Matt Venaas
Marketing Manager at Benchworks
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States
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Matt Venaas (he/him) has spent more than a decade helping student affairs professionals make sense of assessment results and communicate what matters. He is Marketing Manager for Benchworks by Elentra, where he draws on experience in national survey development, research, assessment, and marketing to create practical educational resources. He joined Benchworks in 2014 and moved into marketing in late 2024 after a decade in analytics and research.
Matt has delivered more than 150 presentations at conferences including ACPA, NASPA, ACUHO-I, AIR, ACUI, SACSA, and SEAHO. His sessions address assessment strategy, survey design, benchmarking, interpreting results, data visualization, storytelling, focus groups, and student success. He previously served on the directorate board of ACPA’s Commission for Assessment and Evaluation and as a planning team and faculty member for the ACPA Student Affairs Assessment Institute. Matt holds an M.S.Ed. in Adult and Higher Education and a B.A. in Political Science from Northern Illinois University.
Area of Expertise
Topics
Beyond Moderation: An Interactive Session to Elevate Focus Group Facilitation Skills
Embark on an interactive journey, diving into the art and science of focus group facilitation. Our session covers key aspects like script creation, exercise selection, handling of group dynamics, and injecting a dash of excitement. Through hands-on activities and spirited discussions, we’ll dissect practical examples (yes, they really happened!). Leave equipped with a deeper understanding of focus group dynamics, tangible skills applicable for your next group, and an approach for developing facilitation skills in others!
A Storyteller’s Guide to Assessment: How to Make Sharing Data Meaningful and Memorable
In a world where data often falls short of inspiring change, this session invites us to embrace the power of storytelling. We’ll unravel the art, drawing on theories and design principles to craft narratives that captivate and resonate. Join us for an interactive experience where audience members become architects, igniting a storytelling movement that transcends mere data collection. Together, let’s rewrite the script, make data interesting, inspire action, and elevate the impact of our work. Your story begins here.
Beyond Moderation: Elevating Focus Group Facilitation
Embark on an interactive journey and dive into the art and science of focus group facilitation. Our session covers key aspects like script creation, exercise selection, handling of group dynamics, and injecting a dash of excitement. Through hands-on activities and spirited discussions, we’ll engage in focus group activities and dissect practical examples (yes, they really happened!). Walk away equipped with a deeper understanding of focus group dynamics, tangible skills applicable for your next group, AND an approach for developing facilitation skills in others!
“Focus groups provide an excellent opportunity to listen to the voices of students, explore issues in depth, and obtain insights that might not occur without the discussion they provide.” (Palomba & Banta, 1999, p.196-7)
As the quote above highlights, focus groups have served as invaluable tools in higher education and student affairs assessment for more than 25 years. They enable housing and residence life professionals to tap into the lived experiences of students, explore complex issues, and unearth insights that other methods might miss.
A multitude of textbooks have described the approach and laid out the important issues (e.g. Hall, 2020; Katz-Buonincontro, 2022; Morgan 1996). Building upon these foundations, student affairs assessment websites attest to the enduring importance and value of focus groups. Amidst the praise, one critical factor consistently emerges: the indispensable role of a skilled moderator.
Moderating may appear easy at first glance. Housing and residence life professionals routinely facilitate group discussions as part of their work, and many people possess interviewing and listening skills. Yet, moderating a focus group demands a unique blend of abilities. Moderators serve as script writers, facilitators, and researchers all at the same time. Unlike one-on-one interviewing, the moderator needs to simultaneously connect with a variety of participants, understand and manage group dynamics and discussion, and cover a script of topics and activities within a limited timeframe. The moderator impacts not only the session itself but also the ultimate usefulness of the data. Consequently, the role is complex and inherently challenging.
Although the books and websites describe the role, professionals often have limited experience or training in focus group facilitation. Even people experienced with facilitation benefit from a focused conversation and can expand their skills and gain fresh perspectives. Therefore, this session will fill those needs - focus group facilitation and hands-on experiences with it.
Specifically, this session will focus on the facilitation aspect of focus groups - who to choose, how to develop a script, the actual facilitation process, as well as common pitfalls that moderators encounter. Also, culturally responsive approaches to focus group facilitation will be discussed.
From Metrics to Meaning: Turning Housing Data into Marketing Magic
You collect valuable data about the impact of campus housing—but how often does it make it into your marketing? Too often, that story—and the data—stays buried behind daily operations. This session will highlight ways the data you already collect can support your marketing efforts, showing how different types of data points can be translated into messaging that resonates with key audiences. Whether you’re justifying budgets, attracting residents, or advocating for resources, you’ll leave with practical ideas for making your existing data work harder to tell your story.
From 100 Survey Questions to a Single Story: Where Do I Start?
The beauty and challenge of surveys lies in the sheer volume of data they provide. Where do you begin when diving into the results, and how do you uncover a clear, focused story? Join our panel as we share concrete strategies for finding the narrative buried in 100 survey questions. Using campus examples and contextual insights, we’ll highlight the most effective approaches while pointing out common pitfalls to avoid. Get hands-on experience by selecting a strategy and discovering your own data stories. Leave with practical skills and fresh perspectives.
When the Data Hits the Fan: Handling Unexpected Assessment Results
Ever had assessment results that made you question everything? You’re not alone. This session features a panel of experts with extensive campus experience who will share real-world examples of surprising data that required thoughtful interpretation and strategic communication, although we’ll change a few specifics to protect the innocent (wink face). Attendees will learn practical skills so the next time you encounter unexpected results, you'll be prepared to act without the usual panic.
Matt Venaas
Marketing Manager at Benchworks
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States
Actions
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