# Simon Cataldo

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American politician (born 1986)

Simon Cataldo Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 14th Middlesex district Incumbent Assumed office January 4, 2023 Preceded by Tami Gouveia Personal details Born (1986-07-19) July 19, 1986 (age 39) Party Democratic Education Colorado College (BS) University of Virginia (JD) Website https://simoncataldo.com/

**Simon Joseph Cataldo** (born July 19, 1986) is an American politician who represents the [14th Middlesex District](/source/Massachusetts_House_of_Representatives'_14th_Middlesex_district) in the [Massachusetts House of Representatives](/source/Massachusetts_House_of_Representatives).[1] He represents the town of [Carlisle](/source/Carlisle%2C_Massachusetts), and parts of the towns of [Acton](/source/Acton%2C_Massachusetts), [Chelmsford](/source/Chelmsford%2C_Massachusetts), and [Concord](/source/Concord%2C_Massachusetts).

## Early life and career

Cataldo grew up in [West Concord, Massachusetts](/source/West_Concord%2C_Massachusetts), with his parents and two sisters. His mother was a Concord Family Services social worker,[2] and his father is an economist who has taught accounting at [Suffolk University](/source/Suffolk_University) and the [University of Rhode Island](/source/University_of_Rhode_Island).[3] Cataldo attended Thoreau Elementary, Peabody Middle School, and graduated from [Concord-Carlisle Regional High School](/source/Concord-Carlisle_High_School).[4]

Cataldo attended [Colorado College](/source/Colorado_College) and graduated *[magna cum laude](/source/Magna_cum_laude)* with a degree in [Environmental Science](/source/Environmental_science).[5] At Colorado College, Cataldo contributed to research on the kinetics of biodiesel production.[6]

After teaching special education for three years and developing the program that became Harlem Lacrosse,[7] Cataldo enrolled at the [University of Virginia Law School](/source/University_of_Virginia_School_of_Law). While at UVA, Cataldo was selected to be the managing editor of the [Virginia Law Review](/source/Virginia_Law_Review).[8]

Cataldo was recognized with the Ritter Award, given to four students who exemplify the honor, character, and integrity envisioned by [Thomas Jefferson](/source/Thomas_Jefferson) when he founded the University.[9] Upon graduation, Cataldo also received the [James C. Slaughter](/source/James_E._Slaughter) Honor Award, which is presented to an outstanding member of the graduating class.[10][11]

## Teaching and Harlem Lacrosse

Following his graduation from Colorado College, Cataldo joined [Teach for America](/source/Teach_For_America) and was placed as a special education math teacher at [Frederick Douglass Academy (FDA)](/source/Frederick_Douglass_Academy), a 6–12th grade school in [Harlem, New York City](/source/Harlem).[12][13]

Cataldo started Harlem’s first public middle school lacrosse team.[14] He later founded Harlem Lacrosse, a national school-based [nonprofit](/source/Nonprofit_organization) operating in public schools in [Baltimore](/source/Baltimore), [Boston](/source/Boston), Harlem, the [Bronx](/source/The_Bronx), [Philadelphia](/source/Philadelphia), and [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles).[15] The students in the program experienced improvements in academic performance.[16]

## U.S. Department of Justice and public corruption prosecutor

After graduating from Law School, Cataldo clerked for [William J. Kayatta Jr](/source/William_J._Kayatta_Jr.)., one of President Obama’s federal court of appeals appointees. He was later drafted into the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Honors Program to prosecute public corruption in the DOJ’s Public Integrity Section,[17] a specialized section of the Justice Department dedicated to combating public corruption and election crimes.[18] At the DOJ, Cataldo investigated and prosecuted some of the most high-profile corruption cases in the country, including the successful trial of Arizona Sheriff [Joe Arpaio](/source/Joe_Arpaio), who was found guilty of criminal contempt and then [pardoned](/source/Pardon_of_Joe_Arpaio) by then-U.S. President [Donald Trump](/source/Donald_Trump).[19]

