Founder & Principal
Matt McDaniel
Matt McDaniel founded 813 Strategies after over a decade working in law, state government, national politics, campaigns, and crisis response. He writes on political risk, geopolitics, and institutional capacity.
Advisory focus
Matt advises executives on political and regulatory risk, public affairs, foreign investment, infrastructure, government relations, and politically sensitive projects.
Public service
Matt served as Senior Advisor to Maryland Governor Larry Hogan from 2020 through the end of the administration in January 2023. His work included policy development, crisis response, communications, federal funding, and coordination across state government. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he served on the Governor's senior policy team, co-authored Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery, and worked on the state's vaccine equity response. He also participated in the administration's transition to Governor Wes Moore.
National politics and advocacy
After leaving state government, Matt moved into national political, advocacy, and private-sector advisory work. He has served as Executive Director of An America United, advised Senate Leadership Fund, and worked as a senior advisor to Maryland's Future, the independent expenditure committee supporting Hogan's 2024 U.S. Senate campaign. His political work has included strategy, fundraising, communications, donor engagement, and campaign planning.
Legal background and education
Matt is also a Maryland attorney and former civil litigator. He has first-chair trial experience and worked on complex civil matters involving commercial disputes, insurance, construction, environmental claims, product liability, multidistrict litigation, and class actions.
Matt received his J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law and his B.A. from Loyola University Maryland. He has been a member of the Maryland Bar since 2013.