Matthew LoCastro recently graduated from the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College with a bachelor’s degree in Economics, and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, with a minor in Public Policy. Born and raised in Huntington Station, New York, Matthew developed an interest in civics through leadership training opportunities provided to him by his high school teachers. At Hunter, he co-founded a chapter of the national civics education non-profit, Generation Citizen, and served in the Undergraduate Student Government for three years. As President of the Student Government in his senior year, he launched Hunter’s first anti-sexual assault campaign, and passed budgetary reforms resulting in universal access to menstrual care products, expansion of the reduced cost MetroCard program, and creation of a civic action fund. He interned at the New York City Economic Development Corporation, focusing on innovative business development in downtown Brooklyn, and worked with the New York State Regional Economic Development Council on business grant and tax credit distribution. The internships and a course he took with General David Petraeus inspired him to take a closer look at the critical role of infrastructure in security and economic development. At the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Energy Institute, Matthew contributed to the 2017 International Energy Security Risk Index Report and researched energy infrastructure development costs and legal proceedings. His work at Kohlberg, Kravis and Roberts (KKR)’s Global Institute led him to pursue independent insights into emergency response infrastructure and sustainability, landing him on the island of Lesbos, Greece in the summer of 2017, volunteering in refugee camps. Currently, Matthew works as an Urban Fellow with the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget, focusing on renewable energy procurement for the City of New York. His experiences in the public and private sector drive him to pursue a future as a federal public servant to develop the framework for long-term infrastructure investment required to ensure sustainable economic growth. When not working, Matthew enjoys cycling, camping, and exploring new restaurants.