Post-Presidential Election Forum

Join us for an illuminating discussion on the outcomes and implications of the 2024 presidential election results. This event will be held in-person at the McCarthy Auditorium in May Hall and can also be watched via livestream (at the time of the event, click on the image above or view here.) 

About the Moderator

John Micek currently serves as Politics Managing Editor for MassLive. His career, which spans three decades, has taken him from small town meetings and Chicago City Hall to Congress and the Pennsylvania Capitol. He contributes commentary and analysis to broadcast outlets in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Micek’s first novel, Ordinary Angels, was released in 2019 by Sunbury Press.

About the Panelists

Matt Gorman '11 is an Executive Vice President at Targeted Victory, where he leads the firm’s strategic communications vertical, bringing over a decade of experience advising presidential candidates, members of Congress, and Fortune 50 companies on storytelling, media training, and managing crises. A veteran of three presidential campaigns, he most recently served as a senior advisor to Tim Scott for America. Before that, he was the Communications Director for the National Republican Congressional Committee, where he was named to POLITICO Playbook’s Power List. Gorman also served as Rapid Response Director and National Spokesman for Jeb Bush’s 2016 presidential campaign, as well as an aide on Mitt Romney’s 2012 campaign. Gorman regularly appears on television and in print as a political analyst, offering insights on politics and issues of the day. In 2024, he was named a Pritzker Fellow at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics. 

Jesse Hunt '13 is the founder of Monadnock Strategies, a political consulting firm. He was the first person to lead the communications department for both the Republican Governors Association and National Republican Senatorial Committee, the latter of which he was the youngest communications director in committee history. He previously guided U.S. Senate campaigns through a historically challenging political environment in 2020 with specifically tailored local messages that allowed Senate Republicans to win important races in Iowa, Maine, Montana, and North Carolina. Hunt also served as National Press Secretary for the National Republican Congressional Committee, Communications Director for U.S. Senator Richard Burr’s successful 2016 re-election campaign in North Carolina, and as a spokesman for Governor Jeb Bush’s presidential campaign. Additionally, he worked in communications roles on other U.S. Senate campaigns, including Ambassador Scott Brown's 2014 campaign in New Hampshire.

Joel Payne is the Chief Communications Officer for MoveOn.org, an organization whose members are committed to an inclusive and progressive future marked by equality, sustainability, justice, and love. Prior to his current role, he has worked for a number of politicians, including Sen. Frank Lautenberg (NJ), Sen. Debbie Stabenow (MI), and Rep. Barbara Lee (CA). He has held roles with the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, the AFL-CIO Working for America Institute, Hillary for America, and The Hub Project. He regularly offers his political commentary to CBS News.

Meghan Hays is a communications executive with West Shore Strategies.  Her expertise extends to consulting for a diverse range of clients, including climate tech startups, political entities, and Fortune 100 companies. Recently, she served as the chief of staff to the General Counsel and Global Head of Communications and Government Affairs at AIG, Inc. Prior to that role, she spent eight years as a senior communications leader for President Joe Biden, working alongside him from his Vice Presidency through his candidacy and into his presidency. Her corporate communications expertise extends further during her tenure as the Executive Director of Enterprise Communications at MGM Resorts International. In June 2023, Meghan was appointed by President Biden to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board. Before her tenure with President Biden, Meghan held senior roles in five presidential campaigns, the United States Senate, and on a gubernatorial campaign.

This event is sponsored by the Martin Institute for Law & Society.