How did you become involved with the Fulbright Association?

When I returned to the US from Spain after Fulbright, maintaining my connection with the Fulbright community was an easy decision. I’ve been a member since 2014 and plan to be one for a long time. It’s great to be involved with an organization that shares the same values.

Why do you enjoy being a member of the Fulbright alumni community?

Many of the close friendships built during the Fulbright experience I still have to this day. Maintaining those relationships and participating in the Fulbright alumni community is a way to keep in touch with the values of the Fulbright Program.

Why do you donate to the Fulbright Association?

Thanks to the Fulbright Scholarship to IE Business School in Madrid, a world of opportunities was opened to me to create value in society through real estate entrepreneurship. Without the business acumen acquired during the Fulbright Program, I never would have acquired the knowledge, nor found the boldness, to pursue a career in real estate, improving the badly needed housing stock in our communities here in the US. Giving back to Fulbright is a way for me to “pay it forward” to advance the mission of the Fulbright Program. Supporting the Program helps the next scholarship recipients to learn the skills to benefit their communities and expand their perspectives through professional advancement.

What are your interests outside of the Association?

I am the Director of the Real Estate Lab in Allentown, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides real estate knowledge, networks, and capital to groups that have historically been excluded from real estate ownership. The program helps break down the societal barriers to entry to real estate ownership and bridge the wealth gap. My wife, Anna, and I purchase, renovate, and operate single family and small multifamily properties in the greater Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania region. We have a toddler named Mathew Jr. and a puppy named Cava. I maintain my Spanish language skills and occasionally dust off my guitar and violin. Our family enjoys boating, winter sports, and taking walks as a family.