After earning his bachelor of science in business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Matt Kinnich established himself as a sales and management professional, working with the major retail companies Playtex and Duracell as well as professional and commercial service providers such as the Black Diamond Group and Efficient Market Services. He entered the higher and adult education market in the early 2000s as a director of strategic planning with the Career Education Corporation (CEC) in Chicago. Matt Kinnich became vice president of strategic planning and development with CEC after returning to the academic environment to secure a master of business administration from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.

Matt Kinnich went on to serve seven years with Chicago-based Becker Professional Education, two as vice president and general manager of Becker’s finance business unit and five as vice president of international and business development. While working at Becker he attended the University of Pennsylvania, earning his doctorate in higher education management.