Rep. Matt Smith (D-42, Allegheny) was born in Bethel Park on Sept. 19, 1972. He is a 1991 graduate of Bethel Park High School, where he was an avid athlete -- earning letters in baseball and basketball.

After high school, Smith attended Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, graduating in 1995 with a degree in history. He then returned to his roots in western Pennsylvania to study law at Duquesne University.

While a student at Duquesne, he served on the Duquesne Law Review and received several academic awards including honors for achieving the highest first-year grades in contracts and torts and the prestigious John J. Sciullo Endowment Fund Scholarship.

In 1999, Smith began work as an attorney for the law firm of Babst, Calland, Clements and Zomnir, P.C. in Pittsburgh. He served as the firm’s pro-bono coordinator, and as an associate helped local employees and employers, including many family-owned businesses, navigate all aspects of the employment relationship including discrimination, disability accommodation, Family & Medical Leave Act, and wage and hour issues. In 2005, Smith was certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

Smith’s passion for politics and community service goes back many years. From 1996 through 2004, he volunteered on various local, state, and national campaigns and served as a volunteer Election Day counsel. In 2003, he was part of the transition team for Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato.

Smith is very involved in the greater Pittsburgh community. He serves on the Mt. Lebanon Hospital Authority Board and served on the Allegheny County Personnel Board until his election in Nov. 2006. He also is a member of the Pittsburgh Human Resources Association and the Society for Human Resource Management.

He lives in Mt Lebanon with his wife Eileen and their daughter Delaney.