Julio C. Mateo is the program associate for Democracy and Community at the Kettering Foundation. In this role, he collaborates with internal teams and external partners to organize and implement initiatives that promote community voices through inclusive problem-solving, enhanced civic participation, and addressing structural inequities that hinder collective action. 

Passionate about participatory democracy, human rights, justice, and systemic design, Mateo brings over a decade of experience as a researcher and a community advocate to his work at the foundation. Mateo’s research has focused on improving human decision-making and designing better human technology systems. In addition to his academic research, he explores ways to uplift the stories of everyday people strengthening democracy and communities. Mateo has published in local newspapers and produced radio segments that highlight the ways in which communities can work together to solve problems and transform government systems. 

His community advocacy has involved serving on a range of public bodies, encouraging civic engagement via nonprofits and grassroots efforts, advocating for government transparency, and leading efforts to hold systems accountable. In 2018, the City of Dayton Human Relations Council recognized Mateo with a Community Impact Award, and, in 2019, the State of Ohio Latino Affairs Commission recognized him as a Distinguished Hispanic Ohioan. 

Mateo has a BS in psychology from the Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca and an MS in human factors psychology from Wright State University.