Cataldo also prosecuted Joseph Boeckmann, a state judge in Arkansas, for a bribery and fraud scheme in addition to witness tampering,[20] and [Scott Maddox](/source/Scott_Maddox), the former Chair of the Florida Democratic Party, for RICO, fraud, and bribery. Cataldo also led the prosecution of James King, a former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs official who was convicted of steering disabled veterans to sham vocational schools in exchange for bribes from the school owners.[21] While serving at the Department of Justice, Cataldo was a substantial contributor to the Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses Manual, which serves as the Department of Justice’s comprehensive guidance on campaign finance and election-related criminal statutes.[22]

## Massachusetts House of Representatives

### Elections

Cataldo mounted his campaign for State Representative in the summer of 2021, after incumbent [Tami Gouveia](/source/Tami_Gouveia) announced that she would run for [Lieutenant Governor](/source/Lieutenant_Governor_of_Massachusetts).[23] Cataldo’s campaign focused on local issues such as addressing [PFAS](/source/Per-_and_polyfluoroalkyl_substances) pollution in the drinking water supply, transportation infrastructure, adequately funding public schools, as well as broader challenges involving reproductive rights, mental health services, economic vitality, and climate change.[24]

In the Democratic primary, Cataldo defeated two primary opponents, Vivian Birchall of Acton and Patricia Wojtas of Chelmsford. The result of the primary was 57.4% for Cataldo, 27.4% for Birchall, and 14.8% for Wojtas.[25] Cataldo was endorsed over his primary opponents by [Planned Parenthood](/source/Planned_Parenthood) Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts, the [Massachusetts AFL-CIO](/source/Massachusetts_AFL%E2%80%93CIO), and the Massachusetts Nurses Association, in addition to other labor and environmental groups and many local [Select Board](/source/Select_board) and School Committee members.[26]

In the general election, Cataldo consolidated support from Democrats and Independents to beat Republican Rodney Cleaves of Chelmsford, 72.8% to 27.2%.[25]

### Legislation

In his first term, Representative Cataldo filed 24 bills.[1] His legislation covers early childhood education, higher education admissions, renewable energy, workforce development, tax relief, public safety, and substance use recovery.

