Coming home to serve: John Hershey’s second act in Juniata County
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MIFFLINTOWN - On a gray December morning, long before the Juniata County Courthouse hallways are filled with the shuffle of boots and winter coats, John Hershey pushed open the door of the Juniata County District Attorney's Office and stepped into a new chapter of his public life.
The room was quiet -- the kind of quiet that settles over small towns in winter -- a quiet he knew well. After years spent in Harrisburg, the silence felt less like an absence and more like a homecoming.
The 32-year-old Hershey, once the state representative for Pennsylvania's 82nd District, is now the newest assistant district attorney for Juniata County. The role surprised some and delighted many. For Hershey, it isn't a reinvention so much as a return --to the community that shaped him and to the kind of public service that happens face-to-face, not from behind a legislative desk.
"I've always loved serving my home county of Juniata County," he said. "This is a wonderful way to use my degree to serve the people I love."
A childhood rooted in the valley
Hershey grew up just a few miles from the courthouse he now serves. His childhood was stitched together by the rhythms of Juniata County life -- Friday night football games, church suppers, long drives along Route 35 and the kind of small-town familiarity where everyone knows your grandparents, your teachers and your dog.
He graduated from Juniata High School, where he was known as a quiet but driven student, the kind who didn't chase the spotlight but always seemed to find responsibility anyway. Teachers remember him as thoughtful. Friends remember him as steady. Hershey remembers it as the place that taught him what community really means.
"When you grow up here, you learn early that people look out for each other," he said. "That sticks with you."
From Mifflintown to the Capitol
After college, Hershey's path brought him home to the Juniata Valley. In 2018, at just 25 years old, he was elected to represent the 82nd District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. It was a whirlwind introduction to public life: committee hearings, budget negotiations, constituent calls and the constant tug-of-war between rural needs and statewide politics.
Hershey carved out a reputation as a policy-minded lawmaker with a particular focus on agriculture, rural infrastructure and the everyday concerns of small-town residents. He wasn't the loudest voice in the room, but he was often one of the most prepared.
"Sometimes your best ideas come from the general public," he said. "People working on things I didn't even know existed -- that was energizing to me."
After leaving office in 2022, he joined the Pennsylvania Auditor General's Office, eventually becoming deputy chief of staff. The role kept him close to the mechanics of government -- overseeing legal and legislative operations, helping ensure state tax dollars were spent legally and managing statewide audits.
"Our auditors are statewide," he said. "You can't manage Pittsburgh from Harrisburg. They're really interspersed throughout the state."
A quiet shift toward the law
Those who know Hershey say the move back into legal work wasn't sudden. Law had always been part of his plan -- something he studied, respected, and kept close even while serving in the legislature. He completed his law degree at Widener Commonwealth in Harrisburg while working full-time, passed the bar exam in November and began looking for ways to use his new skills in a way that felt personal.
"Being a lawyer forces you to think critically about all sides of an issue," Hershey shared. "It's a totally different way of looking at the world -- a skill set I didn't have before."
The opportunity came when Juniata County District Attorney Cory Snook approached him. A longtime part-time ADA had left to pursue another opportunity, and the office needed someone who could step in quickly.
"It was a right-place, right-time situation," Hershey said. "Cory approached me after the existing ADA left, and it just made sense."
Snook saw something more: a hometown kid with a law degree, legislative experience and a deep understanding of the community.
"I've known him ever since he was working as a state representative," Snook said. "He also did an internship in my office while he was in law school. I found out he passed the bar exam about the same time as the last assistant district attorney told me she was leaving."
The timing and Hershey's skill-set seemed like a perfect match. So far, so good.
A prosecutor with a legislator's mind
Hershey's days now look very different from his time in Harrisburg. Instead of drafting bills, he spends much of his time researching and writing. Instead of negotiating budgets, he looks for updates to statutes or reviewing case law. Instead of debating policy, he sits at the computer conducting high-level research for the hardest moments of trials.
"The basic role of a prosecutor is making sure the criminal justice world is working and holding people accountable," Hershey said.
His legislative background gives him a unique advantage. He spent four years on the House's judiciary committee, tracking updates in criminal law and helping shape statewide policy.
"I've done a lot of research and writing," he said. "Developing legal opinions, recognizing updates in the law -- I'm pretty adept at staying on top of those issues and communicating that information."
His part-time ADA role fits neatly alongside his full-time work with the Auditor General's Office.
Hershey said, "My 9-to-5 job is with the Auditor General's Office, and when I'm needed in the courtroom, I take leave time to be there."
There is no typical day. "I'm excited for the opportunity to get experience in litigation and sharpen my legal skills," he said.
A return that means something
In a time when many young professionals leave rural Pennsylvania for good, Hershey's return carries symbolic weight. It's a reminder that public service doesn't always mean climbing higher -- sometimes it means coming home.
"This is a wonderful way to use my experience and degree to serve the people I love in Juniata County," Hershey said.
For Juniata County, his appointment strengthens a small but dedicated prosecutorial team. For Hershey, it's a chance to serve in a way that feels personal, tangible and immediate.
He's no longer shaping statewide policy. He's standing in court on behalf of victims. He's working cases that affect neighbors, classmates and families he's known for decades. He's helping ensure justice in the place that raised him.
"I'm happy with what I'm doing," he said. "I'm not looking at anything elected right now."
Looking toward the future
Hershey's role in the DA's office is still taking shape. He's learning the rhythms of the courthouse again, reconnecting with old faces and settling into the steady, often unseen work of prosecution.
He sees the role not as a stepping-stone, but as a continuation of the same commitment that carried him from Mifflintown to Harrisburg and back again.
"It's nice to use my degree on something local," he said. "A wonderful way to serve the people I love."
In a world that often celebrates the biggest stages, Hershey has chosen a smaller one. But for him -- and for the people of Juniata County -- it may be the most meaningful stage of all.