Paul Mattessich

Paul Mattessich served as executive director of Wilder Research from 1982 through 2022. He enjoys working with a research team from diverse disciplines, who share research knowledge and join with others – locally, nationally, and internationally – to improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities.

Paul has lectured frequently throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe, especially on topics of organization and service effectiveness, collaboration/partnerships, and major social trends. He has authored or co-authored more than 300 publications. He has consulted for 20 years in Belfast, Northern Ireland with youth development and civic engagement organizations that promote democratic skills to bring communities together and to resolve conflict. The Community Indicators Consortium awarded Paul their 2018 Hall of Heroes award. Until 2019, he taught research methods in the Department of Youth Studies, School of Social Work, at the University of Minnesota. He received his doctorate in Sociology from the University of Minnesota.

Paul loves the theater and serves on the Park Square Theatre Board of Directors. You will find him attending shows in Minnesota, Texas, New York, London, and elsewhere! You will also find him at the YMCA five days a week, attempting despite all odds to maintain “a healthy mind in a healthy body.”

Paul authored The Manager's Guide to Program Evaluation (now in a second edition). He is co-author of Collaboration: What Makes it Work (now in a third edition) and he developed the widely used Wilder Collaboration Factors Inventory.