## Personal life

Cataldo currently lives in Concord, Massachusetts with his wife and four children. He is a member of Kerem Shalom synagogue, and serves on the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston. He continues to serve as the Board President of Harlem Lacrosse.[1]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_1-2) ["Representative Simon Cataldo"](https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/S_C1/Bills).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Social Services | Concord, MA"](https://www.concordma.gov/946/Social-Services). *www.concordma.gov*. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["James Cataldo"](https://web.uri.edu/business/meet/james-cataldo/). Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Concord resident seeks 14th Middlesex House seat"](https://www.wickedlocal.com/story/concord-journal/2021/08/09/environment-social-justice-key-causes-concord-state-rep-candidate/5501592001/). *Wicked Local*. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Fennell ’21, Julia. ["Simon Cataldo '08 Wins Democratic Primary for Massachusetts State Representative - Colorado College"](https://www.coloradocollege.edu/newsevents/newsroom/2022/simon-cataldo-08-wins-democratic-primary-for-massachusetts-state-representative.html#.ZAFJ3nbMLIU). *www.coloradocollege.edu*. Retrieved 2023-03-03.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_numeric_names:_authors_list))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Morgenstern, Mark; Cline, Jessica; Meyer, Sally; Cataldo, Simon (2006-07-01). ["Determination of the Kinetics of Biodiesel Production Using Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ( 1 H NMR)"](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ef0503764). *Energy & Fuels*. **20** (4): 1350–1353. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1021/ef0503764](https://doi.org/10.1021%2Fef0503764). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0887-0624](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0887-0624).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["About Simon"](https://www.repcataldo.com/simon). *State Representative Simon Cataldo*. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Masthead - Virginia Law Review"](https://virginialawreview.org/masthead/). *virginialawreview.org*. 2020-11-10. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-law.virginia.edu_9-0)** ["Mary Claiborne and Roy H. Ritter Prizes"](https://www.law.virginia.edu/academics/mary-claiborne-and-roy-h-ritter-prizes). *University of Virginia School of Law*. 2017-05-10. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Annual Law School Awards, Fellowships and Honors"](https://www.law.virginia.edu/academics/annual-law-school-awards-fellowships-and-honors). *University of Virginia School of Law*. 2017-04-27. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Congressman Kennedy Tells Class of 2014 'Fortunes of Country May Depend' on Their Efforts Graduation Awards"](https://www.law.virginia.edu/news/2014_spr/graduation_class_of_2014.htm). *University of Virginia School of Law*. 2014-05-19. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Simon Cataldo launches state representative campaign for 14th Middlesex District"](https://www.lowellsun.com/2021/08/15/simon-cataldo-launches-state-rep-campaign-for-14th-middlesex-district). *Lowell Sun*. 2021-08-15. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Dawsey, Josh (2012-10-27). ["Harlem's Lacrosse Rookies Score Scholarships"](https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204598504578080670860375946.html). *Wall Street Journal*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0099-9660](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0099-9660). Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Gutierrez, Matthew (2019-05-17). ["A Harlem Team Is Changing the Face of Lacrosse"](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/17/sports/harlem-lacrosse.html). *The New York Times*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0362-4331](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Harlem Lacrosse"](https://www.harlemlacrosse.org/). *Harlem Lacrosse*. 2023-04-06. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Impact"](https://www.harlemlacrosse.org/impact). *Harlem Lacrosse*. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Doing Good: These Law School Alumni Are Making a Difference in the Nonprofit World"](https://news.virginia.edu/content/doing-good-these-law-school-alumni-are-making-difference-nonprofit-world). *UVA Today*. 2017-11-28. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Public Integrity Section (PIN)"](https://www.justice.gov/criminal-pin). *www.justice.gov*. 2020-09-24. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** Dwyer, Colin (July 31, 2017). ["Ex-Sheriff Joe Arpaio Convicted Of Criminal Contempt"](https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/07/31/540629884/ex-sheriff-joe-arpaio-convicted-of-criminal-contempt). *npr*. Retrieved May 31, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["Former Arkansas State Judge Sentenced to Prison for Dismissing Cases in Exchange for Personal Benefits and Tampering With a Witness"](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-arkansas-state-judge-sentenced-prison-dismissing-cases-exchange-personal-benefits-and). *www.justice.gov*. 2018-02-21. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** ["Department of Veterans Affairs Official Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for $2 Million Bribery Scheme Involving Program for Disabled Military Veterans"](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-veterans-affairs-official-sentenced-11-years-prison-2-million-bribery-scheme). *www.justice.gov*. 2019-02-15. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** Pilger, Richard C. (December 2017). ["Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses: Eighth Edition"](https://www.justice.gov/criminal/file/1029066/download).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** tamigouveia (2021-06-07). ["Tami Gouveia announces campaign for Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor"](https://www.tamigouveia.com/masslive-tami-gouveia-announces-campaign-for-massachusetts-lieutenant-governor/). *Tami Gouveia, DrPH, MPH, MSW*. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** ["Priorities"](https://simoncataldo.com/priorities/). *Simon Cataldo for the 14th Middlesex District*. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_25-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_25-1) ["Massachusetts House of Representatives Fourteenth Middlesex District"](https://ballotpedia.org/Massachusetts_House_of_Representatives_Fourteenth_Middlesex_District). *Ballotpedia*. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** ["Endorsements"](https://simoncataldo.com/endorsements/). *Simon Cataldo for the 14th Middlesex District*. Retrieved 2023-05-31.

