Matthew Burns

Matt is Director of Development and Engagement with Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta (JA Southern Alberta), based in Calgary.

 Matt has spent over 20 years in fund development, community engagement, as well as business and communications consulting roles in post-secondary education, non-profit, and professional services sectors. 

 For over 12 years, Matt has focused his career on fund development and community engagement. Most recently in non-profit, Matt worked with TELUS Spark Science Centre in advancing its $45-million Keep Calgary Curious comprehensive fundraising campaign. Matt spent over 10 years in various central and faculty focused advancement leadership roles with the University of Calgary and University of Alberta. At UCalgary, Matt helped direct the university’s $1.3-billion fund development campaign, Energize. At UAlberta, Matt helped grow the university’s engagement presence through its downtown Calgary Centre and fund development efforts through broad-based faculty specific initiatives in Calgary, Southern Alberta, and Ontario.

Prior to his work in fund development and community engagement, Matt spent over eight years within the professional services domain. He worked in human capital consulting advisory services for Deloitte and in communication consulting with Fleishmann-Hillard, a U.S. based public relations firm.

 Outside of work, Matt volunteers with his son’s community sports initiatives, is a member of his building’s condominium corporation, assists in fund development with the Impact Society, and periodically participates in political and public advocacy campaigns.