The Council of Governmental Relations (COGR) has announced the appointment of Matt Owens as its incoming President, effective March 2023. Owens brings extensive experience from his current role as Executive Vice President and Vice President for Federal Relations at the Association of American Universities (AAU), where he has provided strategic leadership and overseen federal relations. With a two-decade career at AAU and prior experience at Stanford University, Owens has demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing the interests of higher education, notably through congressional testimony and service on various committees. His academic credentials include a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California at Davis.
Owens expressed enthusiasm for his new role, emphasizing the importance of COGR’s partnership between research institutions and the federal government, and his intent to continue and build upon the achievements of outgoing President Wendy Streitz. The appointment follows an exhaustive national search led by Jeffrey Silber, Chair of COGR’s Board of Directors, who expressed confidence in Owens’s ability to uphold and expand COGR’s legacy. The organization acknowledges and appreciates the contributions of Streitz, who is retiring after 20 years of service, including four years as President.
