Joseph Vogel is the author of six books, including Free Speech 101 (winner of a 2007 Independent Publisher Book Award) and The Obama Movement. He currently resides in Provo, Utah, where he is a a graduate student and composition instructor at Brigham Young University (BYU). 

Joe grew up in Northern California and Utah, and is the middle of three brothers. He published his first book of poetry, entitled Reaching, at the age of 21, and followed that with a language book (An Introduction to Pohnpeian), and a second edition of Reaching in 2004. Joe has studied abroad twice in London and served two years on the island of Pohnpei (in Micronesia) as a missionary for his church.

In 2006, Joe graduated from Utah Valley State with a B.S. in English and a minor in Religious Studies. While attending Utah Valley State, Joe served as Senator of Humanities, Vice President of Academics, and Opinions Editor for The College Times. He was honored as the school’s Talent of the Year in 2003, Man of the Year Finalist in 2004, and Scholar of the Year in 2006. In 2004, following his role in inviting filmmaker Michael Moore to campus, he was awarded the college's Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for his efforts in the advancement of free speech.

In 2007, Joe created and directed the national grassroots group "Barack the Youth Vote" which subsequently merged into the official youth wing of the Barack Obama campaign.  The Obama Movement, a collection of essays from young Americans across the country, was released later that year and applauded by Senator Obama. In 2007, Joe also helped organize the first ever alternative commencement in protest of Vice President Dick Cheney's visit to BYU. The alternative commencement featured Ralph Nader , Jack Healey, and Pete Ashdown. A book about the experience, A Revolutionary Act, is currently in progress. 

Joe has been featured in numerous newspaper, radio, and TV interviews, including Democracy Now!, RadioWest, the Chronicle of Higher Education, and the award-winning documentary This Divided State. He currently guest blogs for The Huffington Post and is working on a thesis on Dave Eggers and the alternative publishing movement.

Joe is married to his best friend Tiffany and has a beautiful daughter named Sofi.