Joe La Puma serves as SVP of Content Strategy at Complex NTWRK and hosts Complex’s "Sneaker Shopping," the world’s No. 1 sneaker show, which has garnered over 1 billion views on YouTube. He has been at the forefront of sneaker and street culture at Complex for the past 15 years.

La Puma started his journalism career writing for The Daily Campus and was voted “Rookie of the Year” by fellow staffers.

“Over a six-month period, I wrote dozens of articles for the Daily Campus and went from ‘Campus Correspondent’ to ‘Staff Writer.’ Although I only wrote for one year, I was focused on making up for lost time. And at the end of the year, I was voted ‘Rookie of the Year’ by my peers at the paper. Yes, I was the senior who won ‘Rookie of the Year.’ I could’ve been embarrassed at being the old guy who won the award meant for freshmen, but it was the most substantial thing I had done at UConn until that point, and it meant a ton to me. So much so that I still bring the laminated certificate with me when I have big moments that make me nervous. True story.”

After graduating from UConn in 2005 with a degree in Journalism, he returned to Bay Shore to manage a sneaker store, The Finish Line —where he previously worked in high school—while contributing articles to both local and global publications like Newsday and Hypebeast.com.

In 2006, La Puma landed an internship at Complex magazine, a pop culture publication specializing in convergence culture through hip-hop, sneakers, and fashion. La Puma has written more cover stories (21) than any other writer in Complex history, including profiles on Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, and Kid Cudi. La Puma is also a published author of the book “Complex Presents: Sneaker of the Year: The Best Since ’85.”

In his current SVP role, La Puma has led Complex to over 200% growth in audience and engagement. In 2014, Complex debuted the YouTube show Sneaker Shopping, a series that La Puma created and hosts to this day. Over the past decade of Sneaker Shopping, La Puma has interviewed icons like Eminem, Whoopi Goldberg, Kevin Hart, Mark Wahlberg, Billie Eilish, Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, and conducted one of the only lifestyle interviews with former Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2020 election cycle.

The show has filmed episodes across the U.S., as well as abroad in China, England, Spain, and Japan. With his extensive editorial work on footwear and over 300 episodes of Sneaker Shopping, La Puma is regarded as one of the foremost sneaker experts in the world. La Puma is a three-time Webby Award winner and has been featured on Good Morning America, and The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon.

In 2024, La Puma was inducted into the Bay Shore High School Hall of Fame, a group that includes only 79 members since the school opened in 1893. La Puma currently lives in Brooklyn, and takes half-days at work when he can during UConn Basketball March Madness runs.

La Puma will address CLAS graduates at the 5:30 p.m ceremony, which includes UConn Journalism majors.

Below is a picture from La Puma's visit to UConn in November 2023, where he spoke with a large class of journalism students and faculty.