About Matt

ROOTS IN SERVICE

Growing up in northern Virginia, Matt was surrounded by public service. His father worked in international development, and his mother served as a lawyer at the Department of Justice and taught in D.C. public schools. Their example showed him what meaningful work looks like.

After graduating from Duke University, Matt taught elementary school in Houston’s Fifth Ward, a low-income community where he saw firsthand the barriers students faced. That experience shaped everything that came after. He went on to earn his law degree from UT Austin and a Master’s from the LBJ School of Public Affairs, determined to use those tools to expand opportunity.

A CAREER BUILT ON MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Over the past 25 years, Matt has focused on building opportunity—championing low-income homeownership with Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together, closing achievement gaps at the Education Trust, tackling hunger and food insecurity with Feeding America, and improving educational outcomes for Indigenous students at the National Indian Education Association.

That work reinforced what he learned in Houston: opportunity starts with the fundamentals. Housing families can afford. Schools that prepare every student. Communities where no one goes hungry. These aren’t abstract policy issues—they determine whether families can build stable lives. That’s as true in Arlington as anywhere else.

DEEP ROOTS IN ARLINGTON

That’s why Matt’s been so engaged here at home. He’s served on the Housing Commission, the Arlington Public Schools Budget Advisory Council, and the Joint Facilities Advisory Board, working directly with residents on the housing, education, and planning challenges facing our community.

Matt is also a staunch Democrat who believes change starts at the neighborhood level. From serving as a Precinct Captain to working on presidential campaigns for John Kerry and Barack Obama, he’s seen how grassroots organizing builds real power. For him, it’s all connected—listening to neighbors, building coalitions, and working together to create change.

In 2018, he ran for County Board to bring that same collaborative approach to elected office. Regionally, he served a one-year term in 2024 as chair of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission. In 2025, he was elected Chair of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, and he was appointed to the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority/Metro Board in July. He works across jurisdictions in both of these roles to take on challenges no single community can solve alone.

Today, Matt lives in Rock Spring with his wife Brooke, their two young kids, and their dog. As a parent, he’s focused on what Arlington needs to thrive—not just now, but for years to come.

A CODE OF ETHICS

Matt’s approach to public service is grounded in these principles:

  • Act with integrity at every stage of public life
  • Focus on the big ideas and solutions Arlington needs to move forward
  • Make decisions based on sound principles and solid data
  • Ensure fair and equal representation for all, with diversity and inclusion as foundational values
  • Lead with honesty and compassion
  • Keep the focus on policy, not personality