Matt Brockelman joins Southern Strategy Group after most recently serving as a state lobbyist for the University of North Florida (UNF), covering higher education issues from both a university-wide and student-centric perspective. Prior to lobbying, Matt worked in media relations for the Jacksonville Mayor's Office.

Matt has been involved with several recent high-profile education initiatives in Tallahassee including the Florida G.I. Bill, which provided additional tuition assistance to honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. Armed Services. Matt also worked extensively on the Florida Legislature's 2014 bipartisan push to limit student cost increases at Florida public universities and extend in-state tuition rates to more Florida families.

Matt holds bachelor's degrees in finance and marketing from the University of North Florida and currently serves on its Alumni Association Board of Directors. While a student, Matt was actively involved on campus and graduated as UNF's student body president. During his term as president, Matt helped form a partnership between UNF and the Jacksonville Jaguars that resulted in the first-ever dedicated student section at an NFL stadium. Matt also served as vice chairman of the Florida Student Association, a constitutionally-recognized statewide organization that represents the interests of more than 330,000 students in Florida's public universities.

Having grown up in Jacksonville, Matt possesses deep ties to the local community and a strong desire to contribute to its future. In 2013, Matt became the youngest person to receive a fellowship to the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce's Political Leadership Institute.

6-10 years

Served on the Georgia Department of Revenue Local Government Advisory Group. As a member of this group, Joel provided the Revenue Commissioner with feedback and suggestions on the impact of important tax issues on local governments.

Joel has developed extensive relationships with elected and appointed officials at the state and local level. Many of these relationships are concentrated in revenue and finance with strong relationships with finance directors all across Georgia's 538 cities and 159 counties. In addition to these local relationships, Joel has done extensive work with the Georgia Department of Revenue.

Joel began his career in local government by providing planning, zoning, and land use support with over 63 cities and 17 counties for one of Georgia's Regional Commissions. Joel then moved to Talladega, AL where he assisted the city manager in all planning and community development projects. It was in this capacity that Joel first started learning municipal budgeting and operations. Joel's work in Talladega caught the eye of a state trade association, and Joel got his introduction to lobbying with the Alabama Manufactured Housing Association (AMHA) in 2013.

As AMHA's Deputy Director, Joel learned the business operations of one of Alabama's major industries and lobbied on their behalf both locally and on the state level. After nearly four years with AMHA, Joel decided to combine his local government and lobbying experience by taking a job with Georgia Municipal Association (GMA). While at GMA, Joel specialized in a wide array of tax issues and lobbied on behalf of Georgia's 538 cities. Joel's knowledge of local government operations, business operations, and public policy development allowed him to develop a broad array of relationships at the General Assembly, while effectively advocating for all of Georgia's cities.

Joel graduated from Georgia College and State University with a BA in political science and Masters of Public Administration. Joel grew up in Byron, Georgia and currently resides in Atlanta with his wife Lucy and daughter Willow.