Non-Profit Achievements

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For over 12 years in the Napa Valley, Matt has been deeply involved in nonprofit and community activities which have had local, regional and national impact while advising nonprofits on legal and compliance issues.

Current nonprofit roles include:

  • President of the Board of the Napa Valley Youth Symphony, which provides professional-level training for almost 100 students from age 8 through 18.  The Symphony’s first-ever fundraiser in 2008 (which Matt co-chaired that year and in 2009 and 2010 as well) provided necessary funding to send 90 young musicians to perform at Carnegie Hall in the summer of 2008.  The Symphony traveled  to LA in the summer of 2010 to play at Disney Hall, the Frank Gehry-designed home of the LA Philharmonic, where they won a Gold Medal at the Los Angeles International Music Festival.  The Symphony is planning a trip overseas for 2012.  Check out a photo album from the Youth Symphony’s annual fundraiser and gala concert, The Red Gala.
  • Board member of If Given a Chance, an organization focused on providing scholarships and support for young people who have overcome extreme hardship, including physical and sexual abuse, addiction and gang activity.

Playground Fantastico
In 2000, Matt conceived of the idea of an art park for the Napa Valley incorporating commissioned art, landscaping by an award-winning Bay Area designer and play structures for children. He led the fundraising efforts that resulted in over $400,000 raised from individuals, wineries, public and private foundations, state and local government and regional and national service groups for what is now known as Playground Fantástico. In the process, he led nine committees, organized more than 3,000 community volunteers who came together to build the park in the summer of 2002, and managed the budget for the project from conception through construction.  Matt also co-wrote with the Arts Council of Napa Valley the proposal that resulted in the first-ever Napa Valley grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to commission an original tile-mosaic wall that has garnered numerous awards for public benefit. At the center of the playground is a giant sculpture by Gordon Huether, a metal and glass artist based in the Napa Valley whose work appears regionally, nationally and internationally.

Upon completion of construction, Matt also finalized an additional grant of $75,000 from the Robert Mondavi Winery and the Mondavi family personally to support a long-term endowment of the project. The success of this project for the benefit of the Napa community was a realization of Matt’s enduring passion for art and public/private collaboration and his ability to work with others to raise the money needed to support these ends.

The San Francisco Chronicle acknowledged Playground Fantastico as one of the best playgrounds in the Bay Area.  They write that it has “unique, Dali-esque play equipment.”  See the full article.

Other awards received by Matt and the project itself include:

  • Mayor of Napa’s “Shining Star” award for “shining like a star, inspiring others and contributing to our success.”
  • KVON/KVYN’s Best of Napa (Best Place to Entertain Children) for multiple years.
  • Community Service Award, Rotary Club of North Napa.
  • Napa Outstanding Achievement Award, KVON.
  • Community Leader of the Year, Napa County Child Abuse Prevention Council.
  • Selected as one of one of “Most Intriguing People of the Year,” Napa Valley Life magazine .

As a result of the Playground Fantastico project and of Matt’s commitment to the Napa Valley, he was appointed as one of the founding members of the Napa County Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee, which ultimately led to the creation of the first-ever Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District.

Past nonprofit roles include: