Matt Bennett

Executive Vice President for Public Affairs, The Third Way

In 2005, Matt Bennett joined his three fellow co-founders in establishing Third Way, believing that there is a tremendous need for fresh thinking and moderate ideas in a time of extreme political immoderation. Matt loves coming to work every day to take on the big questions our country faces with some of the people he respects most in the world. He considers helping to extend marriage equality to gays and lesbians one of Third Way's proudest achievements so far. Matt earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and his bachelor's degree in History from the University of Pennsylvania. But he grew up in Syracuse, and his blood—and loyalties—run Orange. He's been a short-order cook, a room service waiter, a busboy, and a dishwasher, but the high point of Matt's professional life was meeting Nelson Mandela. The literal high point of his life was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.