Forty Under 40: Allison Van Matre

In her role at Walmart, Allison Van Matre manages 360-degree communications, strengthening Walmart’s brand reputation, engaging and inspiring associates, building stakeholder trust and driving growth.

“We want to be the most trusted retailer, and everything is towards that goal,” she said. “I lead proactive media outreach to tell our story and enhance the company’s global reputation, finding the right channels for our leaders to communicate both internally and externally to the right audiences at the right time.”

Originally from Snellville, Ga., Van Matre loved English and enjoyed writing and telling stories, so a career in journalism felt natural. With her mother’s death from breast cancer, Van Matre realized she wanted to help people and planned a career in healthcare communications.

Graduating with a journalism degree in 2005 from the University of Georgia, Van Matre first worked for URS Corp., then for Piedmont Healthcare. In 2007, her husband took a job in Northwest Arkansas, where Van Matre became director of The Charity Challenge of Champions and later director of marketing for Northwest Health.

Wanting more opportunities, Van Matre became a marketing manager at Sam’s Club in 2011. She moved to Walmart in 2014, where she’s had a variety of communication roles.

Her greatest achievement came in 2016 with a role in international strategic initiatives. Involved in communication across all Walmart’s markets, she’s traveled to Asia, Europe and Central America.

Passionate about empowering female leaders at Walmart, Van Matre co-founded a mentoring circle. Past charity work includes Susan G. Komen, American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She’s currently on the Network of Executive Women programming committee.