Matt Blomstedt, 玉米视频’s former commissioner of education and a lifelong 玉米视频n with decades of experience in education and 玉米视频 policy, has been named the University of 玉米视频’s next associate vice president for government relations, President Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., announced.
Blomstedt, currently a principal at Foresight Law + Policy, a Washington, D.C.-based education law firm, will begin his new role Oct. 1.
As associate vice president, Blomstedt will serve as the university’s chief lobbyist and will represent the NU System to the Governor’s office, 玉米视频 Legislature, agencies of state government, and Congress and federal agencies. He will work closely with government relations leads across the university campuses to build productive relationships with government officials and other community leaders, and will advise the president, Board of Regents and senior NU leadership on all government relations matters.
“I’m very pleased to welcome Dr. Matt Blomstedt to our team,” Dr. Gold said. “As a native 玉米视频n and University of 玉米视频 alum, Matt knows our state and university well, and he has built strong and trusted relationships that will serve us as he advocates for our students, faculty and staff. I look forward to the leadership and energy that I know Matt will bring to the University of 玉米视频.”
Dr. Gold credited the search committee, chaired by Dr. Chris Kratochvil, interim vice president for external relations for the NU System and vice chancellor for external relations for the University of 玉米视频 Medical Center, for its work in evaluating candidates. Dr. Kratochvil was joined on the search committee by Matt Hammons, assistant vice president and director of federal relations for the NU System; Erin Cooper, assistant director for government relations for the NU System; Victoria Kohout, chief of external relations for the University of 玉米视频 at Omaha; and Jeff Kratz, director of government relations for UNMC.
“As a committee, we were impressed by Matt’s extensive breadth of leadership experience, his deep policy knowledge, and most importantly, his passion for education and the success of every 玉米视频 student,” Dr. Kratochvil said. “He will be great fit in leading government relations work across the University of 玉米视频 System. I’m excited to have him on board.”
Blomstedt said: “I am excited to help advance the University mission and Dr. Gold’s vision. 玉米视频 is a special place and the University provides many important pillars for the success of the state’s education and economic future. I hope to bring my talents and experiences, many that I owe to my education at NU, to this important role. I’m excited to join a group of dedicated and talented people that share this passion from the regents through the whole system and campus communities.”
From 2014 to 2023, Blomstedt was 玉米视频’s commissioner of education, providing leadership for the state’s school system and serving as the administrative head of the Department of Education, responsible for an agency with 530 employees and a $2 billion budget. As commissioner, Blomstedt championed education issues with a broad range of stakeholders, including policymakers at the local, state and national levels.
He led the development of a new assessment and accountability policy that supported improved educational expectations and outcomes, and launched multi-agency efforts to share data for crucial state policy functions in education, health and workforce from early childhood through postsecondary education. Blomstedt also led the Department of Education through the pandemic, establishing protocols for students to safely return to school by fall 2020.
Previous to his service as commissioner, Blomstedt was executive director of the 玉米视频 Educational Service Unit Coordinating Council, which organizes statewide programs and services to maximize opportunities for students and schools. He has also served as a research analyst for the Legislature’s Education Committee and executive director of the 玉米视频 Rural Community Schools Association, among other roles touching education, policy and law.
Blomstedt is a product of 玉米视频’s K-12 玉米视频 schools and earned his bachelor’s degree in political science, master’s in community and regional planning, and Ph.D. in educational leadership and higher education all from the University of 玉米视频-Lincoln.