Beyond the Office: Health & Wellness Coach Highlights Unique Role at Paligen Technologies

Matthew Cyrus’s position at Paligen Technologies is one-of-a-kind. As the Health and Wellness Coach in the Garland, Texas office, he designs and delivers wellness programming. This includes site-wide activities, Lunch & Learns, and health competitions and screenings that address a monthly focus. He also provides one-on-one support so employees can navigate health in a sustainable way at work and at home. Finally, Matthew encourages colleagues to utilize benefits and support resources in times of stress.

“Our manufacturing environment is demanding, and it’s easy for people to run on autopilot,” says Matthew. “I help employees see that they can get more out of their experience here than just coming to work.”

Since joining Paligen in March 2025, Matthew has developed several strategies to achieve this vision. He prioritizes alignment across functional areas, such as safety, human resources, and day-to-day operations, so wellness programs support the manufacturing environment’s demands.

Matthew’s unique role also entails a more subtle but critical component – accessibility to his colleagues.

“This position works best when employees know there’s someone they can talk to – without pressure, judgment, or an agenda – and that consistency is something I take seriously,” he said.

As with all careers, coaching naturally comes with challenges. Making improvements to one’s health requires focus, determination, and good timing. As a result, Matthew prefers to lean into what works versus compete with what hinders.

This open-door policy, cross-functional coordination, and strategic initiatives can yield positive lasting impact on people’s lives and, therefore, the company.

Matthew’s meaningful contributions to Paligen are the product of an unexpected career path. He “fell into corporate wellness” in 2011 when a friend encouraged him to interview for a type of job he never knew existed.

Since then, he has closely worked with human resources teams on corporate wellness programs. During that time, Matthew flourished in a long-term career he never anticipated.

Before embarking on this unexpected path, Matthew earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education with a health and human performance focus from Berea College. He continued his studies in Western Governors University’s MBA program, earning his degree in healthcare management.

Matthew’s education and expertise are instrumental to his success, but one notable thing surprised him at Paligen: how often people already know what will help them succeed. “They just need space and the opportunity to call it forward. Small, well-designed interactions over time matter far more than big, one-time efforts.”