2018 40 Under 40 Yearbook: Matthew Evans, 39

Then: Co-executive director, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Southwest Missouri
Now: Executive director, Court Appointed Special Advocates of South Central Missouri

Shortly after being named one of Springfield Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 in 2012, Matthew Evans left his position as co-executive director of the local Court Appointed Special Advocates office to become the deputy director of the organization at the state level. He later spent more than two years as the marketing director for Esterly, Schneider & Associates Inc., before once again taking an executive director post at CASA – this time in its south central Missouri region. The move brought him closer to his hometown of Houston.

From an office in Rolla, Evans oversees a four-county area, 104 volunteers and eight staff – helping to advocate for the area’s 600 children in foster care.