Matt
Theobald
Born and raised in Jensen Beach, Matt has spent much of his life on or near the waters of the Indian River Lagoon, and from a young age, he developed an appreciation for the outdoors and our local waterways by surf fishing our beaches, a skill he learned from his father.
After graduating from Martin County High School, Matt received his associate degree from Indian River Community College and later transferred to Florida State University in Tallahassee, where he went on to obtain his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science. As a graduate student at FSU, Matt worked in the office of U.S. Senator Bob Graham, author of the “Restoring the Everglades, An American Legacy Act,” which authorized the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. Upon graduation from Florida State, Matt served as a legislative aide to state representative Franklin Sands and advised him on numerous pieces of legislation as a member of the House Environmental Regulation Committee.
Using his knowledge of government and his experiences at both the state and federal levels, Matt returned home in 2006 and began teaching social studies at his alma mater, Martin County High School. He is a former candidate for State Representative in House District 83, past-president of the Indian Riverkeeper Board of Directors, and current president of the Martin County Education Association, representing the nearly 1200 teachers who serve in the Martin County School District.
Matt is an avid fisherman, and when he is not visiting school sites or assisting teachers, he enjoys spending his free time surf fishing the beach for pompano and kayaking the river in search of snook and trout. He also enjoys hiking, camping, and photography. It is his hope that he can use these skills, along with his passion and expertise in government, to promote the conservation of our natural spaces, and he is excited to join in the Indian Riverkeeper’s mission “to protect and restore the waters of North America’s most diverse estuary, the Indian River Lagoon, its tributaries, fisheries, and habitats through advocacy, enforcement, and action!”
After graduating from Martin County High School, Matt received his associate degree from Indian River Community College and later transferred to Florida State University in Tallahassee, where he went on to obtain his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science. As a graduate student at FSU, Matt worked in the office of U.S. Senator Bob Graham, author of the “Restoring the Everglades, An American Legacy Act,” which authorized the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. Upon graduation from Florida State, Matt served as a legislative aide to state representative Franklin Sands and advised him on numerous pieces of legislation as a member of the House Environmental Regulation Committee.
Using his knowledge of government and his experiences at both the state and federal levels, Matt returned home in 2006 and began teaching social studies at his alma mater, Martin County High School. He is a former candidate for State Representative in House District 83, past-president of the Indian Riverkeeper Board of Directors, and current president of the Martin County Education Association, representing the nearly 1200 teachers who serve in the Martin County School District.
Matt is an avid fisherman, and when he is not visiting school sites or assisting teachers, he enjoys spending his free time surf fishing the beach for pompano and kayaking the river in search of snook and trout. He also enjoys hiking, camping, and photography. It is his hope that he can use these skills, along with his passion and expertise in government, to promote the conservation of our natural spaces, and he is excited to join in the Indian Riverkeeper’s mission “to protect and restore the waters of North America’s most diverse estuary, the Indian River Lagoon, its tributaries, fisheries, and habitats through advocacy, enforcement, and action!”