Biography
Matt Caldwell is a 7th generation Florida native, whose family came to Micanopy in 1826. Matt was born in Gainesville but grew up in Lee County where he met his wife, Yvonne. They live there today, where Yvonne serves as an educator and they raise their beautiful daughter, Ava.
After attending local schools in Lee County, Matt received his Associates Degree from Edison College and his Bachelor of Arts in History from Florida Gulf Coast University. While in college he began his career as a real estate appraiser, ultimately joining the firm of Maxwell, Hendry, Simmons in 2004, where he remains of counsel. He has attained the highest state certification in his field and is qualified as an expert witness in multiple states and federal court. In 2019, Matt become a partner at TM Strategic Consulting, focused on candidate and political consulting.
Matt was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2010-2018. In 2020, Matt was elected to serve as the Lee County Property Appraiser, following the retirement of 40-year incumbent Ken Wilkinson. As the author of numerous Constitutional Amendments, including Save Our Homes, Working Waterfronts, and Portability, Ken set a standard of excellence for public service. Matt is proud to continue Ken’s legacy as an advocate for the taxpayer; using the platform as a Constitutional Officer to support good government at the local, state, and federal level.