Matt was born and raised in Lake Bluff, Illinois, and started his first job at age fourteen as a “swim aid” for the Lake Bluff Park District - the same pool where he learned to swim many years earlier. Matt taught swimming at the LBPD for almost a decade before becoming the Learn-to-Swim Coordinator in 2010 and the Aquatics Director in 2012, a position he held until relocating to New York City. In high school, Matt swam for the Lake Forest Scouts and taught lessons with the high school swim program during the winter months. He holds a BA in Economics from Vanderbilt University and MFA in Acting from Brown University, where he continued to teach swimming as an undergraduate instructor. He holds ARC certifications in Lifeguarding, CPR, and Lifeguarding Instruction, and when not in water, enjoys running, music, and Shakespeare!