Unconventional by Nature

Hawthorne Valley Association

Matt has over 17 years of experience as a farm-based educator. He has worked in the Place-Based Learning Center (PBLC) since the fall of 1999, when he became an intern in the Visiting Students Program. After finishing his internship, Matt had the opportunity to stay with the Program as a permanent staff member. He has served the PBLC in many ways over the years, including managing the children’s gardening activities, waterfront safety at the pond, managing the Field Camp for teenagers in the summer, and co-directing the Visiting Students Program. Matt’s interest in place based learning was cultivated while he studied Sociology and Environmental Studies at the University of California San Diego.