Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Josh Shapiro

Discover the career path of Josh Shapiro, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Joshua David Shapiro is an American politician and lawyer who has served as the 48th governor of Pennsylvania since 2023. As a member of the Democratic Party, he previously held the position of Pennsylvania's Attorney General from 2017 to 2023. Before becoming Attorney General, Shapiro served on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners from 2012 to 2017. He is a prominent figure in Pennsylvania politics.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1992: Elected Student Body President

In 1992, Shapiro became the first freshman ever elected student body president of the University of Rochester.

April 1996: Worked in Israeli embassy

In April 1996, Shapiro began working in the Israeli embassy's public diplomacy department for six months, where he educated the public about Israel.

September 1996: Started working for U.S. Representative Peter Deutsch

In September 1996, Shapiro began working for U.S. Representative Peter Deutsch.

1999: Chief of Staff for U.S. Representative Joe Hoeffel

In 1999, Shapiro began working as chief of staff to U.S. representative Joe Hoeffel.

2003: End of term as Chief of Staff for U.S. Representative Joe Hoeffel

In 2003, Shapiro's term as chief of staff to U.S. representative Joe Hoeffel ended.

2004: Elected to Pennsylvania House of Representatives

In 2004, Shapiro was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 153rd district, defeating former Congressman Jon D. Fox.

2005: Represented the 153rd district

In 2005, Shapiro began representing the 153rd district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, a position he held until 2012.

2006: Practiced corporate law at Stradley, Ronon, Stevens, and Young

From 2006, Shapiro practiced corporate law at the firm Stradley, Ronon, Stevens, and Young in Philadelphia.

2006: Brokered deal for Republican Speaker of the House

In 2006, Shapiro helped broker a deal that resulted in the election of moderate Republican Dennis O'Brien as Speaker of the House, following Democrats gaining control of the Pennsylvania State House.

2006: Re-elected to Pennsylvania House of Representatives

In 2006, Shapiro was re-elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

2007: Introduced bill to divest state funds from Iran

In 2007, Shapiro introduced a bill into the House to divest state funds from Iran. The bill made a moral argument against investing in countries with a history of terror or genocide.

2008: Re-elected to Pennsylvania House of Representatives

In 2008, Shapiro was re-elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

2008: Called for Bill DeWeese to step down

In 2008, following revelations that Democratic House minority leader Bill DeWeese was involved in a corruption scandal, Shapiro called for him to step down.

2009: Introduced bill to divest state funds from Sudan

In 2009, Shapiro introduced a bill into the House to divest state funds from Sudan. The bill made a moral argument against investing in countries with a history of terror or genocide.

2009: Pennsylvania's Minimum Wage since 2009

On several occasions, Shapiro has proposed raising Pennsylvania's minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $15. Shapiro had hinted he would have signed the bill into law if it had passed both chambers of the General Assembly, as Pennsylvania had not raised the minimum wage since 2009.

2010: Re-elected to Pennsylvania House of Representatives

In 2010, Shapiro was re-elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

2010: Pushed for national legislation to allow states' pension funds to divest from business engaging with Iran.

In 2010, Shapiro, U.S. senator Bob Casey, and state representative Dan Frankel pushed for national legislation to allow states' pension funds to divest from business engaging with Iran.

2011: Elected to Montgomery County Board of Commissioners

In 2011, Shapiro was elected to the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, marking the first time Republicans lost control of the county.

2012: Chaired Montgomery County Board of Commissioners

In 2012, Shapiro began chairing the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners.

2012: End of term in Pennsylvania House of Representatives

In 2012, Shapiro's term in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives ended.

2013: Credit Score Comparison

During Shapiro's first two years in office, Pennsylvania's credit rating increased three times, and its score is the state's highest since 2013.

April 2015: Appointed Chair of Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency

In April 2015, Governor Tom Wolf appointed Shapiro as the chair of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

2015: Appointed chairman of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency

In 2015, Governor Tom Wolf appointed Shapiro as chairman of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

2015: Democrats retained a majority on the board of commissioners

In 2015, Shapiro and his running mate, Val Arkoosh, both won election and Democrats retained a majority on the board of commissioners.

