INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Two newcomers have thrown their hats into the ring for seats on the Indian River County School Board in Districts 1 and 2.
Ryan Matthews is a former Marine Corps officer and law enforcement professional, while Thomas Lange is a veteran educator with experience in district administration and nonprofit leadership.
Both candidates emphasize student safety, academic excellence and fiscal accountability in their platforms, drawing on their local ties and professional backgrounds.
Matthews, 39, a Sebastian native and father of three boys attending Liberty Magnet Elementary School, said he is motivated by a desire to support the district’s children and staff. “I genuinely care about this community and the kids in it,” Matthews said in a statement.
A 2004 graduate of Sebastian River High School, Matthews holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of North Florida. He was commissioned as an artillery officer in the Marine Corps in 2010, later transitioning to a reserve role while working as a federal law enforcement officer for the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C. In 2015, he returned to Florida as a conservation law enforcement officer for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, assigned to Indian River County.
Matthews remained active in the Marine Corps Reserve, deploying to Afghanistan in 2016. He was injured during training in 2019, leading to medical separation from both the Marines and FWC after several surgeries. Matthews is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering at Florida Institute of Technology.
His community roles include coaching for Sebastian Little League, serving on its board, volunteering with the Knights of Columbus at St. Sebastian Catholic Church and participating in Liberty Magnet’s school advisory council.
Matthews’ campaign focuses on four main priorities: making the education and safety of children the top priority; positioning public schools as the preferred choice for local families; establishing the School District of Indian River County as the state’s most desirable employer for educators; and ensuring fiscal transparency and accountability.
Lange, meanwhile, brings nearly two decades of experience in education in Indian River County. He’s a former English teacher and department chair at Sebastian River High School from 2006–2014 and 2015–2018. In that role, Lange led curriculum and instructional improvements while supporting students and mentoring colleagues.
He served as the district’s career and technical education specialist from 2018–2023, where he managed programs aligned with workforce needs while overseeing federal funding compliance and building partnerships with employers and colleges. Lange founded Sebastian River Rowing Inc. in 2006 and grew the nonprofit into a powerhouse that has secured 27 Florida state championships and more than $2 million in college scholarships for student-athletes.
Lange’s platform centers on academic excellence and accountability, expanding student opportunities including career pathways, data-informed decision-making, fiscal responsibility, retaining top educators, teacher professional growth and strengthening community partnerships.
“His career reflects a hands-on understanding of how policies affect students, teachers and families,” according to a campaign overview, stressing the need for evidence-based leadership over political assumptions.
The school board elections are set for later this year, with both challengers positioning themselves as community-focused alternatives amid ongoing debates over education priorities in the county.