Need a public speaker from Washington? Contact Matt Laslo
Veteran Washington correspondent and seasoned Johns Hopkins University lecturer Matt Laslo is eager to share with you and your community the history he’s witnessed, mistakes he’s made and knowledge he’s gleaned since arriving in Washington back in 2006.
Top universities, his journalist peers and trusted government certificate programs regularly tap Matt to take over their auditoriums, classrooms, retreats or Zoom meetings because he’s known for his engaging, fun, nonpartisan, funny and relatable delivery style.
Matt has moderated Aspen Ideas Festival panels, trained senior NPR news directors, mentored dozens of award-winning journalists and instructed some of the nation’s top communications professionals from both parties. As a part of a federal government training program, Matt’s taught Air Force officers, senior FAA acquisition officials, diplomats and other federal workers about the ever-evolving Washington press corps, partisanship and new media’s impact on government.
Policy can be fun!
In 2019, Matt Laslo moderated the only sold out session during the health portion of the Aspen Ideas Festival. The standing room only crowd laughed, learned and lauded the panel for combatting commonly clung to myths.
While Matt’s served as an adjunct professor at four of the nation’s top academic institutions, he’s also been invited to guest lecture at more than a dozen colleges and universities, including American University (MA in communications), Boston University (MA and BA students), Cornell University, George Mason University, Georgetown University (MA in journalism), George Washington University (MA in communications), Loyola, Northwestern University (Medill School; MA), New York University, the University of Maryland and the University of Oklahoma.
If you need a public speaker who knows the nation’s capital inside and out, don’t hesitate and reach out to Matt now!
Besides lectures on America’s ever-evolving press corps, new media, AI, data privacy, drug policy or maneuvering through the insane world that is Washington politics, Matt is a master moderator. He’s known for getting experts to relax, speak plainly, loosen up and enliven audiences.
Need to learn the basics of broadcast? Or are you a seasoned broadcaster feeling overwhelmed by new media? Or just want some interview tips from a professional? Matt’s your guy!
Peek behind the veil:
Matt Laslo and then freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) walking just off the floor of the House of Representatives on a busy day in the marble halls of the US Capitol.
Photo: Tom Williams (Roll Call)
Matt has won AP broadcast awards for his live coverage and feature writing for NPR member stations across the United States. Besides his 15+ years producing and reporting sound rich features heard by tens of millions of public radio listeners nationwide, Matt was a correspondent with Emmy-winning VICE News Tonight with HBO and he’s regularly tapped as a guest analyst for live television and radio news programs.
Matt’s also available for weekend training seminars (groups or individuals) and Zoom consultations for aspiring broadcasters (from TV and TikTok to public radio and podcasting).
Matt Laslo’s trusted, feared and friendly with lawmakers from both parties.
Lawmakers from both parties like to use the press corps as a piñata — and sometimes for other campaign fodder, as Rep. Val Demings did in her 2022 contest against Sen. Marco Rubio — but they’re mostly playing for the cameras.
Leave a message and Matt will get back to you as quickly as he can (feel free and nudge him if you don’t hear back in a day or so, as Matt sometimes unplugs to work on long-form projects).
Matt loves to show audiences what Washington’s really like, so they know it’s more broken than it seems. Through highlighting parallels with the politicians and press corps that came before us, Matt instills audiences with hope and actionable ideas. After all, Washington’s only as broken as we allow it to be!