BIO-PORTA

Bio for Earnie Porta

Earnie Porta served as Mayor of the Town of Occoquan from July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2104.  Mr. Porta received his bachelor’s of science degree cum laude from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, where he also earned a Certificate in Arab Studies.  He also holds a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center.  After working in the field of Finance, he returned to school and in 2008 received a Master of Arts degree in History from George Mason University, where he was also the recipient of the 2006 Josephine Pacheco Award.  His research has been published in the journal Terrae Incognitae.  Today he is PhD candidate in History at Georgetown University.

Mr. Porta is an active member of various civic organizations.  He is or has served as treasurer for the Prince William Trails and Streams Coalition, the Occoquan Historical Society, the Prince William Public Library System Foundation, Patriots for Disabled Divers, and the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial Association.  In addition, he serves as the Secretary of Prince William Historic Preservation Foundation, the President of Optimists International Club of Occoquan-Woodbridge-Neabsco, and is a board member of Historic Prince William and the Friends of Fairfax Archaeology.  He is also a member of the Occoquan Water Trail League, the Prince William Committee of 100, the Lake Ridge Lions Club, and a graduate of Leadership Prince William.  In 2009, he was honored with the Roy Rosenweig Alumnus of the Year Award from the George Mason University Department of History and Art History.  He enjoys astronomy, biking, kayaking, stand up paddleboarding, rock climbing, and the martial arts, holding a 2nd degree black belt in the Korean martial art of Hapkido.  In November of 2010, he authored a book on Occoquan in Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series.  In 2013 he started a sightseeing shuttle business that brings travelers on Amtrak’s Auto Train to the Town of Occoquan.