About Matan
Matan A. Koch . learned at a very early age that the key to succeeding with a disability was to focus on the many abilities with which he was blessed, rather than focusing on those things that he was unable to do. Speaking from an early age on the simple idea that we all have strengths and weaknesses, and we maximize our potential by focusing on the strengths, Matan has lived this idea all his life while encouraging others to do so.
Photo: Winter Wind Photography
Whether consulting, practicing law, or even as a Yale undergraduate, Matan has always worked to maximize the ability of people with disabilities to contribute their talents. This work formally began while serving as the president of the student disability community, when he collaborated with the office of the President of the University to completely modernize and overhaul the university’s systems to allow students with disabilities to maximize their academic experience. During that time, Matan was appointed to his first political office, as a Member and then the Vice-Chair of the New Haven Disability Commission.
After graduating Harvard Law School, he spent two years in the general counsel’s office at the Procter & Gamble Co. before moving on to an AmLaw 100 firm in New York, where, in addition to a thriving litigation practice, he consulted with the firm on issues of disability as they arose. In 2011, while still at the law firm, Matan was honored to be appointed by President Obama and confirmed by the Senate to serve on the National Council on Disability, a role that he held until May 2014. After running his own consulting practice, he spent the last five years as an executive at RespectAbility, (now Disability Belongs) a non-profit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities so that people with disabilities can participate in all aspects of society. Having left RespectAbility at the end of 2023, Matan is none the less committed to continue his mission to allow the world to benefit from the talents of the disability community.