Matthew Beres

Matthew Beres was born in Stamford, Connecticut. He attended the University of Colorado, where he received a degree in Sociology, with extended studies in international affairs, communication, and business. During his time at the University, Matthew was involved in a number of student activities, including the Student Union, as the Executive Director of City/Neighborhood Relations.

Inspired by his mother’s work on rights for physically challenged individuals, Matthew served as the Student Union’s advocate for this population. By the end of his tenure, Matthew had helped create a student group for this population, passed a bill to guarantee their rights within the University system, helped to integrate accessible features in the extensive new campus building plan that exceeded ADA standards, and built a number of additional physically accessible parking spaces for students.

Also during this time, Matthew helped organize a campus movement that brought students from various, sometimes conflicting religious groups, to provide restaurant quality food to the city’s homeless population. Matthew's reasoning behind this movement, was that, like the smallest seed that grows into a towering tree, the changes we desperately need throughout the world, must begin in our own communities. The group continues to provide similar services, along with relationship building between religious groups, to this day.

It was early in his undergraduate career, that Matthew started volunteering to teach alcohol and drug education to high school and college students. His passion for the subject grew as he became a CPR instructor, and an Emergency Medical Technician. Matthew volunteered his time for years, providing free EMT services and CPR instruction to the University of Colorado Boulder student body.

Following graduation, Matthew received a faculty research position with the University’s Institute of Behavioral Sciences, where he studied the sociological dimensions of natural disasters. During this time, Matthew continued his work with the campus physically challenged population, as a faculty member of the Chancellor’s Accessibility Committee (CAC).

Matthew moved on from his faculty position, to serve as the Executive Director for Student Emergency Medical Services Foundation, and The Center of Hope Haiti, Inc. Following the 2008 economic downturn, Matthew was asked to return to Connecticut to turn his family’s recruiting business around, which he did successfully, capitalizing on the booming biotech and information management industries.

Outside of his family's business, Matthew worked for years as an economic analyst and editor for one the world’s leading aerospace and defense intelligence firms, where he created the well-known podcast series, Forecast Roundtable. He also volunteered for many years as an Emergency Medical Technician, notably serving during Hurricane Sandy and the Sandy Hook tragedy.

Matthew eventually moved into the literary publishing world, where he now produces books for children of all ages. His most recent literary achievement is "Racetrack 15," the first of six-book genre-bending horror/suspense paranormal mystery fiction series with progressive themes and memorable characters. Matthew has also edited the "Beautiful Beasts Book," and written the children's illustrated sing-along song books, "Have You Seen and Dinosaur," and "Sushi and Mush Name the Planets."

Matthew now lives in a small town in the Northeastern United States, where he hikes the Appalachian trail whenever possible.