A public servant with 36 years of experience in various levels of government, Mr. Civera is former Republican Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
 
Chairman Civera served with distinction in the U.S. Air Force from 1971 to 1980, after which he was a self-employed businessman. This experience proved invaluable in his legislative career, assisting him in dealing with the challenges facing the business community.
 
Mr. Civera was appointed to the Upper Darby Board of Commissioners in 1974. In 1980, Mr. Civera was elected to represent the 164th Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He served on the Upper Darby Township Council until 1992.
 
As chairman of the Upper Darby Township Council's Public Safety Committee, Representative Civera wrote legislation, enacted in 1998, which dramatically improved emergency telephone service for all Pennsylvanians. Act 17 provided greater oversight over county 911 plans and required dispatchers and operators to receive adequate training. In addition, the Representative helped organize the General Assembly’s Pennsylvania Firefighters' and Emergency Services Legislative Caucus in 1991.  He served as President of that caucus until 1998 when he became President Emeritus.

In 2001, Representative Civera was appointed Chairman of the House Select Committee on Public Education Funding. The 15-member bipartisan committee held hearings throughout the state with the goal of developing policy initiatives leading to a reduction in public schools’ dependence on property taxes.

In 2003, Representative Civera was elected House Caucus Secretary. Previously, Representative Civera served as the Majority Chairman of the House Professional Licensure Committee for nine years. He also served as the Minority Chairman of that same committee from 1992 to 1994.

In 2006, Representative Civera was elected by his caucus to serve as the Republican Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, a position he held until January 2010.  As Chairman, he was responsible for helping craft Pennsylvania’s annual $27 billion budget.

Mr. Civera has received numerous recognitions including the Upper Darby YMCA Spirit, Mind and Body Award and the Man of the Year Award from the local Benvenuto Sons of Italy Chapter. He received the national Sons of Italy Purple Aster Ball Award in 2003. Mr. Civera has been recognized in the Capitol as a prominent member of the Italian-American Caucus. Representative Civera was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Public Service from Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in 2007.

Mr. Civera is also an elected member of the Delaware County Council.  He resides in Drexel Hill with his wife, Donna.