Perfil

Matt became Director of Waterkeepers Chesapeake in June 2026. He brings more than sixteen years of experience working on environmental law, policy, and litigation issues as an attorney with the federal government and nonprofit sector.

Throughout his career, Matt has worked to advance practical solutions to complex environmental challenges. He is honored to support Waterkeepers Chesapeake and its Waterkeepers in their efforts to ensure clean water and healthy communities throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Before joining Waterkeepers Chesapeake, Matt spent ten years as a Trial Attorney in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of the General Counsel, where he served as in-house counsel in civil litigation involving environmental, energy, and administrative law issues. During his time at DOE, he completed a six-month detail with the Council on Environmental Quality in the Executive Office of the President, where he supported the implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act. Matt also taught legal writing for four years as an adjunct professor with George Washington University Law School’s Scholarly Writing Program.

Prior to DOE, Matt served as a Senior Staff Attorney with Chesapeake Legal Alliance, where he helped advance the cleanup of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed by coordinating a volunteer attorney network that provided free legal assistance to communities and organizations working to improve water quality. He also supported enforcement, advocacy, and public education initiatives.

Matt began his legal career as a Trial Attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division through the Attorney General’s Honors Program. There, he represented EPA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other federal agencies in litigation under the Clean Water Act and other major environmental statutes.

Matt earned a B.A. from Duke University and a J.D., with a certificate of specialization in environmental law, from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. He grew up in the western suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and currently lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Judy, and their two children. In his free time, Matt enjoys outdoor adventures with his family, running along the Anacostia River, and coaching youth baseball and softball.