STORY BY BENJAMIN LERNER
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY CENTER ON RURAL INNOVATION
As The Center on Rural Innovation ’ s founder and Executive Director Matt Dunne sits in a comfortable chair on his front porch and stares out into the bucolic wilderness , there is a palpable feeling of heartfelt gratitude in his voice . “ I ’ m very thankful to have been born and raised here in Hartland , Vermont .” says Dunne . “ It ’ s a beautiful place with an incredibly strong and supportive community . I wouldn ’ t be where I ’ m at today without the selfless and considerate actions of the people I knew when I was growing up here .”
Through his work at the Center on Rural Innovation ( CORI ), Dunne has been able to pay forward the kindness of his hometown friends on a massive scale across the country . Working with a talented team of employees , he has developed a number of comprehensive programs and initiatives that address the considerable opportunity gap between rural and urban areas . By partnering with rural communities across the country , CORI and its sister organization , Rural Innovation Strategies , Inc . ( RISI ), are able to build capacity and help them source grants , develop strong connections through their Rural Innovation Network , catalyze digital workforce development , and effectively navigate the numerous challenges that prevent them from actualizing their digital economic goals .
As CORI continues to move expand the number of communities it supports , Dunne remains grounded in the principles that have propelled him forward in the fields of education , technology , and public service by drawing on his formative experiences for strength and inspiration .
After Dunne ’ s father passed away when he was only thirteen years old , members of the local Hartland community reached out to offer their support to his family at a crucial moment . As a result , Dunne was able to successfully overcome the personal obstacles that he faced in his early adolescence . Following his graduation from Hanover high school , Dunne attended Brown University , where he earned a degree in public policy . Just several months after graduating from Brown in 1992 , he was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives . Dunne left his position at the Vermont State Legislature in January 2000 to work as the national director for Americorps VISTA under the Clinton Administration . He then returned home to Vermont in 2002 , where he served in the Vermont State Senate for four years . Over the course of his tenure in the state legislature and state senate ,
VTMAG . COM FALL 2021 49