MEET MATT HRUBEY (MPA '12)

Degrees:

• Master of Public Administration, Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs - Cleveland State University
• B.A., Political Science, Mount Union College

Where are you currently residing? 
Fairview Park, Ohio

Where are you from? 
Berea, Ohio

Current Employment:

• Position Title: Grants Coordinator
• Place of Employment: Cuyahoga County
• Job Duties: The position of Grants Coordinator was created in 2016 to provide fiscal oversight of countywide grant activities and technical assistance to County departments. Responsibilities include managing the annual federal single audit, preparing the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards, developing and maintaining grant policies and procedures, reviewing financial reports for grants generated by County departments, maintaining auxiliary grant files containing essential grant documentation, ensuring the proper budgeting and accounting for grants, and identifying and investigating issues that may arise with respect to grants management.

Volunteer Experience
I am currently a board member of Forward Fairview Park, a coalition of Fairview Park business owners and residents collaborating with City Hall to help revitalize the Lorain Road Corridor and draw the community together to support it. I have also served on the boards for the Rocky River Watershed Council and the Fairview Park Education Foundation. Finally, although not volunteerism per se, I was appointed to the Board of Education for the Fairview Park City Schools in August of 2016.

Why did you decide to attend Levin?
During and immediately succeeding my undergraduate career, I was offered internship opportunities at all levels of government: federal, state, and local. Through these experiences I learned my preference for the scale of municipal government. Being educated in city management at one of the foremost universities on the topic made perfect sense to me.

What's your favorite Levin memory?
Delivering my Capstone presentation prior to graduation. It was cathartic after a challenging, motivational experience.

What piece of advice do you have for current Levin graduate students?
Tap Levin's alumni network. Many influential decision makers in the region are Levin graduates. Use that mutual experience as a foundation for learning new skills, obtaining feedback and best practices, and cementing new relationships and opportunities for personal growth.

What was the most valuable lesson you learned at Levin?
Time management. This soft skill transcends all sectors and industries and breeds success in workplaces (e.g., local governments) where employees are continually tasked with more and more duties. I have always been an organized person but Levin forced me to up my game so that I could perform at my peak both academically and professionally in the various jobs I held.

What inspires you about Northeast Ohio? Why?
I am inspired that our local governments continue to make significant progress and improvements despite restrictive fiscal conditions and limited budgets. As I travel throughout Cuyahoga County, I am constantly amazed at the new amenities, physical assets and developments, and programs available to residents. To me, this sort of progress showcases the creativity and innovation of our government officials, two necessary traits that beget good governance.

What issues are you passionate about/what inspires you?
My passion is assisting local governments in obtaining the resources necessary to provide efficient and innovative services to their constituents. As I previously stated, I am encouraged by those city and county officials who are providing new and/or improved opportunities for their residents in a climate of tightening budgets. I am also a longtime advocate for environmental stewardship. I believe it is a moral imperative that we not waste resources just because it is more convenient and cost effective. This planet needs to outlive all of us and provide for future generations as it provided for us.