Michelle Matter
Chief Operating Officer
SDSU
Bio
Michelle Matter is the Chief Operating Officer of the San Diego State University Center for Excellence in Aging & Longevity (CEAL), bringing more than 25 years of experience across government, higher education, and the nonprofit sector. Her work centers on advancing community-based solutions that address the complex and evolving needs of older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers.
Michelle holds a Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership and a Master of Arts in Gerontology from the University of Southern California. Her doctoral dissertation was a promising practice study examining senior nutrition programs as a cost-saving intervention for Medicare. She also holds an MBA with a healthcare specialization and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, providing a multidisciplinary foundation for addressing policy, systems, and practice challenges in aging.
As an American Society on Aging (ASA) RISE Fellow, she focused on diversity in aging, advocacy, and leadership development, completing a project that examined the root causes of inequity within a senior center in Los Angeles including weight bias and stigma, unrecognized complexity in health needs, and gaps between healthcare and community-based services.
Most recently, Michelle completed a research study on intergenerational housing models, analyzing feasibility, sustainability, and scalability. She currently serves as principal investigator on a caregiver research study in partnership with St. Paul’s Senior Services. Michelle also serves as a Board Member of the California Collaborative for Long Term Services and the City of San Diego Senior Affairs Advisory Board.
Primary Email: [email protected]