Avellone Focuses On Education, Jobs In Bid For Governor

Wellesley resident Joe Avellone was the first to announce his bid. Like many others in the race, he has a large breadth of experience in the health care field.

Avellone is now in an advisory role at Parexel International, a bio-pharmaceutical research company based in Waltham, where he has worked as the vice president of clinical research services.

He has also worked as a surgeon, the chief operating officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield and the CEO of health care technology firm Veritas Medicine, which helps match patients with clinical trials. Avellone also served on the Board of Selectman in Wellesley and is a retired lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves Medical Corps.

Joe Avellone, health care executive running as a Democratic candidate for governor.

Radio BostonDemocrat Dr. Don Berwick: "We're so fractured in such pieces and it's not going to work that way. We can't solve big problems separately, it has to be together."

Radio Boston Democrat Juliette Kayyem: "You have to address the problems of today, but to be successful we have to do so in a way that's going to make us more prepared, more resilient for the future."

Radio Boston Independent Evan Falchuk: "There's a disconnect in our politics where the priorities that our elected leaders are pursuing aren't matching up with what voters want to see. It's polarized."

Radio Boston Democratic Attorney General Martha Coakley: "Let's talk about what we really need to do in this state, which is to create the environment that the private sector and the not-for-profit sector will be able to continue to grow and thrive."

Radio Boston Republican Charlie Baker: "You need to focus on where you want to go. What's your path? What's your vision? Where do you want to take the state? And that's why this time, I'm going to focus a lot more on the fact that I think we can do better. I think we should be great."

Radio Boston Democratic State Treasurer Stephen Grossman: "I'm running for governor because I believe the people of Massachusetts want proven leadership that will leave no one behind, no one out, in a way that empowers them."