Matt Rodriguez is the founder and President of Rodriguez Strategies, a public affairs firm specializing in issue-based coalition building. A veteran Democratic strategist with more than 25 years of experience, Matt has advised candidates, causes, and corporations ranging from emerging nonprofits to Fortune 500 companies.

 

He leads the American Beverage Association’s coalition-building efforts in California and worked with organizations including The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Center for Western Priorities, Goldman Sachs, and DoorDash.

 

Matt is the go-to strategist for entities looking to bolster their profile or influence policy outcomes in California. Matt provided campaign strategy and led the organizing program for California’s landmark Prop. 22 in 2020 that allowed rideshare drivers to remain independent contractors. And in 2022 he served as campaign manager and chief spokesman for the successful No on Prop. 30 effort to defeat a statewide tax increase that would have benefited wealthy special interests.

 

Matt’s campaign experience spans local to presidential races. He served as Western States Regional Director and New Hampshire State Director for Obama for America in 2008 and held senior roles on the presidential campaigns of Richard Gephardt and Bill Bradley. He also managed successful campaigns for Senator Chris Dodd and California Assemblyman Kevin de León.

 

He serves on the boards of Turnaround Arts and The New England Homes for the Deaf and is a frequent political commentator on KPCC’s AirTalk.