Matt McGee

MPA Fellows, Class of 2028

Legislative Aide, House Democratic Office, Connecticut General Assembly

Matt McGee is a trusted community organizer, campaign advisor, legislative aide, and locally elected public servant. He currently works in the Connecticut General Assembly as a Legislative Aide for the House Democratic Office and has served on numerous political campaigns across Connecticut’s Naugatuck Valley, specializing in voter engagement and field strategy.

A native of Shelton, Connecticut, McGee has been active in his hometown since the age of 18, when he cast his first-ever vote for himself while running for Shelton’s Board of Aldermen. Less than one year later, McGee co-founded both Shelton High School Students for Change and Envision Shelton, the latter a bipartisan Political Action Committee. He helped lead the defeat of the 2020, 2021, and 2023 Charter Revision attempts that would have increased partisanship on Shelton’s Board of Education. Additionally, McGee and his SHSSFC allies successfully advocated for the Board of Education to add “Student Representation,” a position that, to this day, two Shelton High School students serve in. It remains his proudest accomplishment, as building the next generation of leaders should never wait for political convenience.

McGee’s professional tenure includes four years of service, including three as an AmeriCorps Member and one as a Social Work Specialist, at the East End NRZ Market & Cafe in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He also served as Field Director for State Representative Kara Rochelle’s 2022 re-election campaign and David Eldridge’s 2023 campaign for Mayor of Shelton. In 2024, he served as Campaign Manager for Rep. Rochelle, leading the campaign to a strong victory over Ansonia’s incumbent mayor.

In a volunteer capacity, McGee is a co-founder of The Shelton Clean-Up Project and has served as its Board Chairman for the past five years. He also serves as an elected Planning and Zoning Commissioner for the City of Shelton.

McGee was one of the youngest individuals named to Fairfield County’s Top 40 Under 40 at the age of 24.

A graduate of Southern Connecticut State University, McGee earned his BA in Social Work and will be attending UConn’s School of Public Policy in the fall to pursue his Master of Public Administration.

When not working on campaigns or community projects, you can probably find Matt yelling at one of his favorite sports teams, the Giants, Red Sox, or Islanders, or hanging out with his cat, Bell.

“It’s not about what happens, it’s about how you respond.”