On The Front Lines: Angelo Santabarbara

Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara’s grandmother, an Italian immigrant, valued her new home nation of America above all else. That pride has been a significant influence in guiding Santabarbara’s path. 

At 17 he headed to Missouri to join the Army Reserve. Today, as an elected official, he continues to serve the country his grandmother cherished. 

“[My grandmother] knew they were coming to a place where [our] family would have opportunities,” he said, “and one of those opportunities is being able to serve, being able to run for public office, being able to go to college—all of the things they valued.” 

Military service was something he thought about throughout high school, Santabarbara said. He left for training in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., shortly after graduation. Among the skills he cultivated while he was there was working together with people he didn’t know to achieve a common goal. 

“That’s one of the life-long lessons I got out of it,” he said. “Even now, to this day, there’s 150 members in here [the Assembly], and you have to work with all of them and work together to accomplish things.” 

Santabarbara, who previously served as a member of the Schenectady County Legislature, is still in his first term. That grassroots level of service isn’t lost on him. As a state representative he continues to draw on his military training; he also revived AMVETS Post 35 in his hometown of Rotterdam—just outside of Schenectady—where he serves as commander. Additionally, he continues to visit local military installations in and around his district, the 111th. Having served in the military and staying active in the service gives him insight into veterans’ issues that he can bring with him to the state level and to his seat on the Assembly Veterans’ Affairs Committee, he said. 

“To have that service, to draw back on those lessons, to have that bond with those veterans, to be able to speak on veterans’ issues, to be able to years later be able to serve on a veterans committee in the New York State Assembly, it’s kind of come full circle for me,” he said. “It’s an honor to draw on those lessons.” 

Military Branch: Army Reserve 

Rank Achieved: Specialist