Welcome Matt Forrest!

Matt Forrest is a map, transit, and technology enthusiast, and now he’s joined our New York office as our new Account Manager. Matt will put his business, project management, and consulting experience to work as he helps our customers analyze their data and build applications with CartoDB.

What were you doing before joining CartoDB?

Just prior, I was the Principal of Cardinal Maps, where I built maps for a wide variety of clients, from transit agencies to NGOs to small businesses. I used CartoDB quite a bit, so I am very familiar with it and really excited to be a part of the team!

What attracted you to CartoDB?

I have been working with CartoDB for a long time as both a user and Partner, and I have enjoyed watching the platform grow and expand. I’m really excited to be a part of where we are heading. I love making maps and CartoDB lets me take an idea to map like no other tool I’ve used before.

What is it about the job that drew you in and keeps you energized?

Learning about what clients are building and what maps they want to make and helping with those ideas is a big passion of mine.

What is your favorite place in NYC?

East Village. Literally any kind of food you could ever want.

What are your interests outside of work? Why?

I like to stay active and take advantage of everything NYC has to offer. I’m also a big fan of the Green Bay Packers and the Wisconsin Badgers. Big fan.

What’s something people might be surprised to know about you?

My first trip to New York City when I was 16. I decided to go on Total Request Live (TRL!) on MTV, and I got to be on the show! The Rock was on the show that day, which was pretty awesome.

Have you had any moments that really helped define your professional path?

I made a map of the skyway system in Minneapolis. The official map is pretty bad, and I decided to restyle it following the aesthetics of a subway map. I tweeted it to one paper in Minneapolis, and within 24 hours it was all over the place. Just seeing that happen and seeing people understand the goal of the map (and actually using it) was something I’ll never forget.