Full Name
Matthew Dufrene
Job Title
Vice President, Community Partnerships
Company
Texas Health Resources
Speaker Bio
Matt Dufrene is Vice President, Community Partnerships, with Texas Health Resources, overseeing numerous community health programs and initiatives. Prior to joining Texas Health in 2019, Matt led the Fort Worth Blue Zones Project to achieve the five-year project goal of making Fort Worth a certified Blue Zones Community. The city was officially recognized as the largest Blue Zones community in the nation in October 2018 and has seen dramatic improvements in the health and well-being of its residents. Fort Worth’s Blue Zones Project journey has received national recognition, featured multiple times on NBC Nightly News, CNN, and Men’s Health Magazine. Blue Zones Project also hosted a visit from Surgeon General Vice Admiral Jerome Adams in 2018.
Matt spent over 15 years in the financial services industry in various positions: director of financial aid at a Texas university; consultant and vice president with national student loan companies; and director of sales and marketing and financial advisor with local investment companies. But it was his desire to live a life of “Purpose” that prompted Matt to focus on community service and health and well-being through the Blue Zones Project initiative and now, Texas Health.
Under Matt’s leadership, Texas Health has been the recipient of numerous local, state, and national awards. In 2018, Matt was recognized as one of “The 400 Most Influential People” in Fort Worth by Fort Worth Inc. magazine. Blue Zones Project also received a Healthcare Heroes Award from the Fort Worth Business Press in 2019. Blue Zones Project was also recognized in 2021 by the City of Fort Worth with its inaugural Environmental Excellence Awards under the category of Innovation Award in Solid Waste Reduction. Under Matt’s leadership, Texas Health Resources received the national 2021 Dick Davidson NOVA award by the American Hospital Association. Blue Zones Project, along with four other Texas Health programs, also received the prestigious American Hospital Association Foster G. McGaw award in 2022. Texas Health received Texas Hospital Association’s 2022 Excellence in Community Service Award, recognizing the collective work of Matt’s department. In 2024, Matt and his team were awarded the Texas Governor’s Volunteer Community Champions Award. The work of Matt’s team also contributes to Texas Health’s receiving in multiple years the Texan By Nature 20 award, recognizing the best work in conservation. Matt has also been published in BMJ Public Health, co-authoring a peer-reviewed paper on nutrition security in North Texas.
Matt has been and continues to be active in numerous volunteer and board roles with Fort Worth, Tarrant County and regional organizations and non-profits, including the Center for Non-Profit Management, Communities in Schools of Greater Tarrant County, and the City of Fort Worth Pedestrian and Bicycling Advisory Commission.
Matt completed his bachelor’s degree at Southwestern Assemblies of God University (B.S.) and his MBA through the Louisiana State University system. He and his wife MaryAnn Means-Dufrene live in Fort Worth with their two children, Hogan and Margo. Matt is an avid outdoorsman and he and MaryAnn enjoy spending time with family and friends, attending events in their community, supporting their favorite charities, and traveling.
Matt spent over 15 years in the financial services industry in various positions: director of financial aid at a Texas university; consultant and vice president with national student loan companies; and director of sales and marketing and financial advisor with local investment companies. But it was his desire to live a life of “Purpose” that prompted Matt to focus on community service and health and well-being through the Blue Zones Project initiative and now, Texas Health.
Under Matt’s leadership, Texas Health has been the recipient of numerous local, state, and national awards. In 2018, Matt was recognized as one of “The 400 Most Influential People” in Fort Worth by Fort Worth Inc. magazine. Blue Zones Project also received a Healthcare Heroes Award from the Fort Worth Business Press in 2019. Blue Zones Project was also recognized in 2021 by the City of Fort Worth with its inaugural Environmental Excellence Awards under the category of Innovation Award in Solid Waste Reduction. Under Matt’s leadership, Texas Health Resources received the national 2021 Dick Davidson NOVA award by the American Hospital Association. Blue Zones Project, along with four other Texas Health programs, also received the prestigious American Hospital Association Foster G. McGaw award in 2022. Texas Health received Texas Hospital Association’s 2022 Excellence in Community Service Award, recognizing the collective work of Matt’s department. In 2024, Matt and his team were awarded the Texas Governor’s Volunteer Community Champions Award. The work of Matt’s team also contributes to Texas Health’s receiving in multiple years the Texan By Nature 20 award, recognizing the best work in conservation. Matt has also been published in BMJ Public Health, co-authoring a peer-reviewed paper on nutrition security in North Texas.
Matt has been and continues to be active in numerous volunteer and board roles with Fort Worth, Tarrant County and regional organizations and non-profits, including the Center for Non-Profit Management, Communities in Schools of Greater Tarrant County, and the City of Fort Worth Pedestrian and Bicycling Advisory Commission.
Matt completed his bachelor’s degree at Southwestern Assemblies of God University (B.S.) and his MBA through the Louisiana State University system. He and his wife MaryAnn Means-Dufrene live in Fort Worth with their two children, Hogan and Margo. Matt is an avid outdoorsman and he and MaryAnn enjoy spending time with family and friends, attending events in their community, supporting their favorite charities, and traveling.
Speaking At
