Matt Lauer

Matt J. Lauer is executive vice president of the international and crisis communications clients at Qorvis MSLGROUP, and president of Qorvis MSLGROUP GeoPolitical Solutions, the company's international brand. His nearly 20 years of public affairs experience serves a breadth of Qorvis MSLGROUP clients in the fields of crisis communications, international affairs, online search strategy and corporate reputation. Prior to joining Qorvis MSLGROUP, Lauer was the executive director of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy at the Department of State. The commission, a bipartisan panel appointed by the president, analyzes and evaluates the U.S. government’s international public relations capabilities. Lauer continues to utilize his unique skills at Qorvis MSLGROUP to foster understanding between foreign governments and multinational companies and the American people. Lauer provides the personal one-to-one service and public diplomacy know-how that is essential for providing positive outcomes for global challenges. He finds creative solutions to complicated situations to help corporations, countries and high net worth individuals manage their worldwide reputations and develop new opportunities for future generations of citizens, shareholders, and progeny. From international communications and public affairs services to specialist advice on sovereign issues, Lauer offers the consultation necessary to inform, influence and transform international audience opinions. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Lauer coordinated the public diplomacy initiatives in the State Department’s operations war room. At the State Department, Lauer audited America’s communications capacity in Indonesia, China, Korea, Senegal, the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Turkey, Russia and Serbia. While as senior director of media relations for America’s Promise, he worked with the organization’s chairman General Colin L. Powell to rally resources for youth through a national media campaign. At America’s Promise, he organized and conceptualized highly publicized events with prominent officials, such as President Bill Clinton, President G.W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. As the director of communications for the South Carolina Democratic Party, Lauer coordinated research, polling, earned media and paid advertising efforts for successful state legislative, gubernatorial and U.S. Senate campaigns. In his role as deputy finance director on the first senate campaign of John Edwards, he formulated and implemented a successful early fundraising strategy in select North Carolina counties prior to the candidate’s official launch of the campaign. For the successful presidential campaigns of Bill Clinton, Lauer was an instrumental part of the messaging and organizational activities directed at college students in the Southeast during both campaigns. As a veteran of initiatives from grassroots campaigns to international communication projects, he has served as a media advisor to numerous government and political officials in local, national and international media markets. Lauer is a member of The Atlantic Council, The University Club of Washington, D.C., The Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs, The National Press Club, and The Musuem of the American Cocktail. Lauer is a graduate of North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Arts in history.