Biography
Joe Ignazzitto is a former Tallmadge Police Department Sergeant and a U.S. Army Veteran with experience in emergency medical services, law enforcement, policy development at the most senior levels of the Department of Defense (DoD), and interagency cooperation with federal executive branch departments and agencies, specializing in contingency and disaster response operations.
Joe began his public service career as a student at Miami University. He worked as an emergency medical technician (ambulance) as a first responder with the Miami University Police Department. Joe graduated with an associate’s degree and enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he served as a combat medic. While stationed in West Germany, the Army selected him for its “Green-to-Gold” program, which allowed him to return to Miami University and enroll in Army ROTC through Xavier University.
In 1989, Joe was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Medical Service Corps, in the U.S. Army Reserve, and graduated from college. That same year he began his civilian career in law enforcement as an Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper. Joe joined the Tallmadge Police Department in 1993, where he served in a variety of positions including, Patrol Sergeant, Administrative Services Sergeant, and accreditation manager.
In October 2001, he returned to active duty in the Army. He served in a variety of command and staff positions ranging from Company Commander to the Deputy Surgeon for Policy and Fiscal Administration for the Chief, Army Reserve.
Joe’s final assignment on active duty was in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs (ASD(HD&HA)), where his duties included policy development and serving as a liaison to other federal departments and agencies.
In August 2019, Joe retired from active duty as Colonel and in May 2020 he returned to the Pentagon as a senior consultant where he supported ASD(HD&HA) and DoD’s Washington Headquarters Services.
Joe is a graduate of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration and Political Science. He is a graduate of the resident program of the U.S. Army War College where he earned a Master's degree in Strategic Studies. His professional education includes the Army Medical Department’s Security, Plans, Operations, and Training course and the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety’s supervision of police personnel.
Joe and his wife, Karen, have been married for 30 years and are grateful to be back in Northeast Ohio. Their two adult children reside in Northern Virginia, where they are continuing their academic pursuits.