Raised in Plattsburgh, NY, Matt understands the needs and values of small communities. In 1996, he relocated to the Capital Region to launch a small business in Altamont, NY. Today, he calls Mechanicville home and has begun investing in and revitalizing multi-family buildings. Over the years, Matt has successfully operated several small businesses, including a software company, a coworking space, and a not-for-profit organization that awards grants to students impacted by Stargardt’s disease.

With his extensive experience, Matt is well-equipped to provide Mechanicville with a clear vision, collaborating with the community to establish a strong public brand. He aims to boost city revenues by attracting businesses and families to invest and settle in Mechanicville, generating funds to strengthen the community. A staunch advocate for transparency, Matt intends to publish the city’s payments online and develop financial policies and procedures to ensure taxpayer money directly benefits residents.

As an experienced project leader, Matt adopts an Agile/Lean approach to problem-solving, engaging stakeholders and end-users to pinpoint challenges, brainstorm solutions, and implement iterative improvements. His unique blend of skills, empathy, and determination positions him as a catalyst for positive change in Mechanicville.

Matthew Carmichael is a passionate change agent with a robust background in finance and technology.  During his career, Matt held a position as a financial analyst at KeyBank, where he was responsible for analyzing financial data, preparing reports, and providing insights to support decision-making processes. Additionally, Matt was a college instructor at several Capital District colleges, has designed and developed more than 300 custom software applications, and has more than 20 years of consulting for the New York State Comptroller’s Office, where he gained deep expertise in financial systems and in navigating the intricacies of state procurement processes and laws.

Matt possesses a rare ability to simplify complex processes and procedures by analyzing workflows and implementing technical solutions that reduce costs and enhance service delivery. Living with low vision due to legal blindness, Matt brings a distinctive perspective to software design and implementation, emphasizing simplicity to create user-friendly experiences that align with core objectives and deliver tangible results.