As Director of Rural Initiatives, Matt project plans and manages the implementation of College Advising Corps’ new focus on providing high-quality college advising to rural high school seniors in Missouri. He partners closely with the Missouri College Advising Corps to increase access and opportunity for low-income, first-generation students in southern regions of the state.

Matt has over 12 years of experience as a higher education leader. Most recently, he served as Director of Financial Aid at the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, where he established and managed the school’s first need-based scholarship program. He also developed and led “I’m First!” which provided support and resources to first-generation students at the Brown School. Matt was also active with undergraduate TRIO scholars and developed financial literacy initiatives across Washington University’s campus. Prior to that, he worked at the University of Missouri-St. Louis as a member of the financial aid team and maintained a close partnership with the admissions and recruitment office. He also developed and led workshops for St. Louis high schools and community colleges to help educate low-income, first-generation students and their families about financial aid and the transition to college.

Matt earned two bachelor’s degrees — communication and English — from the University of Missouri-Columbia and his master’s degree in higher education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He is currently pursuing his Ed.D. in higher education leadership from Maryville University. His dissertation research focuses on institutional barriers to innovation and change. Matt and his wife have three dogs and are active in animal rescue. Matt is also a movie buff and loves watching movies at home or in the theater. He is based out of St. Louis, Missouri.