Matthew Breman
Regional Director, Africa & Middle East, International Youth Foundation; SID-W Youth in Development Workgroup Co-Chair

Innovation Competition Round 1 Judge

Matthew has more than 25 years of multi-sector program management experience—the last 10+ years in the youth economic opportunities space, while working for global government, non-profit, and private sector organizations. Matthew is passionate about the power of youth and sport to drive social change. He currently serves as Regional Director for Africa & the Middle East at IYF, where he is also a member of IYF’s Senior Leadership Team and provides technical and operational oversight of a $30M program portfolio. Past leadership positions include Director for Africa programs at Chemonics International; Director of Civic Engagement at Citizen Schools; Peace Corps Country Director in Cape Verde (also an RPCV from Guinea-Bissau); and Catholic Relief Services Country Representative in Angola. Matthew holds a BA with Honors in American Studies from Brandeis University and an MA in International Relations with concentrations in International Economics and Social Change and Development from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He also speaks French, Portuguese, and Cape Verdean/Guinean Creole; is proficient in Spanish; and has worked in more than 25 countries.

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