04/16/2021
About Matt Stringer
Matt Stringer is the son of Bill and Maxene Stringer and grew up in Nyssa, Oregon and graduated High School in 1977. He went to Amherst College and University of Oregon and graduated with a BA in Journalism and Business from the University of Oregon. He moved to Manhattan and worked for advertising agencies and record companies in senior capacities from 1982-2009. In 2011 Matt moved back to Ontario to take care of his mother and took the job as Executive Director at the Four Rives Cultural Center. Presently Matt has been in that position for almost 10 years. Matt has one brother, two nephews and four great nieces and nephews.
Matt started his career in Manhattan, New York in 1982 working in his field of study as an Account Supervisor at prestigious advertising firms and had an extraordinary career working in the record industry working with the likes of U2, Carlos Santana, Whitney Houston and P!NK. Moving back to Malheur County in 2009 during his tenure at Four Rivers Cultural Center the center has experienced unprecedented success, doubling income, dramatically increasing programs and participation for children, and increasing booked meeting from 266 in 2011 to 688 in 2019. 4,400 people (duplicated) walked through the doors in 2011 and 92,000 came to the Center in 2019.
Matt was appointed by Governor Kate Brown as a commissioner on the Oregon Arts Commission. He is a voting Grammy member as a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS). He is on the board of local non-profit Euvalcree, a member of Ontario Community Church, a charter member of the Malheur County Equity Committee, a CASA foster children advocate
To Matt Children matter. He sees kids as our most valuable human resource . They are our future. Matt has produced many successful children’s programs at Four Rivers Cultural Center – a thriving Children’s Community Theatre program, baby ballet and differently abled dance classes for kids, museum field trip programming, among others. Matt received a U.S. flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol to honor FRCC from Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley for our work with children and diversity, equity and inclusion. He also won the Vicki Owens award for work with disabled children from the Oregon Department Of Human Services and the Equity Stewardship Award Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History.
Matt has developed relationships with all school districts in Malheur County and does a lot of work to bring programs that augment local teachers curriculums. Matt has worked with all principals in 8C schools. This year Four Rivers Cultural Center will work directly with 8C school district administration to educate and engage students five days a week during June’s migrant summer school program. More than 25,000 children come to the Cultural Center every year to participate in one of our programs.
Matt is civic minded, was selected by our community as Man of The Year in 2020 and cares deeply about community. He is extremely proud of our communities diversity and cares about equity and fairness for every child. He knows about marginalized populations and is very sensitive to children of color, has successfully helped build a refugee welcome center, volunteers at the food pantry where he sees many food insecure children and families, is a foster child advocate, has produced forums for undocumented laborers, brings disabled OHS high school students to the Center for work and life skill training, is desperate to help homeless/houseless children and works with many children from distressed homes.
Matt has experience managing 60 people at a time, working collaboratively with myriad of people in various positions, being on committees, teams and boards, setting policy, developing comprehensive campaigns and engaging with thousand of people over the course of his life. Matt whole-heartedly supports the 8C school district mission to equip all student with the skills for life long learning and to graduate as responsible adults prepared for college or career. He is a good listeners, has a collaborative mindset, is empathetic, compassionate and driven by the needs of students. Working at a non-profit he is altruistic, fair and approachable. He wants to be a change agent for the school board and help build a kind, respectful and effective support system for 8C administration and faculty.
