Avivo Village Initiative
A champion for economic stability and advancement for all Minnesotans, Kelly Matter has dedicated her entire career of 30-plus years to ensuring that Minnesota’s most disparate community members have opportunities for personal, social and economic success. She is an innovative leader in workforce development and social services, committed to creating pathways for housing, recovery, and careers for ALL individuals.
Since November of 2012, Matter has been President and CEO of Avivo, one of the largest workforce development, housing services, and behavioral health, nonprofit organizations in Minnesota serving approximately 15,000 individuals and their families each year. Avivo's mission is to increase well-being through recovery and career advancement while working to end homelessness. Her accomplishments are in creating systems that impel innovation and integration. Most recently, she has led Avivo in expanding its work of ending homelessness -- specifically with the implementation of the first-in-the-nation, indoor nontraditional shelter of 100 tiny homes. Avivo is also the largest provider of family and employment services for families working hard to move off public assistance and into work. Avivo specializes in and radically welcomes members of our communities who face the greatest challenges to health, and social and economic wellness. Her career is punctuated by strong community outcomes, as the chief executive of Avivo and former executive leader of CommonBond Communities and Goodwill-Easter Seals of Minnesota.