Meet SVP Austin’s New Executive Director
Q&A with Matt Glazer
Q: For folks who haven't crossed paths with you yet, who is Matt Glazer?
Matt: The short version: I'm someone who's spent most of my career trying to help organizations and people make an impact. My vision has always been to help people and organizations do good work for a long time. I've been in Austin for 22 years, and I've had the chance to work in different places and across sectors- nonprofit, higher ed, the private sector, and local government. Most recently, I was running my own consulting firm, Blue Sky Partners, where we helped nonprofits and mission-driven organizations with strategy, operations, leadership transitions, all of that. But honestly, what I care most about is the people behind the work. That's what drew me to this role.
Q: You've had a long career running your own firm and taking on interim leadership roles. Why SVP Austin, and why now?
Matt: That's a fair question, and one I've thought a lot about. After years of consulting and stepping in as an interim ED for organizations in transition, I found I wanted to go deeper and make lasting change in our community. I wanted to expand the work beyond being the person who helps stabilize things and then hands off the keys. I want to look at generations in the future and help think about what it means to build lasting and sustainable capacity for our community. SVP Austin is the right fit for exactly that reason. The organization is at a really interesting inflection point — strong foundation, clear mission, real momentum — and the opportunity to expand its reach and deepen its impact across Central Texas? That's exactly the kind of challenge that gets me out of bed in the morning. The timing felt right, the mission felt right, and after 22 years in Austin, I wanted to be a part of a team of people collectively committed to the best future for Central Texas.
Q: SVP is a pretty unique model. It's not just writing checks; it's this whole community of engaged philanthropists. What drew you to this particular organization?
Matt: Honestly, that's exactly what drew me to it. The SVP model is special because it's built on the idea that giving means more than just money. It's your time, your skills, your relationships, your perspective. And the Partners aren't passive donors, they're genuinely rolling up their sleeves alongside nonprofit leaders. I've spent my career trying to strengthen the nonprofit sector, and SVP is doing that in a really intentional, community-rooted way. The focus on strengthening organizations that are closing equity gaps in our community, supporting nonprofits that are led by people with lived experience - especially in health/well-being, and jobs/economic mobility, deeply resonates with me. We talk a lot about collective impact and social capital, but there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Organizations need expertise, funds, connections, collaboration, shared learning, and so much more. SVP is a unique place because the partners can give all of that and are committed to making a real and lasting impact.
Q: Speaking of Partners, if someone is thinking about joining SVP Austin, how do you describe who this is really for?
Matt: I’d say SVP Austin is for people who want to be more connected to the community they live in. If you’ve ever wondered what’s really happening around issues like housing, education, healthcare, or workforce development, and wanted a way to get involved. SVP creates that opportunity. What I love about SVP is that everyone has something to contribute, whether that’s professional expertise, relationships, life experience, or simply a willingness to learn and help. The people who get the most out of SVP are curious, engaged, and interested in building relationships with the people doing the work in our community. There’s no particular background, profession, or giving level we’re looking for. We’re looking for people who want to show up, learn, and use what they have to make a difference. People who are curious, want to leverage their skills to make an impact, work with others, and learn from others, and build the best version of our community will thrive as partners.
Q: You've also spent a lot of time in higher education, teaching human-centered design and entrepreneurship at Trinity University. How does that side of your work connect to what you're doing now?
Matt: It connects more than you might think! Human-centered design is fundamentally about starting with people: their needs, their experiences, their context (before you jump to solutions). That's a mindset I bring to every organization I work with, including SVP Austin.
How do we design programs and experiences that actually work for the people we're serving?
How do we listen to our nonprofit partners and our Partners deeply enough to understand what they really need?
How might we build more connections within our community, grow our Partnership, and invite more people from all backgrounds and perspectives into our work?
