CRA Welcomes New Staff Members
CRA is happy to announce the addition of three new team members to help advance our mission to catalyze computing research.
Matt Hazenbush – Director of Communications 
Matt will oversee the organization’s communications strategy and will work across all CRA committees and activities to craft communications that elevate their efforts and highlight the positive impact of CRA on the computing research community.
Prior to joining CRA, Matt held a variety of communications roles at the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), a global, non-profit association of leading graduate business schools and administer of the GMAT exam. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and History as a double major at Boston College and a Master’s of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Originally from New York’s Hudson Valley, Matt currently resides in Northern Virginia with his wife, Rebekah, and dog, Burrito.
Julia Sepulveda Avalos – Program Associate (CRA-E)
Julia will provide comprehensive support to CRA’s Education subcommittee (CRA-E), with main focus on UR2PhD, a new CRA program that focuses on engaging more women in computer science PhD programs through a virtual, nationally-managed approach to quality undergraduate research opportunities and to bridging the gap to PhD applications.
Before joining the CRA-E team, she worked at a global advisory firm supporting technology and non-profit organizations with creating and executing strategic communications, while managing reputational risk. Julia holds a Bachelor’s degree from Brown University in International Relations with a focus on Security & Society. As a first-generation college graduate, Julia is passionate about supporting and advocating for initiatives that promote equitable access to professional development opportunities.
In her free time, she enjoys cooking, baking, keeping up with pop culture, and playing with her pet.
Emmanuel Hale – Accounts Specialist Specialist 
Emmanuel will work to ensure the organization’s bills get paid on time and reimbursements for participants in CRA-sponsored events are processed expeditiously.
Before coming to CRA, he worked as a Staff Accountant for a small business in the hospitality industry. Emmanuel graduated from Wilmington University with an MBA and has more than 10 years of experience in accounting.
In his free time, Emmanuel enjoys reading, writing, and playing video games.
Stay tuned to meet additional new CRA staff who will be joining us in the coming weeks, and check out our CRA careers page for three new opportunities to join the team.
