Matt Friedrick ’13MED, ’16MBA Named Executive Director of Development

Matt Friedrick ’13MED, ’16MBA, a longtime development and program director and former classroom teacher who has served on multiple education boards and task forces, will join the NC State College of Education Sept. 10 as its executive director of development.

“Matt will bring the experience, passion, and diligence we need to build relationships and secure support to advance our mission to improve the educational outcomes of all learners across North Carolina and beyond,” said NC State College of Education Dean Mary Ann Danowitz.

Currently, he serves as a director of development in NC State’s Central Major Gifts, where he connects major gift donors to philanthropic priorities across the university.

Previously, he directed Duke University’s strategic relationships in India and Latin America, and served for nine years in the University of North Carolina System as director of global education programs. With the UNC System, he built academic programs and collaborative relationships in the U.S., China, India, and across Europe and Latin America. There, he also leveraged donor support to build a statewide strategic language program, ultimately reaching 16,000 K-12 students in North Carolina.

Before that Friedrick taught seventh grade and high school Spanish and was an informal educator in museums for six years. He also has devoted his volunteer activities to education-related issues in North Carolina, including serving as a school board member, as a task force member for the State Board of Education, and as a leader of an innovative professional development program for North Carolina teachers. Currently, he is the secretary and program committee chair for the Longview Foundation, which aims to improve global education in K-12 schools and teacher education programs across the U.S.

Friedrick earned his Master of Education from the NC State College of Education. He also earned an MBA from the Poole College of Management and completed the North Carolina Education Policy Fellowship Program in 2008. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish Language and Literature from Texas A&M University, where he was a McFadden Scholar.