Matthew was born and raised in Baton Rouge, LA. As a child, he grew up watching his granddad grow a wide variety of produce in a small plot of land. After graduating high school, he moved to Alaska to work with youth and college students. Ten years ago, he met his first Master Gardener on the Oregon coast. This encounter changed the direction of his life. He returned to school and received his Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Sciences from Oregon State University. After almost 20 years in Alaska, he moved his family to East Tennessee to work on his Masters Degree in the Agriculture Leadership, Education, and Communication at the University of Tennessee Knoxville Matthew enjoys gardening and diagnosing problems in the garden (landscape, soil, plant, etc.). He is also the Master Gardener Coordinator for Sevier County. He focuses on consumer and commercial horticulture in Sevier County. Through site visits, calls, emails, and walk-ins during the week, Matthew helps diagnose and identify plant and insect problems. He also advises the community on best practices, selections, and placements within the landscape.