Business Partner Spotlight: Scout Mata
Meet Our Communications Partner Helping FOA Stories Shine
Within Finance, Operations and Administration, the FOA Communications team plays an essential role in helping campus units share their stories. One of the team members championing this work is a Communications Specialist who has supported UC Davis for the past six years—ever since joining the university shortly after graduating college.
In their role, Scout collaborates with units across FOA to highlight innovations, operational updates and achievements that often go unseen. By developing web content, writing articles and producing newsletters, they help ensure important work receives the visibility it deserves.
“My favorite part of the job is the people,” they shared. “Everyone I work with across FOA is kind, gracious and genuinely wonderful to collaborate with. It makes it easy to be excited about helping them.”
Within Facilities Management alone, they have partnered with teams from Custodial Services to Utilities and Engineering to the Arboretum and Public Garden—each partnership enriching their understanding of the university’s operations.
One of the most rewarding challenges of their job is translating complex or “invisible” systems into stories the broader community can appreciate. A standout example is their work on the thermal energy storage tank installation planned as part of the Big Shift. To communicate this project clearly, they first had to understand how the university’s heating and cooling infrastructure works and how thermal energy storage integrates into it.
“Learning about the system from experts like Joshua Morejohn helped me grasp just how clever and impactful this innovation is,” they explained. “But simplifying that complexity in a way that helps people care about what’s happening behind the scenes—that’s the real challenge.”
When Scout is not turning technical operations into compelling narratives, you can probably find them on a pickleball court. Scout plays twice a week at a local park in Davis and loves the mix of activity, fresh air and community. They also enjoy spending time with their two dogs and unwinding with rounds of Mario Kart with friends.