Matt Rhoades

Biography

Matt Rhoades is a Washington, D.C.-based public affairs and political strategist and Managing Partner at CGCN Group, where he is a member of the firm’s Strategic Communications practice and advises Fortune 500 companies and trade associations in the energy, financial services, technology, and healthcare sectors. He provides political insight, communications strategy, issue advocacy campaigns, message development, brand and corporate reputation counsel, and rapid response and crisis communications. His work spans issues including oil and gas, electric utilities, AI and the energy demands of AI data centers, banking regulation, and health care policy.

Rhoades has spent more than a decade in the private sector building private sector companies, political and issue advocacy organizations and applying campaign-tested methods to the issues most important to his clients. In 2013, he founded America Rising, an opposition research and communications firm.

Throughout his career, Rhoades has worked at the highest levels of political organizations and campaigns. As the campaign manager of Romney/Ryan 2012 presidential campaign, he managed a budget of nearly $900 million; Fortune magazine described him as “a diligently low-key, data-oriented operator at the helm of the Romney campaign.” He previously served as Executive Director of Mitt Romney’s Free & Strong America PAC, Communications Director on Romney’s 2008 presidential campaign, Research Director on the Bush/Cheney 2004 presidential campaign, and in senior positions at the Republican National Committee.

Earlier in his career, Rhoades served in the Bush White House as an Associate Director in the Presidential Personnel Office and as White House Liaison at the Office of Personnel Management. He is a graduate of Syracuse University and has a master’s degree from the George Washington University.