Matt Kavgian

Founder and Principal Consultant

Matt Kavgian (kav-JEE-en) is an accomplished organizational leader, C-suite advisor, policy strategist, and strategic communicator with a career spanning higher education, government, defense. and nonprofit sectors. As founder and principal consultant of Altius Strategies, he partners with leaders and institutions to align mission, reputation, and results through tailored strategy, tools and execution.

Most recently, Matt served as executive director of the Indiana Economic Development Association, where he spearheaded statewide advocacy, research, and policy development to strengthen the ecosystem driving Indiana’s economy. At the same time, he served as chief of staff at The Corydon Group, a leading public affairs firm in Indianapolis.

Previously, as director of strategic communications & projects at the Indiana University Foundation, Matt led communications, supported government relations, and managed high-level initiatives - such as strategic planning - for the president and board at one of the nation’s top-performing university foundations. As senior policy advisor/analyst with defense contractor JRC Integrated Systems, he co-developed strategies that secured federal support for Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, bolstering both national security and regional economic growth.

His international perspective was shaped through leadership at Crossroads International, a global NGO addressing at-risk youth behaviors through public health and educational programs in more than 70 countries, built global partnerships, secured funding from diverse sources, and produced an award-winning documentary short film.

Matt began his career as a Capitol Hill intern for U.S. Senator and statesman Richard Lugar and as a development officer at Wheaton College in Illinois.

Matt holds dual master’s degrees in public administration and international relations, along with a certificate of advanced study in security studies from Syracuse University’s prestigious Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. As Maxwell's senior graduate fellow in national security studies, he earned executive certificates in contemporary warfare, counterterrorism and Arab-Israeli relations from King’s College London, IDC Herzliya and Al Quds University East Jerusalem. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Wheaton College.

Dedicated to lifelong learning, Matt is committed to helping organizations and leaders achieve clarity, influence, and lasting impact in complex and rapidly changing environments. He resides in Bloomington, Indiana.