Matthew Pelnar studies law at UC Berkeley Law School and spent his first summer interning at the General Counsel’s Office at the Department of Defense. Prior to attending Berkeley Law, he obtained a Masters in International Relations from the University of Cambridge in the UK, completing a thesis focused on Pakistani-Indian relations and their impact on the NATO war in Afghanistan. Before this, Matthew served as a an artillery officer in the United States Marine Corps, completing combat tours in both Iraq in 2007 and Afghanistan in 2008 before being honorably discharged at the rank of Captain. His undergraduate work at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, where he graduated summa cum laude was focused on American politics and political philosophy. During this time, Matthew completed internships in the Massachusetts State House, the U.S. Senate, and with the Amy Biehl Foundation Trust in Cape Town, South Africa.