PHILADELPHIA CITY CONTROLLER

Born and raised on the leafy-green streets of Northwest Philadelphia, Ari Patrinos embodies the spirit of his hometown. A proud graduate of Central High School, he benefited from Philadelphia’s once-renowned public school system before earning a bachelor’s degree in Social Science from Harvard University and a master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Chicago. Following his academic achievements, Ari traveled extensively across Mexico, Central America, and South America, gaining a working proficiency in Spanish and a multicultural understanding of the problems we all face.

Upon returning to the United States, Ari moved to New York City to work in the financial sector, where he successfully passed the Series 7 & 63 financial examinations and two actuarial exams in probability and financial mathematics. He began his career as a stockbroker at a leading financial institution, applying his expertise in markets and investments.

Yet, despite his professional success, Ari never lost sight of the values instilled in him growing up—whether it was washing dishes in Chestnut Hill, working as a Quaker camp counselor, or cleaning gutters across Philadelphia. Determined to give back to the city that shaped him, Ari returned to Philadelphia to teach mathematics and history in local charter and public schools, striving to provide the same opportunities he once had.

During this time, he became engaged in civic discourse, writing on pressing social and political issues for national publications like The Federalist and local outlets such as The Chestnut Hill Local. After years of watching Philadelphia struggle under mismanagement and neglect from its public officials, Ari realized he could no longer stand idly by.

Now, he is running for City Controller to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly and that every child in Philadelphia has the chance to succeed. With his deep financial expertise, commitment to accountability, and passion for his city, Ari is dedicated to restoring efficiency and integrity to Philadelphia’s government.

It’s time to put our city back on track. Ari Patrinos is ready to make a difference.

PA COMMONWEALTH COURT

Matt Wolford is a proven legal expert with a deep understanding of government and the law. Throughout his career, he has litigated cases in state and federal courts, as well as quasi-judicial state agencies, many of which were argued before the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court.

Matt is a small business owner practicing law as a solo practitioner in Erie, PA, where he concentrates on environmental law. Before going into private practice, he served as an Assistant Counsel and Regional Counsel for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Prior to joining the DEP, he was a prosecutor with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General (OAG), Environmental Crimes Section, in Meadville, PA, and later a civil litigation attorney for the OAG’s Torts Litigation Section in Philadelphia, PA. He also served as a special prosecutor for environmental crimes for both the OAG and the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Matt lectures regularly for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute (now part of the Pennsylvania Bar Association) and has presented for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Enforcement Training Institute, the DEP, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Pennsylvania’s Minor Judiciary, the Erie County Bar Association, and various other county bar associations and organizations. He authored a chapter in The Law of Oil & Gas in Pennsylvania, focusing on oil and gas development on public lands, and was an adjunct professor at Gannon University in Erie, PA, where he taught a course on environmental law.

A longtime member of the Presque Isle State Park Complex Advisory Committee and the Presque Isle Partnership, Matt received his undergraduate degree from Penn State and his Juris Doctorate from Temple University School of Law. He is a member of the Erie County and Pennsylvania Bar Associations. He and his wife, Marian, are the proud parents of four children.

PA SUPERIOR COURT

Maria Battista is a Republican candidate for the Pennsylvania Superior Court, bringing over 15 years of experience across civil, criminal, and administrative law. A former Assistant District Attorney, Commonwealth attorney, and hearing examiner, she has presided over hundreds of cases and built a reputation for fairness, clarity, and compassion. Her legal background includes roles with the Departments of Health and State, where she handled complex regulatory and enforcement matters. Maria is also a trained mediator, public speaker, and continuing legal education presenter on topics ranging from appellate arguments to healthcare law.

Maria previously ran for the Superior Court in 2023, placing first in 52 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties and losing by just 1.39% in a competitive four-way race. Her campaign highlighted her broad qualifications and commitment to restoring trust in the courts. That commitment dates back to her early work organizing a statewide legal symposium in response to the Luzerne County “kids for cash” scandal—an initiative that focused on transparency, judicial integrity, and the protection of children in the justice system.

In addition to her legal credentials, Maria holds a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate in education, with a focus that includes working with children with disabilities. Given that family and child-related matters make up a significant portion of the Superior Court’s docket, her educational background offers unique insight. Maria is passionate about improving judicial understanding of child development and learning needs and is positioned to support initiatives like Autism and the Courts. Her diverse experiences—as an attorney, prosecutor, mediator, educator, and hearing officer—make her uniquely qualified to serve with independence, impartiality, and integrity.