Agenda - 05-05-2016 - 7-a - Bond Education Committee Appointments and Additional Actions

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27 Page 3 of 4 Matt Hughes Bond Education Committee Background, education and experience relevant to this board: For nearly a decade, I have be involved in political and public information campaigns with candidates, partisan organizations, and non-profits. I believe that the individuals serving on this Bond Education Committee will need to be well versed in messaging, campaigns, and strategy. I believe that I would bring those skills to the Bond Education Committee and contribute to developing effective materials, building coalitions, and deploying a multi-media campaign to secure passage of the bond orders. I have served as a fellow with Equality NC and as an outreach coordinator for Action for Children NC. In both capacities, I was tasked with heading outreach on our public information campaigns around non-discrimination and juvenile jurisdiction respectively and understand the complexities of what make a public information campaign successful. I have also served in partisan capacities centered on elections, including referenda, with a high degree of growth and success. Reasons for wanting to serve on this board: I am interested in serving on this board as an extension of my public service in Orange County, particularly relating to the schools, but also with respect to affordable housing. My belief is that in order for us to keep our comparative advantages we need well maintained schools and that students perform better when the buildings they learn in are safe, secure, and modern. This bond will help us secure nearly a third of what all it will take to update the infrastructure of school systems, but without it we will have to make even tougher choices regarding how we give our students world class school buildings. The second reason is as it relates to affordable housing. I believe this bond is the first step in truly delivering on the promise of affordable housing. Though it is only$1 million more than the bond passed nearly 15 years ago, I believe it is a serious down payment on practical affordable housing solutions. As a native Orange County resident who grew up living in section 8 housing, I know the importance of affordable housing. Now as a millennial, I understand that affordable housing is part of our economic development puzzle and a critical piece to ensuring that we are an affordable community to live, work, and play if we are to be a diverse community. Conflict of Interest: No Supplemental Questions: Work Experience: Non-profit work involving grassroots organizing, activism and advocation. Volunteer Experience: Volunteerism for political campaigns; community projects created and implemented during my tenures as student body president and vice-president; and currently ongoing tutoring in Orange County Schools (Cedar Ridge High School) in the area of Civics and Economics as part of the North Carolina Teaching Fellows program at UNC-Chapel Hill. Tutoring high school and middle school students as a mentor with over 100 students and an accumulated approximately 1000 hours of giving student assistance. Education: Ongoing first year student at the University of North Carolina, studying political science; North Carolina Teaching Fellow. Graduate of Cedar ridge High (2009) current student at UNC-Chapel, political science major. Other Comments: Current member of the Orange County Schools Raising Achievement and Closing the Gap Committee. Mailing address is as follows: P.O. Box 1406, Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278-1406 STAFF COMMENTS: Originally applied for Commission for the Environment 12/15/09. Currently applying for Human Relations Commission, Commission