v t e Members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives 194th General Court (2025–2026) Speaker of the House Ron Mariano (D) Speaker pro tempore Kate Hogan (D) Majority leader Michael Moran (D) Minority leader Bradley Jones Jr. (R) ▌Chris Flanagan (D, 1st Barnstable) ▌Kip Diggs (D, 2nd Barn.) ▌David Vieira (R, 3rd Barn.) ▌Hadley Luddy (D, 4th Barn.) ▌Steven Xiarhos (R, 5th Barn.) ▌Thomas Moakley (D, Barn., Dukes, Nan.) ▌John Barrett (D, 1st Berkshire) ▌Tricia Farley-Bouvier (D, 2nd Berk.) ▌Leigh Davis (D, 3rd Berk.) ▌Michael Chaisson (R, 1st Bristol) ▌Jim Hawkins (D, 2nd Bris.) ▌Lisa Field (D, 3rd Bris.) ▌Steven S. Howitt (R, 4th Bris.) ▌Justin Thurber (R, 5th Bris.) ▌Carole Fiola (D, 6th Bris.) ▌Alan Silvia (D, 7th Bris.) ▌Steven Ouellette (D, 8th Bris.) ▌Christopher Markey (D, 9th Bris.) ▌Mark Sylvia (D, 10th Bris.) ▌Christopher Hendricks (D, 11th Bris.) ▌Norman Orrall (R, 12th Bris.) ▌Antonio Cabral (D, 13th Bris.) ▌Adam Scanlon (D, 14th Bris.) ▌Dawne Shand (D, 1st Essex) ▌Kristin Kassner (D, 2nd Ess.) ▌Andy Vargas (D, 3rd Ess.) ▌Estela Reyes (D, 4th Ess.) ▌Andrew Tarr (D, 5th Ess.) ▌Hannah Bowen (D, 6th Ess.) ▌Manny Cruz (D, 7th Ess.) ▌Jenny Armini (D, 8th Ess.) ▌Donald Wong (R, 9th Ess.) ▌Daniel Cahill (D, 10th Ess.) ▌Sean Reid (D, 11th Ess.) ▌Thomas Walsh (D, 12th Ess.) ▌Sally Kerans (D, 13th Ess.) ▌Adrianne Ramos (D, 14th Ess.) ▌Ryan Hamilton (D, 15th Ess.) ▌Francisco E. Paulino (D, 16th Ess.) ▌Frank A. Moran (D, 17th Ess.) ▌Tram Nguyen (D, 18th Ess.) ▌Vacant (1st Frnk.) ▌Susannah Whipps (I, 2nd Frnk.) ▌Todd Smola (R, 1st Hpdn.) ▌Brian Ashe (D, 2nd Hpdn.) ▌Nicholas Boldyga (R, 3rd Hpdn.) ▌Kelly Pease (R, 4th Hpdn.) ▌Patricia Duffy (D, 5th Hpdn.) ▌Michael Finn (D, 6th Hpdn.) ▌Aaron Saunders (D, 7th Hpdn.) ▌Shirley Arriaga (D, 8th Hpdn.) ▌Orlando Ramos (D, 9th Hpdn.) ▌Carlos Gonzalez (D, 10th Hpdn.) ▌Bud Williams (D, 11th Hpdn.) ▌Angelo Puppolo (D, 12th Hpdn.) ▌Lindsay Sabadosa (D, 1st Hampshire) ▌Homar Gomez (D, 2nd Hpsh.) ▌Mindy Domb (D, 3rd Hpsh.) ▌Margaret Scarsdale (D, 1st Middlesex) ▌James Arciero (D, 2nd Mid.) ▌Kate Hogan (D, 3rd Mid.) ▌Danielle Gregoire (D, 4th Mid.) ▌David Linsky (D, 5th Mid.) ▌Priscila Sousa (D, 6th Mid.) ▌Jack Lewis (D, 7th Mid.) ▌James Arena-DeRosa (D, 8th Mid.) ▌Thomas M. Stanley (D, 9th Mid.) ▌John J. Lawn (D, 10th Mid.) ▌Amy Mah Sangiolo (D, 11th Mid.) ▌Greg Schwartz (D, 12th Mid.) ▌Carmine Gentile (D, 13th Mid.) ▌Simon Cataldo (D, 14th Mid.) ▌Michelle Ciccolo (D, 15th Mid.) ▌Rodney Elliott (D, 16th Mid.) ▌Vacant (17th Mid.) ▌Tara Hong (D, 18th Mid.) ▌Dave Robertson (D, 19th Mid.) ▌Bradley Jones Jr. (R, 20th Mid.) ▌Kenneth Gordon (D, 21st Mid.) ▌Marc Lombardo (R, 22nd Mid.) ▌Sean Garballey (D, 23rd Mid.) ▌Dave Rogers (D, 24th Mid.) ▌Marjorie Decker (D, 25th Mid.) ▌Michael