Meet Our New Executive Director
Posted March 17, 2025
By now, you've probably heard the exciting news about our new Executive Director, Matthew (Matt) Edmond, who officially started at the Chester County Planning Commission on February 19. The initial announcement highlighted Matt's extensive planning experience, his qualifications for this role, and some details about the many organizations he's involved with.
Now that Matt has been "officially" introduced and has had a couple of weeks to get settled in, we want to offer a deeper look into his personal life and background. First and foremost, you should know that Matt is a Star Wars fan over Star Trek — a crucial distinction here at CCPC!
With that important information out of the way, let's dive in a little more about Matt:
A lifelong resident of the Philadelphia-area, Matt grew up in Northeast Philadelphia and moved to Newtown, Bucks County, as a teenager. After leaving the area for college, he moved back to Newtown while attending graduate school for his planning degree. Following that, he spent 14 years in Norristown before moving to East Norriton Township in 2019, where he currently lives with his wife and three children.
Matt worked at the neighboring Montgomery County Planning Commission for over 20 years, with his most recent role combining the responsibilities of Assistant Director and Transportation Director. While his background is primarily in transportation planning, Matt also has extensive experience in Act 247 reviews, community planning, communications, and other areas of planning.
Beyond his professional career, Matt is deeply engaged in his community and the broader planning field. He volunteers on a variety of boards and committees, and recently served as Executive Director of the Montgomery County Transportation Authority, Chair of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission's Regional Technical Committee, and 12 years on his municipal planning commission with 10 of those years as Chair. Currently, he serves as Secretary of the Southeast Section of the American Planning Association of PA, is an active member of the American Planning Association, and teaches courses for the PA Municipal Planning Education Institute throughout the year.
Despite his busy schedule, Matt still makes time for his hobbies and family. You might catch him cruising through the Government Services Center parking lot in his 1998 Jeep Wrangler, proudly wearing his Phillies gear on the way to a game. Or, if you're attending a game, there's a good chance you'll see him there as he's a season ticket holder.
In addition to spending time with his family and attending Phillies games, Matt is a skilled musician (aka rock star) who plays the keyboard, and occasionally bass, in his church's worship band once a week. He also enjoys reading biographies on history and traditions, cooking, and listening to music. Some of his favorite artists include Pink Floyd, U2, Dave Matthews Band, Mumford & Sons, Sting, Hozier, and Noah Kahan — though his all-time favorite band is Genesis.
We are excited to work with Matt in his new role here at CCPC, and we're confident that his leadership will be a great asset to the team. If you see him around, be sure to stop and say hello!