Matthew Rizzie

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT MATTHEW RIZZIE

GLCU Foundation for Financial Empowerment’s mission resonates deeply with me. Through personal life experiences and my career, I understand the essential role financial and housing stability plays on socio economic sustainability amidst larger societal forces. Providing access to opportunity is the work at hand. My career is built on supporting and advocating for individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency. I’m humbled to be joining the team and to lead its philanthropy after twenty years in nonprofit financial services, housing advocacy and education, and workforce development. I believe that today’s challenges require nonprofit leaders to drive for impact not only through passive philanthropy but in both direct service provision and public policy advocacy roles. To that end, I am proud of the advocacy work I have supported such as the California Homeowner Bill of Rights that was drafted by United States Vice President Kamala Harris when she was California Attorney General. With the families that I supported through the recent foreclosure crisis, we were able to meet with the Vice President along with legislators and give a face to the need being sought by countless individuals and families across the country. That legislation extracted $18 billion for California borrowers from the nation’s five largest bank and included a ban on dual track foreclosure and required a single point of contact by mortgage servicers. I was also fortunate enough to impact transitional age youth via collaboration with California Governor Gavin Newsom who was the Mayor of San Francisco at the time. Understanding that it was imperative to provide access to young people on their journey to success we convened a Transitions Outcome Project to enhance the City and County’s youth service program. Early work experience and support often lead to greater rates of employment and future higher quality jobs for young people. It served as an early model for current services and practitioners in the development of vibrant activities that would make positive transformation possible. My first year at the Foundation will be critical as we strategically enhance the programs and practices to have a deeper impact for the Chicagoland and Northern Illinois community. I hope to solidify internal and external processes and engagement so that our work continues to be vibrant for many years to come.