Josh was sworn in to the North Carolina Senate representing Senate District 16 on January 15, 2009. In his first year, he has hit the ground running. Josh was named the 19th most effective Senator in 2010 making him the highest ranked freshman entering the Senate in the past decade.

Josh works on a host of issues, including job creation, public education, health care reform, public transportation, clean water, and clean energy. The following diverse organizations have recognized Josh for his work on these priorities:

• The North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association named Josh its “2009 Legislator of the Year” for his efforts to create clean energy jobs and to support renewable energy and energy efficiency.
• The AARP of North Carolina also named Josh “Legislator of the Year” because of Josh’s legislation to protect consumers, particularly older North Carolinians, from identity theft.
• The Metro Mayors’ Association, which represents the mayors of the 25 largest municipalities in North Carolina including Raleigh and Cary, presented Josh its “Legislative Award” for his work to promote public transit and transportation issues.
• Wake Up Wake County thanked Josh with its “Legislative Leadership Award” for his dogged efforts to clean Falls Lake, Raleigh’s polluted source of drinking water.
• The North Carolina Association of Educators named Josh a “Rising Star” for his efforts to improve public education.
• Both the Sierra Club and the Conservation Council recognized Josh as an “Environmental Champion” for his efforts to ban plastic bags on the Outer Banks and to clean up Falls Lake.
• Josh successfully completed a three-year campaign as co-chair of Interact’s $5 million effort to create a national model program for women and children who have been victims of domestic violence. In 2008, Interact recognized Josh as its “Volunteer of the Year,” and the Mutual of America Foundation presented Josh an award in April 2010 for his efforts to help Interact.

As Senator, Josh is continuing a career already dedicated to public service.

• For eight years, Josh served as North Carolina’s Deputy Attorney General for Consumer Protection, where he successfully took on predatory lenders and led efforts to crack down on sexual predators who use Internet sites like MySpace and Facebook to target children.
• Before joining the Attorney General’s office, Josh worked in the United States Senate.
• After graduating from Harvard Law School and the Kennedy School of Government, Josh worked with the Self-Help Credit Union in Durham, transforming abandoned drug houses into single-family homes.
• Josh taught high school English and economics in Zimbabwe for two years after attending Dartmouth College.

Josh successfully completed a three-year campaign as co-chair of Interact’s $5 million effort to create a national model program for women and children who have been victims of domestic violence. In 2008, Interact recognized Josh as its “Volunteer of the Year.”

Josh and his wife Anna Harris Stein have three children – Sam (11), Adam (8), and Leah (5). Josh grew up in the Triangle. He and Anna both attended North Carolina public schools, and so do their kids. He and Anna are members of Temple Beth Or. He enjoys playing soccer, coaching his children's sports teams, participating in Y Guides with his boys, biking and watching college basketball.

Highlights