Full Name:
Matthew 'Matt' S. LoPresti
Gender:
Male
Family:
Wife: Julia; 2 Children: Nina, Aria
Birth Date:
03/19/1974
Birth Place:
Pittsburgh, PA
Home City:
Ewa Beach, HI
Religion:
Catholic/Buddhist
MA, Philosophy, University of Toledo, 1999
Phd, Comparative East-West Philosophy, University of Hawaii-Manoa, 1999
BA, History/Philosophy, University of Toledo, 1997
Former Member, Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee, Hawaii State House of Representatives
Candidate, Hawaii State House of Representatives, District 41, 2022
Representative, Hawaii State House of Representatives, District 41, 2014-2019, 2021-2022
Former Member, Agriculture Committee, Hawaii State House of Representatives
Former Member, Culture, Arts, and International Affairs Committee, Hawaii State House of Represenatives
Former Member, Finance Committee, Hawaii State House of Representatives
Former Member, Health, Human Services, and Homelessness Committee, Hawaii State House of Representatives
Former Member, Labor and Public Employment Committee, Hawaii State House of Representatives
Former Member, Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs Committee, Hawaii State House of Representatives
Former Member, Public Safety Committee, Hawaii State House of Representatives
Former Vice Chair, Transportation Committee, Hawaii State House of Representatives
Associate Professor, Philosophy/Humanities, Hawai'i Pacific University, 2004-present
Principal/Small Business Owner, Aloha Consulting, Limited Liability Company, present
Chair, Asian and Pacific Studies Program, Hawai'i Pacific University, present
Co-founder/Executive Vice President, Kokua Renewable Energy, present
Served, Chief Warrant Office, United States Coast Guard
Assistant Professor of Philosophy/Humanities, Hawaii Pacific University, 2010-2014
Adjunct Professor, Chaminade University, 1999-2007
Adjunct Professor, Kapiolani Community College, 1999-2007
Adjunct Professor, University of Hawaii-Manoa, 1999-2007
Adjunct Professor, Hawaii Pacific University, 1999-2004
President and Board Member, Townhomes at Ka Makana at Hoakalei, 2010-present
Member, Catholic Church, present
Member, Navy League of the United States of America, present
Volunteer, Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii
Former Volunteer Judge, Hawaii Student Speech and Debate Tournaments
Former President, Home Owners Association in Ocean Pointe
Volunteer, Honolulu Police Department
Former Volunteer, Limu Project
Former Volunteer, Painting over Graffiti throughout 'Ewa Beach, HPDs Weed & Seed
Member, Sons of the American Revolution
Former Member, Transportation and Economic Development Committee, National Conference of State Legislatures
Member, Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization, 2014-2016
Vice Chair, Executive Committee, Oahu Group, Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter, 2012-2015
Vice Chair, O'ahu Group, Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter, 2012-2015
Delegate, Democratic Party, 2012, 2014
Secretary/Treasurer, Democratic Party, District 41, 2014
Treasurer, Ewa Neighborhood Board, 2011
Awards:
Numerous academic awards
Father's Occupation:
Retired Professional Engineer
First Job:
I began to learn what a hard days work meant at the age of 14, when I took up two jobs: I started my own paper route in the mornings and did landscaping and odd jobs at driving range in the afternoons.
Mother's Occupation:
Retired Public School Teacher
Priority Issues:
Education, Traffic, Affordable Housing & Jobs, Kupuna Care, Environment.
Campaign Platform Matt LoPresti, District 41 Democratic Candidate
Your priorities are my priorities because the job of an elected official is to represent you, not a political party and certainly not some personal agenda. My platform covers five of the most important and long-standing issues facing the people of "Ewa and "Ewa Beach:
(1) Securing Quality Education and resources (like A/C and a second High School) for our keiki.
(2) Addressing Traffic as the number one quality of life issue.
(3) Ensuring that Quality Jobs & Affordable Housing are available for our working families.
(4) Supporting our kupuna with appropriate healthcare services and the ability to age in place.
(5) Protecting and preserving Hawaii's natural beauty and resources for future generations.
Publications:
Numerous academic publications
Reason for Seeking Public Office:
To me, leadership means putting your needs and the needs of our community before my own. It's been a long time since we had a State Representative with the integrity to do this. That is why I am running for this office: to bring integrity back to the District 41 representative seat for "Ewa and "Ewa Beach.
Why I'm Running
mattthumbAloha,
My name is Matt LoPresti. I believe that family comes first in our community. As a father and husband my most important job and greatest joy in life is to help raise my two little girls, Nina Sophia (4) and Aria Jane (1), with lessons of personal responsibility and care for our community. To me, leadership means putting your needs and the needs of our community before my own. It's been a long time since we had a State Representative with the integrity to do this. That is why I am running for this office: to bring integrity back to the District 41 representative seat for "Ewa and "Ewa Beach.
Leadership means listening to your concerns and working to shape policy to help our children, our kupuna, our families, our schools and our environment. Talking with so many of you at community meetings, door-to-door or at the supermarket, I know that your family, like mine, often struggles to make ends meet with the high cost of living. I will apply the lessons our family has learned and the lessons I've learned as a college professor of ethics, Asian philosophy, and critical thinking to help build a better future for all of our families in "Ewa Beach and across Hawai"i.
Spouse's Occupation:
Public School Teacher (2002-present)
Mililani High School, Performing Arts Center Coordinator and English Teacher (2014-present)
Aiea Intermediate School, Drama Teacher and Student Activities Coordinator (2006-2014)
Waianae Intermediate School, English and Social Studies Teacher (2002-2004)