Dr. Matthew Slaats is an American organizer, researcher, and educator with a demonstrated history of working in civic & community engagement with a focus on grassroots community development. He possesses a wealth knowledge in the fields of creative placemaking, participatory budgeting, and development of solidarity economy.

Matthew is an active leader in state, national, and global initiatives to build a more resilient and democratic world. This includes involvement in the Community Economies Research Network, the US Solidarity Economy Network, and the VA Solidarity Economy Network. He is a consultant for participatory budgeting and supporting worker cooperative development in the American South. His teaching explores the intersection of social movements and urban spaces. He holds a PhD in the Constructed Environment from the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture, where he studied public housing advocacy.