January 2016: Announced Candidacy for Pennsylvania Attorney General

In January 2016, Shapiro announced his candidacy for Pennsylvania Attorney General, campaigning on restoring the office's integrity and combating the opioid epidemic and gun violence.

April 2016: Won Democratic Primary for Attorney General

In April 2016, Shapiro won the Democratic primary for Attorney General, defeating Stephen Zappala and John Morganelli with 47 percent of the vote.

November 2016: Elected Pennsylvania Attorney General

In November 2016, Shapiro narrowly defeated the Republican nominee, state senator John Rafferty Jr., with 51.3 percent of the vote, becoming the Pennsylvania Attorney General.

2016: Inherited Catholic Church investigation

In 2016, Shapiro inherited the Pennsylvania attorney general's office investigation of allegations of sexual abuse by members of the Catholic Church.

2016: Elected Pennsylvania Attorney General

In 2016, Shapiro was elected Pennsylvania Attorney General, defeating Republican John Rafferty Jr.

2016: End of Shapiro's term chairing Montgomery County Board of Commissioners

In 2016, Shapiro's term chairing the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners ended.

2016: AG stance on Death Penalty

When Shapiro ran for Attorney General in 2016, he stated that the death penalty should be reserved for the most heinous of crimes. His position later evolved after being elected and observing the system more closely.

2017: Became Attorney General of Pennsylvania

In 2017, Shapiro became the Attorney General of Pennsylvania, a position he held until 2023.

2017: End of term practicing corporate law at Stradley, Ronon, Stevens, and Young

In 2017, Shapiro stopped practicing corporate law at the firm Stradley, Ronon, Stevens, and Young in Philadelphia.

2017: End of term on Montgomery County Board of Commissioners

In 2017, Shapiro's term on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners ended.

2017: Announced "Million Dollar Heroin Ring" Roundup

In 2017, Shapiro, as Attorney General, announced the roundup of a "Million Dollar Heroin Ring" under "Operation Outfoxed" in Luzerne County.

January 2018: Case of Tim Piazza's death referred to Shapiro

In January 2018, the case of the death of Tim Piazza, a Penn State student who was hazed, was referred to Shapiro by Centre County district attorney Bernard Cantorna due to a conflict of interest.

August 2018: Referral of Police Shooting Case

In August 2018, Krasner referred the case of a Philadelphia police officer's fatal shooting of Jeffrey Dennis to Shapiro due to a conflict of interest. Shapiro later announced in December that no charges would be filed against the officers.

August 2018: Released Grand Jury Report on Catholic Church Abuse

In August 2018, Shapiro released the results of an extensive grand jury report alleging the sexual abuse of over 1,000 children by over 300 priests in Pennsylvania.

2018: Offered Plea Deal to William Higgins

In 2018, Shapiro offered former Bedford County district attorney William Higgins a plea deal for corruption charges, guaranteeing no prison time despite Higgins initially facing a maximum sentence of 62 years.

2018: Agreement on 3D Printed Firearms

In 2018, Shapiro reached an agreement with federal officials to prevent the distribution of blueprints for 3D printed firearms.

December 2019: Charges Against State Representative Johnson-Harrell

In December 2019, Shapiro charged state representative Movita Johnson-Harrell with perjury and theft of funds from her charity. She later served time in prison and house arrest.

2019: Support for Legalizing Recreational Cannabis

In 2019, Shapiro came out in support of legalizing recreational cannabis use by adults, joining Governor Tom Wolf and other Pennsylvania Democrats.

2019: Led Efforts to Ensure Insurance Coverage

In 2019, Shapiro led efforts to ensure that Highmark insurance holders could receive treatment at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, allowing 1.9 million recipients to continue using their existing doctors.

2019: Cast Fewest Votes in Favor of Commutation

In 2019, while serving on the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons as attorney general, Shapiro cast the fewest votes in favor of commutation, denying 24 out of 41 pardons.

