MEET MATTHEW
My family’s roots in Ventura County span more than five decades. Like my mother and uncle before me, I attended Balboa Middle School, and Buena High School.
After graduating from Buena High School, I attended the University
of Utah on an Army ROTC scholarship. I graduated with honors, earning a Bachelor of
Science in Psychology, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Utah
Army National Guard. After returning to California, I earned a Master of Social Work
from the University of Southern California and later a Master of Divinity from Amridge
University. I subsequently served as a military chaplain in the California Army National Guard.
My professional career began working with senior citizens and military veterans, but I quickly discovered a passion for family therapy with adolescents and their families. For more than fifteen years, I have worked with youth facing emotional, behavioral, and
educational challenges, including many students receiving special education services and having Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). My work has included residential treatment programs, partial hospitalization programs, intensive outpatient programs,family therapy, and community mental health services.
I specialize in evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). In 2025, I earned a Doctorate in Social Work from the University of St. Thomas. I am also the developer of Family Systems Dialectical Behavior Therapy, an approach that integrates family systems theory with
DBT principles. Today, I serve as an educator at the Loma Linda University School of Social Work and as a Behavioral Specialist with the Santa Barbara County Department of Health. While I am deeply committed to mental health, my passion has increasingly
focused on public education and the future of our community’s children.
A major event in our family was in 2012 when my son William was diagnosed with developmental disabilities and autism. Raising a child with special needs has given me a firsthand understanding of special education. Like many parents, I have participated in difficult meetings involving educators, administrators, specialists, and school personnel while advocating for my child. Those experiences provided me with a profound appreciation for both the challenges families face and the dedication of the professionals who serve students
every day. Many of the educators I once sat across from at IEP meetings are now colleagues and friends whom I deeply respect.
Today, I am running for the Ventura Unified School District Board of Education because I believe our schools should bring people together and put students first. I believe in strong academics, meaningful career pathways, support for students with special needs, responsible fiscal stewardship, and transparent leadership that earns the trust of parents, teachers, staff, and the community.