Chief Executive Officer
Expertise: Public diplomacy, military history, national security policy, nuclear security, U.S.-Russia relations, asymmetric operations
Matthew Wallin is ASP’s Chief Executive Officer, a member of its board of directors, and has led ASP’s research on public diplomacy and strategic communications since 2011. He was previously ASP’s COO from 2021 until 2024. As an expert in national security strategy and international relations, Matthew’s work at ASP has also focused on nuclear security, asymmetric operations, and includes launching ASP’s program on U.S.-Russia relations.
Wallin completed his Masters in Public Diplomacy at the University of Southern California in 2010. While at USC, his studies focused on the public diplomacy implications of military conflict and viral communication by non-state actors. Prior to that, he received his B.A. in Political Science with a focus in international relations from California State University, Long Beach.
Wallin has experience at the U.S. Department of State’s press office, assisting with the daily State Department press briefings and answering media inquiries on official U.S. foreign policy. Afterwards, he joined the USC Center on Public Diplomacy, where he shaped its research and programming on science diplomacy as a means of preventing conflict between states.
In his spare time, Matthew is a professional photographer, specializing in aviation, automotive and portraiture. Additionally, he is a classic car enthusiast, and a “living historian,” educating the public about veterans, U.S. military history, and participating in various public events as a WWII reenactor.
He is also a member of the Public Diplomacy Council of America.
The New Public Diplomacy Imperative
The Challenges of the Internet and Social Media in Public Diplomacy
US Foreign Policy Toward Russia