Biography

Deputy Majority Leader, Juan Candelaria, has served New Haven’s 95th District since 2002. He is a member of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, the Joint Committee on Legislative Management and the Children’s Committee.

In addition, he has been elected Chair by his colleagues to lead the legislative efforts of the Black and Latino Caucus, a group of 24 lawmakers in the Connecticut General Assembly.

During his tenure in the legislature, Candelaria has been a strong supporter of education issues and has led efforts to empower youth and Latinos statewide to get involved in the democratic process through voter registration drives and education.

Rep. Candelaria was instrumental in passing Connecticut’s in-state tuition legislation to allow students without legal documentation to pursue their educational dreams. He also leads a strong network of young people who have ambitious professional and social aspirations.

Juan has also worked diligently to support and enable groups such as the Spanish American Merchants Association (SAMA) to be recognized, making them eligible to receive state funding to help them move ideas and initiatives forward on behalf of local businesses.

Some of his former memberships include the Hill Development Corporation, the Regional Workforce and Centro San Jose in New Haven where he utilized his experience to support community driven initiatives.

His vast professional managerial experience and marketing skills have earned him accolades and promotions in the private sector. He is currently Community Relations Specialist at Demarco Management Corporation in New Haven.

Besides holding public office as a State Representative, he is a former New Haven Alderman and a current member of New Haven’s Town Committee. Additionally, Candelaria serves on several boards and organizations such the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, the Connecticut State Hispanic Caucus and the National Conference of State Legislators.

Candelaria is a graduate of Albertus Magnus College and holds an MBA from the University of New Haven.