Matt Wall

Umpire. Coastie. Geek. Dad. Chef and author of "The Soylent Green Cookbook".

I lived in Pennsylvania for 17 years, exactly half in the Philadelphia area (Philly proper and Delco) and half in Pittsburgh (Squirrel Hill). I started a business in PA, got two degrees in the state, and I may have crossed the PA turnpike a few hundred times. I have many friends and relatives in the state still, and wanted to make a difference in this campaign where I thought I could make the most impact.

Pennsylvania campaigns I worked on once upon a time: Hart '84, Mondale '84, Edgar '86, Wofford '92, Yeakel '94. (Footnote: My Mom, Carol Wall, was the "Planned Parenthood" in Casey vs. Planned Parenthood of SE Pennsylvania.)

One other footnote to my career: I worked on the Pennsylvania Railroad Historical Research Project, run under the auspices of the Hagley Library, recovering records from the bankruptcy of the Penn Central railroad for historical libraries and archives, back in 1985-86. The Pennsy's a great introduction to the political history of the state.

So, yes, I live in California and have been a geek in the high tech industry, but I don't think that quite qualifies me for carpetbaggery. I've been married for 20 years -- our 20th wedding anniversary is this Oct. 22nd - and have a son, and we're expecting to adopt a second child soon after I return from my PA sojourn. Leaving my family behind is the hardest thing I think I may ever have to do, but I think it's important for my childrens' future to try to make a difference.