Guided by Commitment to Democratic Causes
As a lifelong resident of North Carolina, Matt is deeply invested in community and has nearly a decade and a half of public service experience.
Matt has been deeply invested in the Democratic Party. He has served at all levels of the Democratic Party, including as a precinct chair, chair of the Orange County Democratic Party (2011-2017), President of the County Chairs Association (2013-2017). Second Vice Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party (2017-2023). He is also a former staffer for the North Carolina Democratic Party as Special Projects Director. Following the 2016 election cycle, Matt helped launch County-to-County (C2C), which functions to support candidates and local Democratic Parties with organizing and training. C2C has successfully helped flip races for local office and the North Carolina General Assembly.
As a party activist, he has twice served as chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party's Affirmative Action and Delegate Selection Committee and helped produce the most diverse delegations to the Democratic National Convention from North Carolina. He has also raised over $1 million for the Democratic Party and its candidates. He is also deeply involved in training candidates and party activists on a range of topics, including GOTV, fundraising, and voter protection. In both 2018 and 2020 he was deeply involved in NC's successful Break the Majority effort. He has been lauded by both progressives and conservatives for his approaches for driving out turn out.
For nearly six years, he has served on the Hillsborough Town Board and was elected by his colleagues to serve as Mayor Pro-Tem for the 2021-2023 biennium. During his time in office Matt has been an advocate for the environment, local businesses, and affordable housing. He was re-elected to his second four year term in 2023 after being appointed to a vacancy in 2018 and winning a full-term in 2019. He is presently the youngest member of the Board, the only African-American, first out LGBTQ+ member, and the only member who rents their home.
In his runs for office, he has been supported by the North Carolina Association of Educators, Democrats Serve, Vote Pro Choice, the Sierra Club, Climate Cabinet, Run for Something, the LGBTQ Victory Fund, the Collective PAC, Working Families Party, and Moms Demand Action.
When not serving on the Hillsborough Town Commission, Matt has dedicated his time to many worthy causes, including as previously serving as President of the Orange County Partnership for Young Children (2018-2024) and President of the Northern Orange NAACP (2023-2025). In 2022, Matt was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to the Governor's Crime Commission's Juvenile Justice Planning Committee.
Professionally Matt has worked for state government and nonprofits. Currently, he is the Chief Financial Officer of a progressive nonprofit network dedicated to building an anti-racist, inclusive democracy in North Carolina. A first generation college student, he holds a BA in political science and a Masters in public administration, both from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.