Hey there.

I’m Matt McDermott, a Democratic pollster and communications strategist.

I am Senior Vice President at Whitman Insight Strategies, where I lead research and messaging strategy for progressive candidates, advocacy groups, non-profits, foundations, and mission-driven brands across the country.

My work blends data, storytelling, and political strategy to help organizations and campaigns understand what motivates people — and how to communicate with clarity, credibility, and purpose. I’ve contributed to some of the most consequential fights in politics today, from voting rights and democracy reform to labor rights, reproductive freedom, immigration, and public health.

I’ve also spent more than a decade helping elect history-making LGBTQ+ leaders. I previously served as Co-Chair of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund Campaign Board, and now serve on the organization’s national Board of Directors, supporting efforts to build political power and representation for LGBTQ+ communities nationwide. I also launched Out for Harris–Walz in Rhode Island, organizing volunteers to bring energy and people-power to the fight for our future in key battleground states.

In 2025, I ran for Providence City Council in what became the most expensive city council race in Providence history — a campaign rooted in strengthening our neighborhoods, improving public schools, and ensuring the city’s growth benefits everyone who calls Providence home. While it wasn’t the outcome we hoped for, it deepened my commitment to local issues and the community my family and I love.

I’m proud to be active in the Providence community. My husband Dillon teaches second grade at Pleasant View Elementary and serves on the Providence Public Library Board of Trustees. After years living in Washington, D.C., New York City, and London, we’ve made our home in Providence with our dog, Theo, and our cat, Yuca — and you can usually find us at our favorite neighborhood bookstores, coffee shops, and local restaurants.

I hold a BA in political science and geography, with a minor in public policy, from The George Washington University, and studied government at the London School of Economics as part of the General Course. I am also a RIVA-trained qualitative research moderator with extensive experience facilitating focus groups, in-depth interviews, and ethnographic research.

Want to work together? Get in touch.