John Christopher Velis is an American state legislator serving as a Democratic member of the Massachusetts Senate since 2020. He was first elected to the Massachusetts State Senate in a special election in May of 2020. He was re-elected in November of 2020 to serve a full term, and re-elected in 2022 for a second full term.1
He previously represented the 2nd Hampden and Hampshire district, which includes his hometown of Westfield, and currently represents the Hampden and Hampshire district after the 2020 census. Prior to his election to the state senate, Velis was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 2014 to 2020.
Born and raised in Westfield, Massachusetts, Velis was educated at Westfield High School and graduated in 1998. He attended Roxbury Community College, graduated from the University of South Florida in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in political science, and from Suffolk University Law School in 2008 with a Juris Doctor.
Before practicing law with his uncle, Velis held internships in the Hampden County District attorney’s office, Hampden County Superior Court, and the Massachusetts Treasurer’s office. He was also an intern at the White House during the term of President George W. Bush.
In addition to his political career, Velis served in the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Reserve, and Massachusetts Army National Guard. He is a licensed attorney and earned his JD at Suffolk University Law School.
