Meet Matt
Matt and his wife Jennifer are raising their two children in La Grange Park. Matt works as a Senior Director at the Shedd Aquarium and Jennifer is a teacher and curriculum coordinator. The Burdens are active in the community and attend the First Congregational Church in Western Springs.
From volunteering in soup kitchens as a kid growing up on the north side of Chicago, to advocating for safety measures for children, to raising millions of dollars for wounded troops and their families, Matt’s parents instilled in him at an early age the passion to serve others. That’s why Matt has spent his entire life serving his country, his community and his family.
At the young age of 17, Matt enlisted in U.S. Army and volunteered to be a Paratrooper – needing his father’s permission since he was still a minor. Matt courageously served in Airborne, Special Forces, Cavalry, and Intelligence units around the world during his career in the military. Having served as a Sergeant before becoming an Officer, Matt left the Army as a Major; however remains ready to serve our country again if called upon. Matt is a member of the American Legion (China Post in Exile #1) and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (#4329).
Because of Matt’s commitment to honoring and supporting the brave men and women of the Armed Services, Matt currently serves as the Board Chairman of Warrior Legacy Foundation, one of the nation’s prestigious combat veterans organizations. He also serves as a Trustee of Soldiers’ Angels, a national veteran’s organization with over 280,000 volunteers founded by Patti Patton, Gen. George Patton’s niece.
In 2006, Matt authored “The Blog of War” (Simon & Schuster), which served as the basis for the hit HBO movie, Taking Chance.
Matt has served as a military and veteran affairs consultant for President Bush and is currently consulting with the Obama administration on behalf of military and veterans affairs.
Matt holds an MBA from the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana), and Masters of Science from the University of Chicago, and a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Illinois-Chicago.
