About Matt Kudish

NONPROFIT CONSULTANT & MENTAL HEALTH LEADER

Matt Kudish helps nonprofits scale and organizations build healthier workplaces. Former CEO of NAMI-NYC. Real experience, real results.

Great work starts with great people – and great people need systems that support them.

I'm Matt Kudish, and I've spent over 20 years in the nonprofit sector – scaling organizations, leading teams, and learning what it actually takes to grow without losing your soul in the process.

For nearly a decade I served as CEO of NAMI-NYC, where I scaled the organization's budget by 230% (from $1.5M to $5M), doubled our annual reach to over 23,000 people, and launched a workplace initiative that generated more than $1M in earned revenue. I transformed the board from a working model to a strategic fundraising board, expanded the staff by 150%, and balanced five consecutive budgets – including two years with $1M+ surpluses.

But here's the thing: none of that would have mattered if we'd burned out our team or lost sight of why we were doing the work in the first place.

Collaborative strategy meeting for nonprofit organizational growth and workplace culture improvement.

Matt Kudish speaking at a mental health advocacy event on workplace systems and leadership.

The Philosophy:
People. Purpose. Performance.

I don't believe in growth for growth's sake. I believe in sustainable, strategic scaling that's grounded in mission, values, and – most importantly – the well-being of the people doing the work.

Whether I'm helping a nonprofit build infrastructure for their next phase of growth or partnering with a company to strengthen their workplace mental health culture, my approach is the same:

Start with honesty.

Let's talk about where you really are, not where you wish you were.

Build with intention.

Strategy isn't a buzzword. It's a roadmap that reflects your values, your culture, and your capacity.

Grow with care.

Sustainable growth means building systems that support your people, not exhaust them.

I'm not here to sell you a one-size-fits-all solution. I'm here to listen, strategize, and partner with you to figure out what actually works for your organization.

Background & Expertise

Before launching We Better Work, I spent eight years as CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City (NAMI-NYC). Under my leadership, NAMI-NYC transformed from a mom n’ pop organization to a mission-driven, outcome-focused, program and advocacy powerhouse that tripled its size and impact, with 30+ staff, 350 active volunteers, touching the lives of over 23,000 individuals annually, and a budget of $5M.

During my ten-year tenure at CaringKind (formerly the Alzheimer's Association, NYC Chapter), I led a $3.5M budget and a team of 26 staff. I secured $1.4M+ in state contracts, scaled the team by 200%, expanded programming by 47%, and more than doubled fee-for-service revenue.

I've also taught at Columbia University and lectured at NYU, Yeshiva University, and Pratt Institute, sharing what I've learned about leadership, mental health, aging, caregiving, and organizational growth.

I hold an MSW from Columbia University and an MPA from NYU Wagner, along with post-graduate certifications in Clinical Supervision and Executive Leadership from NYU Silver School of Social Work. I participated in the inaugural Strell Fellowship in Executive Leadership at Hunter College and am a Licensed Master Social Worker in New York State.

I've been featured as an expert in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, CBS, NBC, NY-1, FOX, and more, and I've been recognized as a Trailblazer in Health Care by City & State New York and a Notable Healthcare Leader by Crain's New York Business.

Matt Kudish, strategic advisor and nonprofit leadership consultant at We Better Work.

What Drives Me

After college, I moved to New York to be an actor. When that didn't work out, I ended up at a Broadway PR firm managing house seats for The Lion King – the hottest ticket in town at the time. Those six prime seats were mine to allocate, and suddenly strangers were showering me with gifts. CDs and DVDs. Concert tickets. Homemade cookies. Designer shoes. (Really.)

It was flattering at first. Then it felt gross. I couldn't tell who was genuine and who just wanted something from me. That's when I thought: I want to do work that actually matters.

Executive thought partner Matt Kudish emphasizing human-centered leadership and workplace culture.

Rainbow chalk drawing symbolizing inclusive leadership and diverse workplace environments.

I came out as gay in my twenties, and it was a pretty fraught time for me.

I thought maybe I could help queer teens navigate that journey. So I found social work, enrolled, and somehow got placed in a teen center for my field internship.

I thought, how perfect is this??

I learned a lot, one thing being that I did not want to work with adolescents. At all.

Matt Kudish showcasing his professional background and leadership experience in the mental health sector.

When I graduated, I started applying for jobs across different populations and settings. I ended up working with older adults and their caregivers in Brooklyn – basically the opposite end of the life cycle.

And I absolutely loved it.

I eventually ended up at the Alzheimer's Association and over the next 10 years I fell deeper into that world. I oversaw programs, joined the senior leadership team, and got exposed to all the other parts of running a nonprofit – fundraising, operations, finance, the Board. That's when I realized: I want to run one of these.

So I went back to school for my MPA. Full-time. While working full-time. (Don't recommend it. Don't regret it either.)

And, just as I was finishing, I was recruited to lead NAMI-NYC.

Everyone asked why I'd leave aging after a decade-plus to go into mental health. But here's the thing: Alzheimer's and mental illness aren't that different.

Both affect a person's ability to show up in their own life. Both involve caregivers navigating impossible situations. Both are wrapped in stigma that keeps people isolated — even though so many others are dealing with the same thing.

Strategic consulting and executive coaching session focused on nonprofit growth and organizational well-being.

The throughline in all my work has always been the same: people who are struggling, the systems that fail them, and the people trying to hold it all together.

And honestly? That extends to the workplace too.

We spend so much of our lives at work. It can be meaningful, energizing, fulfilling. But it can also be hard, exhausting, and demoralizing — especially in nonprofits, where you're constantly asked to do more with less..

Here's what I've learned:

At the end of the day, it all comes down to your people and how you treat them.
You can have the best mission and strategy in the world, but if you burn out your team, none of it matters.

Team brainstorming session facilitated by We Better Work for executive strategy and performance.

That's why I do this work — for nonprofits scaling sustainably without sacrificing their people, and for organizations ready to take workplace mental health seriously. Not as a perk. As a priority.

I bring energy, honesty, and a sense of humor to everything I do. People tell me I make them feel like the only person in the room.

If you're looking for someone who's been in the trenches and genuinely gets it — We Better Work