- Pritzker Fellows
- Former Fellows
- Matt Strawn
Matt Strawn
Former Chairman of the Iowa Republican Party
Biography
Elected officials and candidates for office seek his counsel. Journalists seek his commentary. Corporations, trade associations and advocacy organizations seek his advice. For over two decades, NGPA’s Matt Strawn has operated at the highest levels of government, politics, the media, and business.
Described by ABC News as “savvy and media friendly” and the Des Moines Register as “one of the smartest communicators in his party,” Matt specializes in principal-level stakeholder engagement, leading large-scale advocacy campaigns, and developing sophisticated messaging, media and government affairs campaigns for corporations, advocacy organizations, and trade associations.
Prior to his election to two terms as chairman of Iowa’s Republican Party (2009-2012), Matt served on Capitol Hill as Chief of Staff to U.S. Congressman Mike Rogers, a member of the powerful House Energy and Commerce and Intelligence committees. In Iowa, most recently, he has played senior roles in the campaigns of U.S. Senator Joni Ernst, Governor Kim Reynolds, and countless state officials.
The depth of Matt’s public and government affairs work is illustrated by the breadth of his experience. Leading companies or organizations spanning the agriculture, energy, foreign policy, health care, technology, financial services, higher education, retail, social advocacy, and conservation and outdoor recreation sectors have all relied upon his expertise to help them navigate the waters of public opinion, government and community relations and advocacy.
Matt’s insights into the political and policy environment of America’s heartland make him a trusted source for national, regional and statewide news organizations. He has appeared as a guest on national media programs as varied as NBC’s Meet the Press to CNN’s State of the Union to Fox News Sunday to MSNBC’s Morning Joe. His commentary and insights on current events have been featured frequently in Bloomberg, The New York Times, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, among others. Ahead of the 2016 Iowa Presidential Caucuses, the Des Moines Register tabbed Matt as one of Iowa’s ten most influential Republicans. Matt also serves as the lead Republican analyst for Des Moines’ CBS network affiliate (KCCI-08) and is a regular panelist on its Sunday morning public affairs program “Close Up.”
Matt is a graduate of the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law (J.D. 2003), where he graduated first in his class; the University of Iowa (B.A. 1996); and, Benton Community High School (Van Horne, Iowa), where he is a member of the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He is the former co-owner of the Iowa Barnstormers Arena Football League franchise. Matt is a member in good standing of the Maryland State Bar Association. Matt and his wife, Erin, have three children. They reside in Des Moines’ historic East Village.
Seminars
“The Road to the White House Begins in Iowa”
*This is a joint seminar series with Sue Dvorsky
There’s an old saying in national political circles that no politician ever goes to Iowa by accident. So, why do leading national politicians find themselves in the summer smiling in photo ops in front of the Iowa State Fair Butter Cow, and often driving through blizzards on two-lane rural highways to townhall meetings in the winter? It’s because they want to be President of the United States of America and Iowa is where it all begins.
The kickoff seminar led jointly by former Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky and former Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn will provide an overview and history of the Iowa Presidential Caucuses, how the Caucuses grew in importance to the presidential nomination process, and why Iowa’s approach to vetting presidential candidates has been instrumental in maintaining its unique position in American politics.
So what exactly happens when Iowa’s Republican and Democratic activists gather simultaneously with their neighbors at over 1,700 different locations on a cold winter night to register their presidential nominee preference?
These seminars take you inside the process from two different perspectives - from inside the campaigns themselves and from the party leaders who have had to organize, manage and oversee the entire volunteer-led process.
What is the current state of play? Who’s in, and who’s out? What are the new rules, and how will they change the dynamics in the “room where it happens?” How do the subsequent states, and the calendar, make the Iowa Caucuses more or less important? Watch this space… What happens next?
Come prepared with your questions and be ready to engage in a lively conversation. Almost like being in a caucus!