Matthew Claps

About Matthew Claps

Accomplished senior leader with a proven track record of improving client outcomes in diverse management roles across government, non-profit, philanthropic, and private consulting sectors. Background spans working with child welfare, developmental disabilities, special education, and mental health systems. Skilled facilitator and consensus builder, adept at driving collaborative program design and scalable implementation. Engaging communicator and presenter. Critical thinker with a focus on policy analysis, research, and evaluation. Expertise in organizational development, implementation science, staff development, and continuous quality improvement processes.

Experience

1. Principal Technical Assistance Consultant

   American Institutes for Research

   Aug 2023 — Present

   A Principal Technical Assistance Consultant in the Youth, Family and Community Development program in the Human Services Division at the American Institutes for Research (AIR). Responsibilities include serving as a subject matter expert in the provision of training and technical assistance in human services with a focus on improving child welfare and related inter-disciplinary systems to help clients accomplish their goals. Working with federal, states, counties, tribes and local partners, design, implement, evaluate and scale effective and promising evidenced-based programs and practices to improve outcomes for youth, families and communities. Build and facilitate cross sector teams who collectively advance improvement strategies. Utilize methodologies that draw from systems theory, organizational development, continuous quality improvement, implementation science, change management and adult learning theories. Design and execute strategy to accomplish project goals. Lead business development efforts, including developing responses to proposals. Recruit and manage project teams. Build and manage project implementation plans and budgets.

Education

• University of Florida

  B.S., Psychology, Minor in Religion

  1992 — 1996

• Florida State University

  MSW, Social Work

  1998 — 2000