Matt Darling Joins the Searchlight Institute as Policy Fellow

Washington, DC – Matt Darling, a senior research associate at MEF Associates, has joined Searchlight as a policy fellow. 

At MEF Associates, Matt works with local, state, and federal policymakers to improve the functioning of public programs. His research covers unemployment insurance and other safety net and workforce systems, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), early childhood programs, and workforce development.

“Matt brings a varied and imaginative expertise in social and economic policies to Searchlight,” said Tré Easton, vice president for public policy at Searchlight  “We are thrilled to bring his knowledge to bear as we look to reinvigorate the basic bargain that this country makes with its citizens.”

Matt previously spent more than a decade at ideas42, where he served as a vice president and applied behavioral economics to design and improve public programs across the U.S. and internationally. He was also a senior employment analyst at the Niskanen Center, where he developed and advanced policy reforms on unemployment insurance and related labor market issues.

Matt hails from Medford, Massachusetts. He holds an MS in economics from Tufts University and a BA in economics and cognitive science from Hampshire College.

To learn more about Searchlight’s mission or speak with experts like Matt, contact [email protected].