Staff Snapshots.

• Author: Gehring, Matt

Matt Gehring

Hometown: Eau Claire, Wis.

Role: Staff coordinator and attorney, Minnesota House Research Department. Gehring also serves on NCSL's Executive Committee and Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee.

Years of legislative service: 15

Number of national parks and monuments he's camped, hiked or visited: 180-plus

Why did you choose to work at the Legislature?

A law school course on statutory construction exposed me to legislative drafting and the legislative process--two endlessly fascinating logic puzzles. At the time, it never occurred to me that that kind of work could be a viable career path, particularly for someone without deep political connections. But when I saw a job posting for a temporary legislative analyst position at the Minnesota House Research Department, something clicked and I knew I had to go all-in to try and land the job.

What skill or talent are you most proud of?

Professionally, I like the challenge of taking the thread of a loosely defined policy concept and weaving it into a viable statute that reflects a member's request. It's a skill that takes time to learn to do well.

Personally, I've been known to be a good baker and can carve a mean Halloween pumpkin.

What's the best advice you were ever given?

An aggregation of advice from multiple places: Be a good listener. Be open to hearing others' stories and experiences without judgment.

As nonpartisan staff, it can be easy to dismiss the "soft" skills of listening and empathy out of fear that we might appear partisan or too emotionally involved. When I draft a bill I want it to be technically precise, but I also want it to channel the voice of the member so that it tells the story that the member wants it to tell. I do that best when I can use bits of information I've learned over time: about the member, about the member's district, or about the interest or experience of the constituent group the bill is intended to serve.

Who or what inspires you?

I have a hard time being inspired by famous people or things. Many members of my family are inspirational in their own ways. When I was young...