Head of Greene development now working for Casey
Robbie Matesic wasn’t planning a career in politics. She has a degree in civil engineering from West Virginia University and, until recently, was executive director of economic development for Greene County.
Yet she held a ticket to the political arena, dealing with elected officials in her job. One of them was U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pennsylvania, who usually worked with her on energy, manufacturing, agriculture and local safety-net issues (children, families and seniors).
That changed this week, when Matesic joined the senator’s staff.
With impeachment as a backdrop, Matesic began work Monday as a regional representative for Casey, who is embroiled in the case against President Donald Trump. She heads the Pittsburgh region office on Grant Street, downtown, and oversees operations in seven Southwestern Pennsylvania counties: Washington, Greene, Fayette, Beaver, Butler, Lawrence and Somerset.
Each regional office serves as a liaison between Casey and his constituents. Matesic said she is part of an outreach team “that is responsible for understanding key issues in the counties, knowing the key players and how everything aligns with Sen. Casey.”
Matesic, like Willie Nelson, will be on the road again and again, commuting from her Waynesburg home to Pittsburgh and to remote offices in each of the counties she oversees. She already has met with staff in Somerset and Butler and plans to do so soon in Greene.
Yet the drive time does not dissuade her. “I’m thrilled about this,” she said.
Her initial goal is simple – to learn. “I feel this is a really steep learning curve,” said Matesic, who worked in Greene for 15 years. “My first impression is the Senate is a unique place. If you’d see a legislative list of matters a U.S. senator on top of, it’s amazing.
“The U.S. Senate is where everything comes together. Everything ends up in the lap of the U.S. Senate.”
Casey, a third-term senator, strives to visit each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties in a year, Matesic said. Casey did so in 2019, and Natalie Adams, Pennsylvania press secretary for the senator, said, “we’re planning for a robust schedule of visits in February and March.”
“I hope he comes here soon,” Matesic said. “There’s so much going on in Southwestern Pennsylvania.”
This is familiar turf for Matesic, a lifelong Pennsylvania resident. She was born on the South Side of Pittsburgh and lived there until age 5, when her family moved to the North Hills.
“I fell in love with a guy from Fayette and told my family I wanted to live in a rural county,” said Matesic, who has since resided in Fayette, Washington and Greene counties. The couple has three adult daughters and five grandchildren.
In the meantime, Robbie Matesic will work on that learning curve – quite willingly.
“I think the world of Sen. Casey,” Matesic said. “He interacts with constituents and his ethics are his highest priority, and that’s so important at a time like this.
“Now I hope I can enhance the senator’s work, and I hope he’s pleased with my work. It’s unique to be a voice for the people. It’s an honor and humbling at the same time.”