Meet Matt
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From humble beginnings
Matt grew up just a few hours from the Olympic Peninsula in Tacoma, Washington. At a young age, he witnessed the values of hard work and perseverance as he watched his dad, a retired soldier and disabled Vietnam veteran turned long-haul truck driver, and mom, who worked multiple jobs, struggle to keep a roof over his and two younger siblings' heads. Like many children, he would later witness the impact of opioid addiction following his mom's injury at work, family separation, and homelessness. Yet his parents' examples helped him keep his eyes set on continuing his education while working in retail and restaurant industries.
After earning his associate's from Pierce College in Lakewood, Washington, Matt transferred to the Ohio State University where he graduated in 2009, a first-generation college graduate. After moving back to Western Washington, Matt worked for Pierce College in a variety of roles including advising Running Start and Workfirst students before deciding to attend law school on a honors scholarship.
to living the American Dream
While in law school, Matt married the love of his life, Arielle in 2013. The two of them elected for adventure after graduation and moved to Kotzebue, Alaska, a rural town 28 miles north of the Artic Circle. After working for the Alaska Court System for two years, Matt began his dream job as a deputy prosecutor in Clallam County in 2016.
In that role, Matt has prosecuted every level of crime from shoplifting and DUIs to sex offenses against children and homicide. He has been a voice for vulnerable victims, worked with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, and advocated for tough sentences for violent offenders and treatment for those trapped in addiction and mental illness. As a deputy prosecutor, Matt has watched the impact of the Legislature's ill-advised police reforms, the death toll from fentanyl skyrocket, and the need for a different approach to public safety.
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In 2022, Matt gained a new title - dad, when he and Arielle were blessed with their wonderful daughter. As a parent, Matt knows what it's like to look at the current state of our communities and schools as well as the cost of raising a family and wonder about the future. As someone who has experienced challenges and lived a life that manifests the American Dream, he understands the desire to leave our children and grandchildren a better future than what we have today.
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and ensuring a Better Washington
Matt believes that it is not too late to save Washington and to ensure a Better Washington for our children - a safer Washington with strong communities and good schools that is affordable for working families. Matt's fight for a Better Washington is a team effort and he needs your help. Please consider joining our campaign today.
"Like many folks who settle on the Olympic Peninsula, my wife and I fell in love with the beauty of the place, communities, and way of life. This is our home. And when I look at the what the Legislature is doing and the way things are going, I ask myself, 'Is this the best we can do?' Record numbers of our neighbors are dying from overdoses, law enforcement is stretched thin while Olympia tries to make their job harder, and we're paying higher amounts of money for groceries, fuel, and everyday necessities while government wants more taxes. It does not have to be this way. It can be better. We've had the same group in charge of the state House of Representatives for over two decades. It's time for a change. We need new voices and a new generation of leadership who will advocate for commonsense solutions. With your support, I'd like to take this message of change to Olympia."
- Matt