Why I'm Running
Bring People Together
Jake delivering the keynote address at the Springfield School Committee Inauguration in January of 2018
This community has always been home. When my great-grandparents came here from Portugal and Poland, they settled in Ludlow, Palmer and Springfield and worked in the Mills. Like many of you, I grew up in a middle class household and saw my parents make hard choices while living paycheck to paycheck. We survived by sticking to the values of family, community, and hard work.
These values guided me into public service where I have been proud to serve you for the last 20 years, whether as a Ludlow School Committee member or the Governor’s appointee to the Local Government Advisory Committee. As State Representative, I’ve secured 35 million dollars for public higher education, local infrastructure projects, and small businesses.
I’m running for State Senate because I can bring together our 12 unique communities and deliver real results for regular people. From East-West Rail, to holding utilities like Eversource, National Grid, and Spectrum accountable, I will be your champion.
Jake Oliveira is a fourth generation Ludlow resident. He is the great-grandson of immigrants from Portugal and Poland. Active in his community for two decades, Jake was elected as a Ludlow precinct member at the age of 18 and to the Ludlow School Committee at the age of 22, where he served for 12 years.
Through his work on the school committee, Jake was elected as the youngest President ever of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees. In addition, he represented all of New England as a member of the National School Boards Association Board of Directors, and as a board member of the Lower Pioneer Valley Collaborative. He also served on the Governor’s Local Government Advisory Committee.
Prior to being elected to the Massachusetts House, Jake worked for over a decade in government relations for the nine Massachusetts State Universities. Earlier in his career, he worked as Budget Director for State Representative Michael Rodrigues.
Jake is a proud alumnus of Framingham State University, where he served three years as a member of the university's Board of Trustees. He was awarded Business West's 40 Under 40 distinction in 2019.
Jake's immediate family members are all proud graduates of Ludlow High School - his sister Georgina (2011), Mom Carol (1971), grandmother Lena (1943), and Dad Richard (1967). Family is very important to Jake, and he credits his dad for instilling his passion for public education.