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 earned 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 served on the Mt. Lebanon Hospital Authority Board and 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.

Most recently, Smith was the 2012 Outreach Teen & Family Services “Glitz on Grandview” gala honoree. He was honored by Pittsburgh Magazine and the Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project (PUMP) as a 2010 Pittsburgh '40 Under 40' award winner. He currently serves on the Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta Board, Allegheny County Airport Authority and Senator John Heinz History Center Board of Trustees.

Smith currently serves on the House Agriculture & Rural Affairs, Appropriations, Finance and Insurance Committees. He is the co-chair of the House Life Science Caucus and serves on the Tobacco Settlement Investment Board.

He lives in Mt Lebanon with his wife Eileen, their daughters Delaney and Emerson and son Jameson.