Joe Russo is originally from Southern California where he was born and raised. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business at California State University, Northridge. Working first as a CPA for the international public accounting firm of Grant Thornton, Joe spent 30 years in business, ultimately retiring from Xerox Business Services where he was Western Regional Vice President. Following the end of that career, he re-entered graduate school where he earned additional degrees (an MA and PhD) in Educational Psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno, after which he entered private practice as a mental health therapist and, later, as an adjunct professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Wyoming. He has served on several boards of directors, the most recent of which was the Alzheimer’s Association of America. He resides in Laramie with his wife of many years, Dr. Cynthia Brock, who also at UW holds the Endowed Chair for Literacy Excellence in the State of Wyoming. They are the proud grandparents of Braelynn. Both are active resident members of St. Paul’s Newman Center Parish in Laramie.