Joseph John DioGuardi (born September 20, 1940, in New York City) is an American accountant and politician of Albanian descent. He is a first-generation American and the first Albanian American to serve as a voting member of the U.S. Congress. DioGuardi graduated from Fordham Preparatory School in 1958 and earned a Bachelor of Science from Fordham University in 1962. He had a distinguished career in accounting, working for over two decades at Arthur Andersen LLP, where he spent 12 years as a partner and became a certified public accountant (CPA). In 1984, he transitioned to politics, winning election as a Republican to represent New York's 20th congressional district (though some sources reference the 19th district), serving from 1985 to 1989. During his tenure, he was known for his advocacy on Albanian issues, raising awareness about human rights concerns in Kosovo and Albania. After Congress, he was succeeded by Democrat Eliot Engel. In 2010, he ran as the Republican nominee in the special election for the U.S. Senate seat in New York, challenging incumbent Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand, but lost. Throughout his public life, he has been a vocal advocate for Albanian-American interests, founding the Albanian American Civic League to promote Albanian causes in the United States and internationally. His work has focused on issues such as U.S. policy toward the Balkans, emphasizing democratic reforms and ethnic Albanian rights. Post-Congress, DioGuardi continued his professional endeavors in accounting and activism, maintaining a commitment to fiscal responsibility and national debt reduction, drawing from his CPA background. As a pioneer for Albanian Americans in U.S. politics, his legacy includes breaking barriers and amplifying underrepresented voices in Congress, bringing attention to Albanian issues during a critical period in the late 20th century and influencing U.S. foreign policy discussions on the region.