first pitch at a minor league baseball game. In 2021 and 2022, I undertook solo month-long bike trips to raise money and awareness for New York City's Hot Bread Kitchen.