Michael A. Costello Representative

State Representative Michael Costello has dedicated his career to Public Service. While he was a student at Salem State College, Mike spent three years leading and implementing a program for students to build housing in Appalachia, where some of the poorest Americans live. He also spent a summer working as an intern in the United States Congress. Michael graduated cum laude from Salem State and went to work as a Catholic Lay Volunteer for the Catholic Diocese of St. Thomas. Later, he served as the Program Director for the Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Association of Boston. While attending Suffolk University Law School, Mike earned academic honors and worked for the Office of New Hampshire’s Public Defender.

After earning his Juris Doctor degree in 1996, Mike worked for Essex County District Attorney Kevin Burke. As an Assistant District Attorney, Mike prosecuted hundreds of cases involving the possession and distribution of drugs, domestic violence, assault and battery and robbery.

Mike was elected to the Newburyport City Council as a councilor-at-large in 1997 and, a year later, became Field Director for Congressman John Tierney's (D-Salem) campaign. Following Congressman Tierney's successful election, Mike worked as the Chief of Staff for State Senator Joan Menard (D-Somerset), former Chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party.

Mike was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2002. He serves the First Essex District, which includes the Cities of Newburyport and Amesbury and The Town of Salisbury.

During his first term, Mike served on the Joint Committees on Banks and Banking and Insurance. He appeared on the Pat Whitley Radio Show and on New England Cable News with Chet Curtis to discuss insurance issues and the Bank of America merger with Fleet Bank. He now serves as the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security.

In his capacity as a Chairman, Mike has taken a leading role on many critical public safety issues. He was one of the lead sponsors of sweeping identity theft legislation signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick. He is a member of the Governor’s Anti-Crime Council, which discusses critical issues like gang violence and the spread of assault weapons. He served on the Governor’s CORI Reform Commission, which helped author legislation that will provide meaningful opportunities for people seeking to transition back into society. In a similar capacity, he was named the National Chair of American Bar Association’s Re-entry and Collateral Consequences Committee. In 2007, the Massachusetts Bar Association named Representative Costello its Legislator of the Year. Within his district, Mike has helped sustain many of the valuable organizations that provide critical social services in the region, including the Newburyport YWCA, the Pettengill House, the Boys and Girls Club of the Lower Merrimack Valley, the Newburyport Learning Enrichment Center and the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center. He has also worked hard to preserve the natural environment and historic resources that make the 1st Essex District such a beautiful place to live.

Mike is a member of the Board of Directors for the Essex County Bar Association and is Of Counsel to Andrews and Updergraph Law Firm of Salem.

Mike is the son of former State Senator Nicholas Costello and Cynthia Costello. He is married to Kerrin D'Archangelo of Haverhill, and they live in Newburyport with their two children.