MELROSE RESIDENT MATT KIDD NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF REACHING OUT MBA, INC., THE LEADING LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER GRADUATE BUSINESS STUDENT ORGANIZATION

--  Kidd to oversee expansion of national organization dedicated to connecting, inspiring and educating LGBT MBA students --

The Board of Directors of Reaching Out MBA, Inc., the nation’s leading organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) graduate business students, has announced the appointment of Melrose resident Matt Kidd to the newly created position of Executive Director.  As the former Treasurer of the previously all-volunteer organization, Kidd will become the first official staff member as Executive Director.

Involved with Reaching Out MBA since he was a student volunteer in 2010, Kidd views his new position and the organization with an entrepreneurial eye. “The Reaching Out MBA organization is much like a start-up company,” revealed Kidd.  “The students who organize our events are like product developers for the LGBT MBA community.  They plan, tweak, test and launch programs each year and see immediately what works and what doesn’t.  It’s now time to expand upon what the organization has built over the past 16 years and focus on connecting LGBT MBA students in different ways throughout the year.  It’s a very exciting prospect given my background.”

With an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business, Kidd comes to the role with a background in product development in both technology startups and theatrical production.  His experiences range from working with New York City-based start-up Tenlegs on sales and product marketing of its network for artists, to consulting for MyCityWay, a BMW-backed company dedicated to creating a personalized mobile app platform. Kidd has also served as a theatrical producer and communications consultant for commercial and non-profit arts organizations, and was on the Board of Directors of the Greater Boston Business Council.

“We have reached an inflection point as an all volunteer organization and hiring Matt is the first major step in our strategy for growth,” said Kevin Smith, President of the Reaching Out MBA Board of Directors.  “Matt has been connected to Reaching Out MBA since he was a graduate student at Stern and later as both a board member and our Treasurer so he has a clear understanding of the needs of the organization both from a constituent and volunteer perspective. I know that I speak on behalf of our entire board when I say that we are thrilled to welcome Matt and look forward to working with him to develop and implement unique programs to educate, inspire and connect our student constituents.”

One way Reaching Out MBA serves the LGBT MBA student community is through its annual conference, now in its 16th year.  The 2013 Reaching Out LGBT MBA Conference will be held October 17 – 20 in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Organized by a team of MBA students who handle every aspect of the conference, the 4-day event provides a unique opportunity for LGBT students to network with Fortune 500 companies, business leaders and recruiters from across the globe. Over 1,200 students from the nation’s top business schools and more than 80 national and global companies will be in attendance at this year’s conference. “The conference is a tremendous springboard to activities and events that will help further strengthen the vital ties between our students and the business community,” said Kidd.  “It has been remarkable what has been achieved in the past and as Executive Director I look forward to working with the Board and the students to help realize their dreams of what this organization can become in the future.”

About Reaching Out MBA, Inc.

Reaching Out MBA, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has a singular purpose to empower LGBT MBA students to become professionals who will lead the way to equality in business education, in the workplace, and throughout society.  Through its programming anchored by its annual conference, Reaching Out MBA, Inc. educates LGBT MBA students about the opportunities and challenges of being an LGBT MBA student and business leader, how to capitalize on those opportunities, and how to overcome those challenges.  Reaching Out MBA, Inc. facilitates the formation of communities between and among students and the corporate sector in an ongoing effort to create the next generation of LGBT business leaders.

For more information, visit www.reachingoutmba.org.