2020: Campaign Ads Targetting Mastriano

During the leadup to the primary election, in 2020, Shapiro's campaign released an advertisement calling a Mastriano win "a win for what Donald Trump stands for", referencing Mastriano's stance on outlawing abortion and his efforts to audit the 2020 presidential election.

2020: Electoral College Elector

In 2020, Josh Shapiro was one of the 20 electors the Pennsylvania Democratic Party chose to vote in the Electoral College for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the United States presidential election.

2020: Re-elected Attorney General

In 2020, Shapiro was re-elected as Attorney General, defeating Republican nominee Heather Heidelbaugh with 50.9% of the vote. He received the most votes of any candidate in Pennsylvania history, outperforming Joe Biden.

2020: Voter Turnout

On November 8, 2022, Shapiro's victory was decisive and uniform across the state. The vast majority of President Joe Biden's voters in 2020 voted for Shapiro, as did many independents and a sizable segment of Donald Trump supporters.

July 2021: Charges Against State Representative Davidson

In July 2021, Shapiro charged state representative Margo L. Davidson with theft by deception and Election Code violations. Davidson resigned, paid restitution, and was released without bail.

August 2021: Settlement in Prevailing Wage Case

In August 2021, Shapiro settled the largest prevailing wage criminal case in U.S. history. Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc. paid nearly $21 million to 1,267 Pennsylvania workers.

October 13, 2021: Announcement of Candidacy for Governor

On October 13, 2021, Josh Shapiro announced his candidacy for governor of Pennsylvania in the 2022 election.

2021: Opioid Settlement with Johnson & Johnson

In 2021, Josh Shapiro announced an opioid settlement with Johnson & Johnson and other pharmaceutical distributors, resulting in Pennsylvania receiving $1 billion. This settlement resolved thousands of lawsuits related to the opioid epidemic.

January 2022: Campaign Funds Reported

In January 2022, Shapiro's campaign reported it had $13.4 million in campaign funds, which was described as a record amount for a candidate in an election year.

January 29, 2022: Pennsylvania Democratic Party Endorsement

On January 29, 2022, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party endorsed Shapiro by voice vote, along with his preferred running mate, state representative Austin Davis.

May 17, 2022: Securing the Democratic Nomination

On May 17, 2022, Shapiro secured the Democratic nomination for governor after facing no opponents in the primary.

August 2022: Former Republican Officials Endorse Shapiro

In August 2022, seven more former Republican officials, including former U.S. secretary of homeland security Michael Chertoff, endorsed Shapiro, citing Mastriano being "extreme" and "divisive".

November 8, 2022: Victory Over Mastriano in Gubernatorial Election

On November 8, 2022, Shapiro defeated Mastriano in the gubernatorial election with 56.5% of the vote. He won 17 counties and received support from a wide range of voters.

December 6, 2022: Transition Team Appointments

On December 6, 2022, during his transition to the governorship, it was reported that Shapiro tapped several of his longtime aides to serve in high-ranking positions, including naming his campaign manager Dana Fritz as his chief of staff.

2022: Pledged to Protect Abortion Access

During his 2022 gubernatorial campaign, Shapiro pledged that, if elected, he would protect abortion access in Pennsylvania and veto any legislation passed by the state legislature that restricted or outlawed abortion.

2022: Capital Punishment Stance

During his campaign in 2022, Shapiro announced that he now favored abolishing the death penalty in Pennsylvania, a reversal of his previous position.

2022: Won Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Election

In 2022, Shapiro won the Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, defeating Republican nominee Doug Mastriano.

January 2023: Appointments to Key Positions

In January 2023, Shapiro appointed Akbar Hossain as secretary of policy and Mike Vereb as secretary of legislative affairs. Vereb later resigned in September due to accusations of sexual harassment.

January 17, 2023: Inauguration as Governor

On January 17, 2023, Shapiro was sworn in as governor of Pennsylvania, using a stack of three Hebrew Bibles. He is the third Jewish governor in Pennsylvania's history and the state's first Generation X governor.

