Background Information:

 
Matthew Choate, 37, was born in Barnet, VT.  He is the son of Jonathan Choate of Barnet, an organic dairy farmer, and Wanda Waugh of Lyndon, a registered nurse and small business owner.  The Choate family has been a fixture in Barnet since the early 1800's and have operated a dairy farm there since around 1850.  Matthew grew up in Barnet and attended schools in Barnet and St. Johnsbury, graduating from St. Johnsbury Academy in 1988. 

From 1988 to 1992, Matthew attended the University of Vermont graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry. After graduating, he worked in the St. Johnsbury area for 2 years, then returned to the University of Vermont from 1994 to 1997 and earned a second Bachelor’s degree in Nursing.  Matthew is currently pursuing a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
 
From 1997 to 2001, Matthew worked primarily at Fletcher Allen Health Care as an intensive care unit nurse in the adult surgical and pediatric intensive care units. He directed the Vermont Poison Center from 1999 to 2001. From 2001 through late 2003, Matthew worked as a traveling nurse and completed assignments in San Diego, CA, Seattle, WA, Lebanon, NH, and Boston, MA. He returned to the area in December of 2003 and was employed full time at Central Vermont Hospital in Berlin in the Emergency Department. In February 2005 Matthew accepted the position of Unit Leader (nurse manager) of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.  He is also a per diem nurse at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital in St. Johnsbury in both the Emergency Department as well as the Nursing Administration Office as Clinical Supervisor.

 
Matthew has been active in improving the health of our community for many years.  He was an active member of CALEX Ambulance Service from 1987-2007 and now serves as President of their Board of Directors.  He served with the Lyndon Rescue Squad from 1990-1996.  He volunteered at NVRH from 1983-1987.  Since 1997 he has been a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) and is presently serving as Treasurer of the Upper Valley Chapter.  Matt also has been a member of the VT Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) since 1998.  He served as Director-at-Large for the VT ENA from 1999-2001 and is currently the State President.  Matthew was elected to the Senate in 2008 and has served on the Agriculture and Health & Welfare Committees where he worked on legislation that helped our farmers and advanced meaningfult healthcare reform.  Matthew will continue to bring a wealth of experience in health care, a background rooted in Vermont traditions, and experience leading others to the Senate.