Teaching has also kept me sharp in ways I'm grateful for. When you have to explain systems thinking and innovation to a room full of students, it forces you to be clear about what you actually believe. Students won’t accept a doctrine or process without knowing the why behind the what. That has taught me so much! Everything I know is now built around understanding, empathy, curiosity, collaboration, and context. Trinity taught me that. I am so grateful for that gift!
Q: There's a lot of talk in the social sector about 'collective impact.' What does that actually mean in practice for SVP Austin?
Matt: It's one of those phrases that can start to sound like a buzzword if you're not careful, so let me try to make it concrete. What SVP Austin does is bring together people and organizations who wouldn't otherwise be in the same room: corporate professionals, civic leaders, nonprofit executives, and community advocates. And when those folks build real relationships with each other, not just transactional ones, something different starts to happen. Problems get solved across organizational silos. Funders understand the work more deeply. Nonprofits get access to expertise they couldn't otherwise afford. Over time, that compounds. A nonprofit that gets stronger governance through an SVP advising project is better equipped to serve its clients. Partners who develop a real understanding of community issues become better advocates, better donors, better neighbors. That's the sustainable impact piece: it's not any single project, it's the ecosystem we're building together. The whole really is greater than the sum of its parts. This can’t be just another buzzword. We have to make it real and bring it to life. That is so exciting!
Q: What's your vision for SVP Austin's regional impact over the next few years?
Matt: I want SVP Austin to be known as the connective tissue of the Central Texas nonprofit and philanthropic community. Not just a membership organization, but a real hub. A place where nonprofit leaders and civic-minded professionals come together, where problems get solved collaboratively, and where the community's most pressing challenges around health, well-being, and economic opportunity actually get addressed by empowering everyone in our community to contribute to solutions. I want people to know that SVP Austin exists and to see themselves as potential Partners who feel included, invited, and actively engaged. And I want the nonprofits we work alongside to feel like SVP is one of the most valuable relationships they have. Most importantly, I want us to be a part of the community and a welcoming place for all people and organizations to come together and solve complex issues.
Q: Is there anything about SVP Austin that you wish more people understood that we haven't touched on yet?
Matt: Yes, actually. I want people to understand that the SVP model is fundamentally about community, and community works best when it reflects the full range of people who make Austin what it is. While we are a part of an international collective, each community is unique, and it is unique because we need to meet the needs, wants, and desires of our community. You are what makes SVP Austin special. You don't have to be at the peak of your career to have something meaningful to contribute. You just have to care. I also want people to know that this isn't a one-way relationship- Partners get as much as they give. The relationships you build, the understanding you develop about how this city actually works, the sense of purpose that comes from being connected to something bigger than your day job, and that's real. I hope people will come check it out and be a part of what we are building! For us to be successful, we will always need to evolve, and I am excited about what SVP Austin is, can be, and will be!
Q: Outside of work, what does a good weekend look like for you?
Matt: A good weekend usually starts early. I’m an avid runner, so my ideal Saturday morning is meeting up with my running group or hitting the trail around Lady Bird Lake, followed by a cold brew and some time to relax at home, whether that’s watching Everton, reading, or just enjoying a slower pace. In the evenings, you’ll often find me at an Austin FC match or catching a movie. I’m also a big music fan, and one thing I’m trying to do more of is get out to see live music and support local restaurants. Austin has such an incredible, creative food scene, and I’d love to make exploring more of it a regular part of my weekends.
Q: If you could wave a magic wand and solve one challenge facing the Austin community right now, what would it be?
Matt: If I could wave a magic wand, I’d get more people involved in the life of our community. Not because Austin lacks good ideas or great organizations — we have plenty of both — but because too many people see solving our biggest challenges as someone else’s job. The reality is that the more people who are engaged, giving, volunteering, serving on boards, sharing their expertise, and building relationships across different parts of our city, the stronger Austin becomes. Most of our challenges, from housing to education to healthcare, aren't going to be solved by a single organization or donor. They're solved when more people decide they have a role to play. If I could change one thing, it would be helping more Austinites realize that their involvement matters and giving them a pathway to get involved.
