ABOUT US

WHERE IT STARTED

About Commonwealth Counsel, LLC

Joe Boncore

Principal

Joe Boncore is a leading voice on Beacon Hill, putting his experience as a legislator and attorney to work every day for his clients.  As the principal and founder of Commonwealth Counsel, he works with some of Massachusetts’ top non-profits, philanthropic leaders, and corporations to move the needle forward on some of the top challenges facing our state.

Prior to founding Commonwealth Counsel, Joe was the CEO of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MassBio), where he led efforts to advance Massachusetts’ leadership as the #1 life sciences cluster in the world.  He was responsible for efforts to sustain Massachusetts’ economic competitiveness focusing on issues around infrastructure, workforce, and digital health.  Joe managed federal affairs, as well as state and municipal government relations, and was an outspoken advocate for legislative solutions to ensure patients have affordable access to drugs they need to stay healthy, actions to alleviate the housing and transportation crises, policies and programming to increase diversity and equity in the life sciences workforce, and the regionalization of the industry across the Commonwealth. Joe also brings the lived experience of a patient advocate, having spent months in the NICU with his twin boys, who were born extremely premature, where he witnessed firsthand the benefits of the innovation ecosystem unique to Massachusetts.

Prior to joining MassBio, Joe served as the State Senator for the First Suffolk and Middlesex districts, representing his hometown of Winthrop; the Boston communities of East Boston, North End, Chinatown, Beacon Hill, Bay Village, and South End; the Cambridge neighborhoods of Cambridgeport, Riverside and MIT; and the City of Revere.  While in the State Senate, Joe was  able to leverage his leadership on key committees to help move legislation forward for the benefit of our state.  He was the chief architect of the multi- family zoning mandate for MBTA communities and, as Chair of the Committee on Transportation, was instrumental in passing transportation infrastructure bills and championing policy to help the Massachusetts residents move safer and more efficiently.   In 2018, he ushered the largest housing bond bill in the history of this country through the legislature, which has been a key factor in preserving, producing, and rehabilitating affordable housing across the Commonwealth.    During his tenure Joe also served as Chair of the Senate’s Committee on Personnel and Administration, Chair of the Joint Committee on Housing, Vice Chair of Rules, previous vice chair of Healthcare Financing and member of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change, Senate Ethics Committee, Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures, and State Assets, and the Committee on Financial Services.

Joe serves by appointment of Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey to the Board of Trustees for the Perkins School for the Blind and the Massachusetts State Ballot Law Commission.

Before being elected to the state legislature in 2016, Joe practiced law specializing in criminal law in his private practice and as a public defender with Suffolk Lawyers for Justice.

Boncore earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and government from Providence College in 2004 and received his juris doctorate from the Massachusetts School of Law. Joe resides in Winthrop with his wife Christine and three sons, twins John and Philip, and Dante.

Shannon Moore

Vice President

Shannon Moore is an accomplished government relations professional bringing more than 15-years of experience in policy to Commonwealth Counsel. She has a track-record of building solid relationships with key legislators and stakeholders and is committed to driving impactful change through public policy.

Prior to joining Commonwealth Counsel, Shannon was the Director of State Government Relations at Boston Children’s Hospital, a leading pediatric acute care hospital and home to world-renowned research and medical care. As the state policy expert at the organization, she provided guidance to executive-level hospital management, insight into the political process, and hospital-wide strategic planning. Shannon led the state government relations team through the COVID-19 pandemic, navigating evolving emergency public health declarations and policy changes at the legislative and regulatory level. Shannon also led the development and implementation of the hospital’s legislative agenda coalescing the input of hospital leadership, clinicians, staff, and patient families, to promote a cohesive agenda promoting access to high-quality care and committed to closing health equity gaps for patients and children statewide.

Shannon brings extensive experience in government to Commonwealth Counsel, serving in key roles at the Department of Public Health and both the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate. In these positions, Shannon played a key part in the successful passage of laws on a wide range of topics, including laws to mandate insurance coverage of substance use disorder treatment, restrict the sale of flavored nicotine products, expand access to services for individuals living with autism spectrum disorder, and stabilize the housing market during the subprime mortgage crisis. Through this work, she has also helped organizations navigate the state budget process, regulatory processes, and implementation of programs and laws.

Shannon studied public relations and political science while completing her undergraduate degree at Boston University and earned her graduate degree in public affairs at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Shannon lives in Watertown with her husband and daughter.