Matt and his wife, Sharon, reside in Smithtown where they have been raising their family of five for the past 12 years. They love raising their children in Smithtown, because there is so much to offer. Matt has been an active volunteer in the community, serving on the board for the past nine years, four of those years as board president. Matt has also been a volunteer for many years coaching youth basketball (St. Patrick’s), soccer (Kickers), and flag football (i9), as well as volunteering at PTA events. 

 

As the president of the Smithtown Board of Education, Matt has helped to bring consistency and stability to the district. He is most proud of the improvements that the district has experienced such as increased curriculum offerings, decreased class sizes, updated building infrastructure, and enhanced security measures. Matt’s leadership was instrumental in  developing partnerships with the Town of Smithtown and the Suffolk County Police Department that have improved the overall educational experience. Matt also helped to develop the Smithtown Green Team to build awareness and advocacy for environmental issues that threaten our community in both the short and long term.  He has also been active in the Booster Club over the past several years. 

 

Professionally, Matt is a physical education teacher in the Half Hollow Hills School District, where he has taught at both the elementary and high school levels and coached several varsity sports during the past 25 years. He is a strong advocate for kids and public education. Through his teachers’ association, he first became politically active due to the implementation of the Common Core and emphasis on standardized tests.

 

Matt attended The University of Maine from ‘96-’00 where he was a member of the D-1 Black Bear Football Program. He graduated in 2000, with a B.S. in Kinesiology and Physical Education. He then continued his studies, while teaching and coaching, and earned a M.S. in Educational Technology from Long Island University.  

 

Education and the well being of kids is in Matt’s blood, dating all the way back to the early 1900s when Eugene J. Gribbin began his educational career. Matt’s great-grandfather was a teacher, football coach, principal, then Superintendent in Glen Cove, NY.  The Gribbin Elementary School stands in recognition of his impact that was left on the community. 

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