Connolly (D, 26th Mid.) ▌Erika Uyterhoeven (D, 27th Mid.) ▌Joe McGonagle (D, 28th Mid.) ▌Steven Owens (D, 29th Mid.) ▌Richard Haggerty (D, 30th Mid.) ▌Michael Day (D, 31st Mid.) ▌Kate Lipper-Garabedian (D, 32nd Mid.) ▌Steven Ultrino (D, 33rd Mid.) ▌Christine Barber (D, 34th Mid.) ▌Paul Donato (D, 35th Mid.) ▌Colleen Garry (D, 36th Mid.) ▌Dan Sena (D, 37th Mid.) ▌Bruce Ayers (D, 1st Norfolk) ▌Tackey Chan (D, 2nd Norf.) ▌Ron Mariano (D, 3rd Norf.) ▌James M. Murphy (D, 4th Norf.) ▌Mark Cusack (D, 5th Norf.) ▌William C. Galvin (D, 6th Norf.) ▌Richard Wells (D, 7th Norf.) ▌Ted Philips (D, 8th Norf.) ▌Marcus Vaughn (R, 9th Norf.) ▌Jeffrey Roy (D, 10th Norf.) ▌Paul McMurtry (D, 11th Norf.) ▌John H. Rogers (D, 12th Norf.) ▌Joshua Tarsky (D, 13th Norf.) ▌Alice Peisch (D, 14th Norf.) ▌Tommy Vitolo (D, 15th Norf.) ▌Michelle Badger (D, 1st Plymouth) ▌John Gaskey (R, 2nd Plym.) ▌Joan Meschino (D, 3rd Plym.) ▌Patrick J. Kearney (D, 4th Plym.) ▌David DeCoste (R, 5th Plym.) ▌Kenneth Sweezey (R, 6th Plym.) ▌Alyson Sullivan-Almeida (R, 7th Plym.) ▌Dennis Gallagher (D, 8th Plym.) ▌Bridget Plouffe (D, 9th Plym.) ▌Michelle DuBois (D, 10th Plym.) ▌Rita Mendes (D, 11th Plym.) ▌Kathleen LaNatra (D, 12th Plym.) ▌Adrian Madaro (D, 1st Suffolk) ▌Daniel Joseph Ryan (D, 2nd Suff.) ▌Aaron Michlewitz (D, 3rd Suff.) ▌David Biele (D, 4th Suff.) ▌Christopher Worrell (D, 5th Suff.) ▌Russell Holmes (D, 6th Suff.) ▌Chynah Tyler (D, 7th Suff.) ▌Jay Livingstone (D, 8th Suff.) ▌John F. Moran (D, 9th Suff.) ▌Bill MacGregor (D, 10th Suff.) ▌Judith García (D, 11th Suff.) ▌Brandy Fluker-Reid (D, 12th Suff.) ▌Daniel J. Hunt (D, 13th Suff.) ▌Robert Consalvo (D, 14th Suff.) ▌Sam Montaño (D, 15th Suff.) ▌Jessica Giannino (D, 16th Suff.) ▌Kevin Honan (D, 17th Suff.) ▌Michael Moran (D, 18th Suff.) ▌Jeff Turco (D, 19th Suff.) ▌Kimberly Ferguson (R, 1st Worcester) ▌Jonathan Zlotnik (D, 2nd Wor.) ▌Mike Kushmerek (D, 3rd Wor.) ▌Natalie Higgins (D, 4th Wor.) ▌Donnie Berthiaume (R, 5th Wor.) ▌John Marsi (R, 6th Wor.) ▌Paul Frost (R, 7th Wor.) ▌Michael Soter (R, 8th Wor.) ▌David Muradian (R, 9th Wor.) ▌Brian Murray (D, 10th Wor.) ▌Hannah Kane (R, 11th Wor.) ▌Meghan Kilcoyne (D, 12th Wor.) ▌John J. Mahoney (D, 13th Wor.) ▌Jim O'Day (D, 14th Wor.) ▌Mary Keefe (D, 15th Wor.) ▌Dan Donahue (D, 16th Wor.) ▌David LeBoeuf (D, 17th Wor.) ▌Joseph D. McKenna (R, 18th Wor.) ▌Kate Donaghue (D, 19th Wor.) ▌Democratic (132) ▌Republican (25) ▌Independent (1) ▌Vacant (2) Massachusetts General Court Massachusetts House of Representatives Massachusetts Senate

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Simon Cataldo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Cataldo) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Cataldo?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.