Josh grew up in Riceville where he graduated from Riceville Community High School in 1992. He went on to graduate from Luther College, earned a Master’s Degree from Winona State University, and is currently completing his doctoral work at Iowa State University.

Josh was a high school teacher for eight and a half years prior to being employed by North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) in 2004. Byrnes is currently the Agricultural and Industrial Technology Division Chair at NIACC. Byrnes has taught or coached in the districts of Denison, Osage, Riceville, Mason City, St. Ansgar, and Clear Lake.

Josh is passionate about agriculture and manufacturing and wants to see these areas continue to grow and be progressive. He believes these areas can grow through entrepreneurship and training.

Josh currently resides on an acreage in Mitchell County with his wife, Colleen, daughters, Alexandra and Scarlett, and son, Nolan. Colleen is a family nurse practitioner at Austin Medical Center, Mayo Health System. The family enjoys their acreage where they have a small cow calf herd, raise gourds and play ball on their diamond.