With nearly 25 years of experience helping organizations navigate reputation, regulation, and legislation in the food and agriculture sector, Matt serves as IDFA's Executive Vice President and Chief Impact Officer responsible for coordinating efforts across the association to drive policy, advocacy, communications, and social impact outcomes for IDFA members and the U.S. dairy industry. Matt brings a results-based approach to public affairs, organizational positioning, and strategic communications strategy, mixing traditional and digital engagement and advocacy to deliver impact, including by building trust with consumers and achieving federal and state policies that preserve and expand markets for dairy food companies. Herrick is also the Executive Director of the IDFA Foundation, the association's 501(c)3 charity that he helped to found.
Matt has led external affairs, advocacy, and public affairs for several global organizations in the private and non-profit spaces. He served as Director of Communications at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in two separate presidential administrations. He also served as Managing Director with The Rockefeller Foundation's Global Policy and Advocacy division. Prior to Rockefeller, Matt founded and managed the food, nutrition, and trade client practice for Story Partners public affairs in Washington, D.C., working with trade associations, food companies, and foundations. He also served as head of communications and spokesperson for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Oxfam America. Early in his career, he served as speechwriter and spokesperson for USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, as well as a newspaper and magazine reporter. He holds a BA from the College of the Holy Cross and an MA from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications.
