creative producer
for progressive causes, human rights & environmental protection


Based in Silver Spring, Maryland | Washington, D.C. | San Francisco, CA

Issues I’m working on:

bioethics, climate change awareness, environmental protection & indigenous peoples rights, healthcare access, housing reform, LGBTQ+ rights, public health, racial equity, STEM research & education

Photo by Camila Falquez

long story short

hi there! i’m matthias (he/him) — a creative producer and strategist who makes media that creates change. i partner with some of the world’s most prominent leaders, non-profits, foundations, NGOs, artists, policymakers, scientists, think tanks, and scholars to craft immersive campaigns from concept to delivery – working in solidarity with marginalized communities and causes worldwide to shift narratives and spark action ☀️

Photo by Easton Carter Angle

i grew up in the Bay Area, CA in a family of musicians, and spent my first two decades inside the world of music — which led me to Carnegie Hall, consulting for some of the world's top artists, and co-founding The Dream Unfinished, a non-profit using music and the arts to raise funds, inspire action, and engage audiences in dialogue around social and racial justice.

after a few well-timed existential crises, i pivoted to humanitarian work — raising funds, awareness, and support for Ireland's largest aid and humanitarian organization, operating across 25+ countries, where i drove 20%+ digital fundraising growth and quadrupled U.S. web traffic.

today, i lead teams of designers, writers, filmmakers, and producers — alongside veteran communications, media, and policy experts — at Burness, advancing the issues that matter most: from climate justice and LGBTQ+ rights to public health and racial equity. if you're building something that matters, i'd love to help tell that story..

Recent clients:

  • Advocates for Trans Equality

  • Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

  • Aspen Institute

  • Bloomberg Philanthropies

  • CDC/CDC Foundation

  • Commonwealth Fund

  • Climate and Land Use Alliance

  • Ford Foundation

  • Global Health Technologies Coalition

  • Greenwall Foundation

  • Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

  • Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation

  • Kavli Foundation

  • National Geographic Society

  • Nature Conservancy

  • Ocean Conservancy

  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

  • Rockefeller Foundation

  • Stand.earth

burness.com

Education:

Bachelor of Music & Creative Writing
New York University (2016)

Cerrado fires deforestation-Victor Moriyama for Rainforest Foundation Norway_Matthias pic 2.jpg
  • "The biggest issue we face is shifting human consciousness, not saving the planet. The planet doesn't need saving, we do." — Xiuhtezcatl Martinez

“The trees act not as individuals, but somehow as a collective. Exactly how they do this, we don’t yet know. But what we see is the power of unity. What happens to one happens to us all. We can starve together or feast together.”

—Robin Wall Kimmerer

PHOTO by victor moriyama | rainforest foundation norway
Graphic design by Ash Trowel/Burness.

Consulting Services:

  • Campaign Strategy

  • Creative Media & Messaging Development

  • Video, Social, Email & Web Production

  • Writing & Editing

  • Creator Collaborations

  • Search Engine Optimization & Marketing

  • Digital Advertising & Fundraising

  • Website Audit, Tune-Up & Analytics

  • Press & Public Relations

Portfolio available upon request.


Say hello to inquire about my project availability, set up a call, collaborate or connect!

Thanks for being here and being you :)