Dr. Matt Merriman-Preston

Political Consultant / Principal

he / him / his

Dr. Matt Merriman-Preston has owned and operated Ampersand Consulting since 2006. As a consultant, Matt provides a wide range of services to candidates, elected officials, and organizations.

Since starting Ampersand Consulting, Matt has successfully led candidates and provided key support in dozens of victories. Matt has provided consulting services for candidates in every branch of government and from local to statewide levels.

He volunteers as a board member of Western Pennsylvania’s Planned Parenthood Action Council. He formerly served as the chair for Progress Pittsburgh PAC and on the Pennsylvania Advisory Board for Ascend PAC. Matt has participated as an invited speaker-trainer to support women and young people running for office for Ready to Run (hosted by Chatham University’s PA Center for Women & Politics), Emerge Pennsylvania, Local Government Academy, and the New Leaders Council. He was elected to chair the City of Pittsburgh’s reapportionment advisory committee following the decennial census in 2011. Matt serves as a member of the board of trustees and a religious educator at Allegheny Unitarian Universalist Church. Matt was recognized by Pittsburgh Magazine as one of the “40 under 40” in 2012 and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recognized him as one of the “people to know in 2014.” Matt is a member of the American Association of Political Consultants.

Matt has a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.S. in Mathematics and Chemical Engineering from Tulane University. Matt lives in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh with his wife, daughter, and son.