What Connect the Dots Taught Me: Matt Hilferty - Connect The Dots
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14 Aug What Connect the Dots Taught Me: Matt Hilferty

Posted at 14:19h in Insights, Team by
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Connect the Dots are experts in iteration, so when our Associate, Matt, shared he will be pursuing a Master’s in Urban Planning, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on his time at CtD and how it leads into his next chapter. 

What drew you to Connect the Dots?

I heard about various projects that CtD had worked on in Philly through a friend of mine and was excited that someone was working on collecting the voices of Philadelphians on major urban planning projects. And also that CtD’s approaches were more creative. Having initial conversations with members of the team really solidified that for me and I wanted to be a part of shaping a Philadelphia that is for Philadelphians, futures for and by the people.

A group of people attend an Open House event about the Chinatown Stitch and a table in the center of the room has snacks like boba tea, egg tarts, and buns.

A community member fills out a survey at the Chinatown Stitch Open House at Holy Redeemer Church and School in May, 2025. Matt and the Connect the Dots Team worked with community partners to plan the event, including Chinese pastries from International Bakery and boba tea.

 

What lessons about community engagement or working on this team are you taking with you?

Learning that engagement happens in phases was really big for me. Also understanding the role that engagement versus outreach tactics have on a project is really important. CtD has developed extensive terminology and methodology. I will take with me the importance of a Phase 0 and level setting, best practices around interviews and focus groups and building engagement approaches with a clear end goal. 

And all this work requires people skills whether you’re working with clients, managing the prime, or engaging the public. You have to flex those people skills and switch gears with all these different audiences.

 

What’s your favorite moment from a project?

A woman and a man sitting down at a welcome table with materials for an Open House event

CtD Project Manager, Stephanie Fuentes, and Matt at the welcome table for an SEPTA Open House on Erie Avenue.

There’s always potential for comedy when you have public facing work. It’s jazz, and it’s epic and that’s why I love it. I’m thinking about those jazz moments, like talking to people in Chinatown about the Chinatown Stitch compared to talking to people about Erie Avenue for a SEPTA project, or my first project out in Chester talking with a million types of people. The jazz of public engagement is fun and you have to be good at improv!

It’s also been fun to work in so many neighborhoods and connect with people in different ways. It has given me greater appreciation for the neighborhoods I already know and love in and around Philadelphia.

 

 

Where are you headed next?

A bearded man, a man wearing glasses and an Asian woman sit together at a table and smile for a group photo

Matt with CtD field team member, Ángel Ballestros and executive director of Asian Americans United (AAU), Vivian Chang, after a stakeholder interview for the Chinatown Stitch.

I’m staying in Philly, close to family and friends and starting graduate school at Penn to study Urban Planning. I’m focusing on Housing, Community and Economic Development. There will be so many opportunities for public engagement in my studies, and I will continue to cross paths with the team at Connect the Dots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matt has never met a stranger and we’re celebrating this change and next step in his public engagement journey!

Matt is Project Associate with 7 years of experience in city planning and public engagement, specializing in economic development and transportation.