Matt Leavell is an economic developer with experience in real estate, architecture, urban design, planning, sustainable tourism, and facilitation. He’s applied design thinking strategies across a wide variety of projects throughout Alabama including the Regional Ecotourism Plan for Coastal Alabama and the Gulf State Park Enhancement Project, a $143 million effort to redevelop Gulf State Park into an international benchmark for economic and environmental sustainability. He is one of the primary authors for the 2021 Alabama State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, a founding member of the Cahaba Blueway, and the board chair for Your Town Alabama, a leadership workshop focused on educating individuals on using design and planning to improve their communities. He's held a variety of professional positions at firms and universities including the University of Alabama, Auburn University, SOM, PJAR, and Shepley Bulfinch. He’s been published in the book Developing Citizen Designers and Trim Tab magazine. He lectures frequently to community and professional organizations about the economic benefits of aspirational economic and community development. He’s also developed and taught studio and lecture classes at Auburn University, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, and The Boston Architectural College.