Matt is a seasoned leader in higher education with subject matter expertise in fundraising, corporate and external relations, technology commercialization, and economic development. Matt's teams have consistently exceeded goals, and completed comprehensive fundraising campaigns at the University of Nebraska ($608 million), The Ohio State University College of Engineering ($399 million), and Oregon Health & Science University Foundation ($2.02 billion). He was the inaugural leader of the Corporate Engagement Office at The Ohio State University, and the President of the Ohio State Innovation Foundation. His team at Ohio State dramatically increased licensing fees, startup activity, and corporate engagement, and worked with local and state economic development leaders to compete for projects such as Foxconn and Amazon HQ2. Matt convened an industry advisory board of strategic corporate partners to elevate corporate partnerships at Ohio State by listening to the partners. As a consultant, Matt has worked with the University of Alabama, Nicholls State University, the University of Michigan, and Morehouse College.

A proficient professional in statistics and technology innovation and serving as a catalyst for transformative initiatives. As the Co-Founder & Director of Engineering at Plitzie Inc, he orchestrated a groundbreaking NDE analytics and robotics platform, securing substantial funding from ARPA-e and the DoD, aimed at sustainability in energy and manufacturing. He led product development and created a food specific NLP and ML for market insights, along with organizing impactful energy workshops. He co-founded Navaflex, which is pioneering washable battery systems. He served as Chief Scientist at OFRN and as Joint Appointee at Battelle Memorial Institute, where projects spanned aeronautical advancements, IP decisions, and academic-industry engagements. He was an DOE ARPA-E Fellow and underscored expertise in identifying energy tech opportunities and managing multimillion-dollar programs. Educational background includes a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering, complemented by an MPH in Epidemiology, demonstrating a well-rounded approach to technological advancement and community impact.

As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BlueSky Collaborative Partners, LLC, Julie is a visionary leader, with over three decades of Fundraising, Business Development Capital Campaign and Relationship Management experience. Previously, Julie served as Chief Development Officer for an EdTech nonprofit, Managing Director of Individual Philanthropy for the World's largest privately funded nonprofit, VIce President of a major Financial Services Foundation and an Higher Education Development leader with roles at Morehouse College and The Ohio State University.

A proud alumnus of Spelman College in Atlanta, GA, and one of 100 HBCU alumni in her immediate family, Julie is a major advocate for HBCUS, and deeply believes in their ability to strengthen the future talent pipeline and close the wealth equity gap.