Joel Barrera was named last week by Governor Elect Charlie Baker as Deputy Chief of Staff for Cabinet Relations.
Barrera has served as deputy director for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council since 2008. He has been instrumental in all of the agency’s accomplishments during that time, including MAPC’s recent strategic planning process, the agency’s expansion into new fields such as Public Health and Clean Energy, and expansion of its technical assistance to cities and towns. Barrera staffed the Metro Mayors Coalition for many years, and saw its development into a vital forum and advocate for the cities and towns in the urban core. Barrera also conceived the plan to open miles of trails along MWRA aqueducts in MetroWest for public recreational use, and successfully advocated to make it happen.
One of Barrera’s signal achievements was his leadership on statewide municipal health insurance reform. Working with local officials, labor leaders, the Legislature and other stakeholders, Barrera was an influential collaborator during two waves of action, first in 2007 and then in 2011. This work led to 47 cities and towns joining the state’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC) or designing their own cost-saving insurance plans. These reforms saved more than $250 million, while preserving services and jobs.
Other previous experience includes six years as the Director of the Massachusetts Senate Post Audit and Oversight Committee, where he focused on making state government more accountable and responsive. After graduating from Princeton University and Oxford University (Worcester College), Barrera worked as a community organizer along the Texas-Mexico border, working to bring public infrastructure to under-served areas.