June 2023: Pennsylvania House Votes to Increase Minimum Wage

In June 2023, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted to pass a bill that would increase the minimum wage to $15 by 2026, but the Republican-controlled State Senate thwarted the legislation.

August 2023: Ended Contract with Anti-Abortion Nonprofit

In August 2023, Shapiro announced that his administration would terminate Pennsylvania's nearly 30-year contract with Real Alternatives, an anti-abortion nonprofit that funds anti-abortion counseling centers and maternity homes, to better defend abortion access in the state.

August 28, 2023: Elimination of College Education Requirement for State Police

On August 28, 2023, Shapiro announced that the college education requirement for state police cadets had been eliminated amid a decline in police applicants.

September 19, 2023: Announced Automatic Voter Registration

On September 19, 2023, Shapiro announced that Pennsylvania would implement automatic voter registration, effective immediately, allowing eligible individuals to register to vote when obtaining driver's licenses, with an opt-out option.

November 2023: Shapiro appointed Robb Fox to University of Pennsylvania board

In November 2023, Shapiro appointed Robb Fox as his representative on the University of Pennsylvania's board of trustees, increasing his influence over the university. Shapiro also publicly criticized the university's leadership during a congressional hearing on antisemitism, calling the president's appearance a "failure of leadership".

December 2023: Intervention in Philadelphia Transit Strike

In December 2023, Shapiro intervened in a strike by Philadelphia transit officers and negotiated a three-year contract that included a 13% raise increase for the officers.

December 2023: Signed Parole Violation Bill into Law

In December 2023, Shapiro signed into law a bipartisan bill to restrict the activities that are considered violations of parole. He stood next to rapper Meek Mill, who had previously been imprisoned for a parole violation, at the bill-signing ceremony.

2023: Sworn in as Governor of Pennsylvania

In 2023, Shapiro began serving as the 48th governor of Pennsylvania.

2023: Extended Free Breakfast Program

In 2023, Shapiro permanently extended the Wolf administration's free breakfast program for all Pennsylvania public-school students as part of the state budget, signed into law in August.

February 2024: Proposed State Budget Unveiled

In February 2024, Shapiro unveiled his proposed $48.3 billion state budget for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal year, focusing on funding public schools, public transit, higher education, and infrastructure.

March 2024: Increased Use of Project Labor Agreements

In March 2024, Shapiro issued a directive increasing Pennsylvania's use of Project Labor Agreements (PLAs).

July 2024: Support for Corporate Tax Cuts Reiterated

At an event with Janet Yellen in July 2024, Shapiro reiterated his support for "aggressive" corporate tax cuts in Pennsylvania.

August 4, 2024: Harris interviewed Shapiro as a potential running mate

On August 4, 2024, Shapiro was interviewed by Kamala Harris as a potential running mate for her campaign. Other candidates interviewed included Tim Walz and Senator Mark Kelly. Ultimately, Harris chose Walz.

November 2024: Signed Executive Order for Permit Fast Track Program

In November 2024, Shapiro signed an executive order to create the Pennsylvania Permit Fast Track Program, designed to expedite the permitting process for large-scale infrastructure projects requiring multiple permits. Following the order's enactment, the Department of Environmental Protection's permit backlog was eliminated, and the waiting period was reduced.

2024: Proposed Public School Funding Boost

During the drafting of the 2024 budget, Shapiro proposed a $1.1 billion increase for public school operations and instruction, marking a 14% rise from the previous year. The 2024 budget also included about $144 million in financial aid for students, a roughly 33% increase. Furthermore, a new State Board of Higher Education was established to create performance-based criteria for funding state-related universities, and over $900 million was allocated for special education.

2024: Minimum Wage Proposal in the 2024 Budget

In 2024, Shapiro and other Democratic lawmakers attempted to include a raise in the minimum wage in that year's state budget, but due to Republican criticism, the proposal was withdrawn.

