Since joining Burness in January 2006, Matt has worked primarily on issues related to healthy child development. Matt has supported the work of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to help all children grow up at a healthy weight, and more broadly to support families so that all children can thrive. Matt has also worked with the Afterschool Alliance to help improve access to and quality of afterschool programs across the country. Finally, Matt has worked with groups like Penn State University and the Aspen Institute to advance efforts to support social emotional learning for all students. 

Throughout these efforts, Matt works with organizations to build strategic communications plans and execute them effectively across media, partner engagement, messaging, website and social media. 

Matt graduated from the University of Virginia with a major in psychology, and earned a Master of Public Administration with a focus on nonprofit management from the George Washington University. He, his wife Laura, their daughter Sofia and their two dogs, Oscar and Piper, live in Charlottesville, Virginia.