A Fulbright and Georgetown University faculty member of the year, Matt Charles is a former spokesperson for the University of Virginia.

His work centers on crisis communication, media relations, emergency preparedness, internal communication, executive communication, new hire mentoring, stakeholder engagement and reputation/issues management counsel.

During his tenure at UVA, he navigated a period of unprecedented sustained crises that included the tragic events of August 11th and 12th, 2017, the Hannah Graham murder, debunked Rolling Stone article, Chinese cybersecurity hacking and Otto Warmbier's North Korea detainment and untimely death. Prior to this position, he worked as director of media relations for the UVA Darden School of Business, helping the School achieve its No. 1 ranking.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he helped a number of higher education institutions stand-up emergency online learning response teams, as classes shifted to a virtual format. He continues to consult for colleges and universities across a number of strategic and operational spaces. He also consults for the corporate, government and tech sectors.

He serves as a crisis communication trainer for the U.S. Department of State and National Criminal Justice Command College. He is a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), serving on the Independent Practitioners Alliance and Counselors to Higher Education boards. He holds the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) certification -- a mark of distinction, results-oriented outcomes and ethics in the public relations industry.

He honed his crisis communication skills as a New York City special investigator working sex and drug crimes involving children.

He earned his Doctor in Public Administration, specializing in public affairs and public policy, from Valdosta State University, Master of Public Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University and Bachelor or Arts in Sociology from the University of Virginia. He attained his Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University and has attended UVA Darden School of Business Executive Education Leadership and Strategy classes.

Media Professionals, Public Relations, College, Professors, Advertising, Gun Control, Crisis Hosts & Emcees,