(New Ambassador – Meet Matt Cunningham Published 05/07/26) First Tee – Silicon Valley is excited to welcome our newest Board Ambassador – Matt Cunningham. We asked Matt a few questions to get to know him.
Can you give us a brief background about your personal and professional life?
“I was born and raised in Northern Ireland – 20 minutes from where Rory McIlroy grew up – before moving to the US to play college soccer and pursue a degree in Marketing. After graduating from Menlo College, I began a career in marketing and spent the first few years working within different sports organizations, as well as supporting a couple of local non-profits as a marketing/social media contractor. These days, I work full-time in a cybersecurity startup but continue to support those non-profits as a marketing contractor on the side.”
“Outside of work, I have a wife and a Samoyed puppy who is about to turn one. When I am not spending time with them on the weekends, there is only one other place to find me – the golf course!”
Why FTSV?
“I attended last year’s Open as a guest in a donor’s foursome, and having already had a baseline awareness of FTSV, I knew I need to get involved in some way after seeing first-hand the impact FTSV has on the local youth. Playing golf as a youth myself taught me more than simply how to hit a ball – it taught me discipline, patience, perseverance, and taking calculated risk, traits that have all served me very well since moving to the US. I feel personally aligned with FTSV’s mission because I believe the personal development aspect of golf is often overlooked, let alone prioritized in youth participation. Pairing this with the emphasize on providing access to the game for those who might not otherwise be capable of doing so, it feels like a perfect match.”
What are you looking forward to as an Ambassador?
“I’m excited to support the organization in any way I can and to meet the other board members to collaborate on bringing more awareness to the team’s mission. I’m looking forward to becoming a resource for the team, hopefully for many years to come, and can’t wait to get started.”
All board members, staff, coaches and instructors see themselves as Mentors. Do you have any memorable mentors?
“If I could pinpoint one person to being the biggest mentor in my life, it would be my oldest brother, Stephen. He paved the way for moving to the US when he voyaged across the Pacific seven years prior to me, and has been my guide in navigating life ever since. Outside of him, I have a lot of thanks to give to several sports coaches throughout my youth and college years, who all help shape me into the man I’ve become today in one way or another – which is another reason why I feel so strongly aligned with FTSV’s mission.”
Volunteer your time and talent as a board member, like Matt Cunningham.
Coaching, Cultivating Donors, Event or Campaign Fundraising, Representing FTSV at outside events or working on special projects with the CEO. Get Started – Join Us!