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Representative Matt Wingard was first elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in 2008. He is the co-chair of the House Committee on Education and a passionate advocate for education reform.

In 2011, Rep. Wingard negotiated and passed the most significant education reform package in state history that increased accountability and choices for Oregon parents.  The package included inter-district transfers (HB 3681), Multiple Authorizers for public charter schools (HB 3645), repealing arbitrary enrollment caps on statewide online schools (HB 2301), Full-day Kindergarten (SB 248), Educational Service District Reform (SB 250), making the Governor the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SB 552), creating a P-20 Council to oversee the entire state-funded system of education (SB 909), expanding access to vocational education (HB 3362), and many more.

Rep. Wingard also passed legislation to repeal 28 educational mandates on Oregon schools (SB 800), provide Oregon foster youth with higher education assistance (HB 3471), and secured funding for the Oregon Institute of Technology to consolidate its Metro campus in Wilsonville (HB 5006). Before joining the Legislature, he helped to start new, innovative public schools across Oregon that, today, serve thousands of Oregon children.

Rep. Wingard has passed legislation to: Honor fallen public safety officers and protect their families from harassment (HB 3273); Reduce regulations on Oregon’s farmers’ markets (HB 2336); and protect homeowners during a short sale (HB 2916).

Rep. Wingard runs his own public relations consulting firm in Wilsonville. He began his career as a television reporter in the 1990s.  He is a third-generation Oregonian, graduated from Aloha High School and received a BA in Broadcast Journalism at the University of Southern California.

Matt is also a father and, in his spare time, he teaches film classes at his local library.