Prof. James Arena-DeRosa (Heller), an adjunct lecturer at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management and a resident of Holliston, Mass., has joined the race for lieutenant governor of Massachusetts, local sources such as the Metro Daily West and MassLive.com reported late last month.

Arena-DeRosa, who teaches courses such as HS 218f: "Communication for Impact" and HS 281f: "International Advocacy in Action," will run against Steve Kerrigan, a former Senator Ted Kennedy aide, CEO of Leading Cities Mike Lake and Jonathan Edwards, a selectman from Whately, Mass., in the September Democratic primary.

Arena-DeRosa was formerly the director of Public Advocacy for Oxfam America, New England Regional Manager for the United States Peace Corps in Boston, and currently oversees $10 billion of food and nutrition programs in the Northeast for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, according to his profile on the Heller School's website.

According to a Jan. 13 MassLive.com article, Arena-DeRosa plans to focus on hunger, nutrition and food policy, should he be elected. "There are billions of dollars of long-term savings if we can get people to have a healthier lifestyle," Arena-DeRosa told the online news outlet.

"There's tremendous interest in fresh, local healthy foods," DeRosa continued. "The rules are set up unfortunately to sometimes help the bigger corporate entities. We need someone who's fighting for our small farmers."

The position of lieutenant governor has been vacant since June, when Timothy Murray resigned to become president and chief executive officer of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce according to a May 23 Worcester Telegram article. Murray left the elected post amid scandals involving a high-speed car crash and allegations of improper campaign fundraising, according to the article.

-Tate Herbert