Matthew Grimes

Vice President of Engagement & Belonging, Cleveland Guardians MLB Team

Cleveland, Ohio

Matthew Grimes is the vice president of engagement and belonging at the Cleveland Guardians MLB Team, where he leads transformative initiatives that foster inclusion, elevate underrepresented voices, and create more equitable systems across sports and community settings. His work has included addressing the harmful impact of discriminatory mascots in K-12 schools and youth sports organizations. He leads initiatives that empower affected communities to create counternarratives on the representation of historical icons in sports. He has led community engagement strategies to foster partnerships with local Native communities and offered educational sessions reaching over 1,000 K-12 students and educators. Through his leadership, Matthew drives policy change, which has led to the implementation of inclusive mascot guidelines in more than 10 schools across Ohio, and he aims to create a world where sports organizations build more equitable systems that extend beyond the field.