DSA Welcomes New COO Matt Gurney

We’re pleased to announce that Matt Gurney has joined the Downtown Seattle Association as our new chief operating officer, beginning May 12. In this role, Matt oversees DSA’s financial, human resources, regulatory and administrative functions.

Matt brings a deep commitment to social impact, extensive leadership experience and a strong connection to our city.

“I’ve called Seattle home since 1995, and I have a deep love for this place,” Matt said. “DSA’s mission and the work we do through the Metropolitan Improvement District resonate with me — especially our commitment to creating opportunities for all and supporting a thriving downtown.”

Matt has spent much of his career in the social enterprise and nonprofit space. He served more than 20 years at FareStart in downtown Seattle, where he held senior leadership roles including VP of social enterprise and chief innovation officer. Most recently, he served as CEO of Fort Worden Hospitality. His roots in community impact go back to his first venture, Habitat Espresso, a Capitol Hill coffee house and social enterprise that developed the idea for a barista training program for homeless youth, which eventually became part of FareStart.

“I look forward to bringing my experiences in leadership, social enterprise and business administration to DSA,” Matt said. “My goal is to help maximize the impact of our services for ratepayers, the broader community and our dedicated staff.”

Matt replaced Elisabeth James, who spent nine years as DSA’s COO.