Matthew Grimes

About Matthew Grimes

Matt Grimes (he/him) is an award-winning People, Social Impact & Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) leader focused on building institutions that recognize, develop, and invest in people as the foundation of thriving cultures and communities. With over 15 years of experience spanning the private, public, and nonprofit sector, Matt has built a career at the intersection of equity, leadership, and community impact. He has led cultural transformation initiatives in Major League Baseball and K-12 public education, launched community-centered programs that strengthen civic trust, and designed innovative learning systems that position inclusion as a driver of both performance and purpose. Matt’s work has earned him multiple honors, including being selected as an Obama USA Leader (2025/2026). He has previously been recognized as one of Engage Cleveland’s “24 Emerging Professionals You Need to Know” (2024), a Crain’s Cleveland “40 Under 40” honoree (2023), a Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club \"Mover and Shaker\" Award Recipient (2023), and a Siena College Alumni of Excellence and Franciscan Spirit Award winner (2022). He also led his organization to win the Governor\'s Inclusive Employer Award (2025), NorthCoast 99 Special Category in Diversity, Equity & \\; Inclusion Award twice (2022 & 2025), and the Best in Class Award for fostering an inclusive workplace and advancing opportunity across Northeast Ohio from Greater Cleveland Partnership (2025). He is also a former U.S Fulbright Scholar (2012) and was selected as a Global Sports Initiative Fellow at Harvard University (2023).Currently, Matt serves as the Head of Engagement & Belonging for the Cleveland Guardians Baseball Organization. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Race/Ethnic Studies from Siena University and a Master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he was an Equity & Inclusion Fellow. He is also pursuing a Doctorate in Interprofessional Leadership and Equity at Kent State University. In addition to his professional role, Matt serves on the boards of Teach For America - Ohio, Near West Theatre, Waterford.Org, and Get in the Game. He is a former U.S. Fulbright Scholar and Teach For America alumnus.

Experience

1. Head of Engagement & Belonging

   Cleveland Guardians

   Jun 2021 — Present · Cleveland, OH, US

   Our Purpose at the Cleveland Guardians, the reason why we exist, is simple: Unite & Inspire Our City with the Power of Team. We just happen to think we can do that by Winning the World Series while Creating a Compelling Fan Experience.At the Guardians, I built and oversee our Global Engagement department for Business & Baseball Operations. This includes serving on the Business Leadership Team, providing inclusive leadership consultation to all facets of the organization to enhance our culture and impact, and leading the implementation of our Guards for All strategy focused on building the most inclusive workplace in professional sport.

Education

• Kent State University

  Doctor of Education - EdD, Interprofessional Leadership

• Harvard Graduate School of Education

  Master of Education - MEd, Education Policy & Management

• Siena University

  Bachelor of Arts, Spanish

  2008 — 2012

Skills

• Community Outreach
• Social Media
• Digital Media
• Service Learning
• Team Building
• International Education
• Educational Technology
• International Relations
• Research
• Spanish
• Microsoft Word
• Editing
• English
• Curriculum Development
• Event Planning
• Youth Development
• Powerpoint
• Microsoft Excel
• Curriculum Design
• Public Speaking
• Microsoft Office