2024: Supported Inmate's Appeal

In 2024, Shapiro filed a brief in support of an Allegheny County inmate appealing his life without parole sentence. The inmate had been convicted of second-degree murder for his accomplice's actions during a burglary.

2024: Proposed Public Transit Funding

In 2024, Shapiro proposed investing $282.8 million in public transit systems, which is a 1.75% increase, with the aim of generating $1.5 billion for transit funding until 2029. This funding proposal aimed to support public transportation initiatives.

2024: Pledged to Sign Bill Blocking State Funding of Colleges Engaging in BDS

In 2024, a spokesperson for Shapiro stated that Shapiro pledged to sign a bill to block state funding of colleges and universities that engage in BDS, defined as any activity "intended to financially penalize the State of Israel".

2024: Supported Senate Election Recount

When the results of the 2024 Senate election showed David McCormick ahead by less than one percentage point, triggering a statewide recount, Shapiro supported the recount. However, he opposed counting undated or incorrectly dated ballots, aligning with previous Pennsylvania Supreme Court rulings.

February 19, 2025: Appointment to Council of Governors

On February 19, 2025, President Trump appointed Shapiro to the Council of Governors.

June 2025: Announced Amazon Investment in Pennsylvania

In June 2025, Shapiro announced that Amazon would invest $20 billion to build two AI data center campuses in Salem Township and Falls Township. Shapiro praised the project for creating at least 1,250 jobs, calling it the largest private-sector investment in Pennsylvania history. However, concerns were raised about energy consumption and potential price increases for consumers.

September 2025: Called for Aid to Gazans

In September 2025, Shapiro urged the Trump administration to send aid to starving Gazans, stating that the US had a "moral responsibility" to provide food, nourishment, and medicines to children in need. He also criticized Netanyahu's starvation denial and urged Trump to prevent Hamas from intercepting aid.

2025: Fiscal Budget

In February 2024, Shapiro unveiled his proposed $48.3 billion state budget for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal year, mostly consisting of funding public schools, public transit, higher education and infrastructure, with tax collections projected to increase by $1 billion.

2025: Mandated Automatic Permit Approval

Part of the state budget Shapiro signed into law in 2025 mandated automatically approving permits within a certain time frame if the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) failed to act on them.

2025: Corporate Tax Rate Cut

Shapiro supports cutting Pennsylvania's nearly 10 percent corporate tax rate to 4 percent by 2025.

January 2026: Announcement of Reelection Campaign

In January 2026, Shapiro announced his intention to seek reelection as governor of Pennsylvania in the 2026 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election.

February 2026: Called for Data Centers to Pay for Power and Introduced GRID Standards

In February 2026, Shapiro called for data centers to pay for their own power without increasing consumer prices. He also introduced GRID (Governor's Responsible Infrastructure Development) standards for data centers, which include transparency, local hiring, and water conservation.

2026: Proposed Corporate Tax Rate

During Shapiro's first two years in office, he has proposed lowering corporate income taxes from 8.99% to 4.99% by 2026.

2026: Minimum Wage Increase

In June 2023, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted to pass a bill that would increase the minimum wage to $15 by 2026, but the Republican-controlled State Senate thwarted the legislation.

2028: Workforce Training Funding

As part of the Commonwealth Workers Transformation Program (CWTP), as much as $400 million could be used for workforce training in Pennsylvania until 2028.

2028: State's Deficit

In February 2024, Critics argued that the budget would inflate the state's deficit to over $6 billion by 2028 and lead to large tax increases. Ultimately, Shapiro rolled back some of his proposals and signed a $47.6 billion budget in July.

2028: Shapiro seen as potential presidential candidate in 2028

Shapiro has been mentioned as a potential candidate in the 2028 presidential election.

2029: Target Year for Transit Funding

In 2024, Shapiro proposed investing $282.8 million in public transit systems, which is a 1.75% increase, with the aim of generating $1.5 billion for transit funding until 2029. This was to be the target year for the overall transit funding plan.