Matthew D. Gallagher

Before joining the Foundation, he was Chief of Staff to Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, overseeing day-to-day operations of the executive branch, including 18 cabinet agencies and the Governor’s Office. In that role, he helped develop the State’s $35+ billion operating and capital budgets, led collective bargaining negotiations with multiple public employee unions, and oversaw the StateStat performance management program. His work regularly involved collaboration with elected officials, advocacy groups, and the media on financial, operational, and policy issues.

Earlier, Mr. Gallagher served as Director of CitiStat, Baltimore’s nationally recognized accountability program, which received Harvard University’s Innovations in American Government Award in 2004. He was also a member of Mayor O’Malley’s cabinet and senior leadership team and served on the Baltimore City Public School System’s Financial Operating Committee, which helped eliminate a $58 million cumulative deficit.

Mr. Gallagher’s public service career also includes roles with the Greater Baltimore Committee, Philadelphia Mayor Edward G. Rendell’s administration—where he helped oversee the City’s $20 million Productivity Bank—and early work with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s education programs.

A Baltimore native, Mr. Gallagher earned a full academic scholarship to La Salle University, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in economics. He later received a Fels Scholarship to attend the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a master’s degree in government administration. He has taught public policy and administration at the University of Baltimore and UMBC and has lectured at Harvard’s Kennedy School and Penn’s Fels Center.

Mr. Gallagher lives in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon neighborhood with his wife, Helene. They have two adult children. He currently chairs or co-chairs the boards of Baltimore Corps, Baltimore’s Promise, and the State’s Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today (BOOST) program, and serves on the boards of the Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Council, the Maryland Club, Mercy Health, and Teach for America (Baltimore). He has previously held board leadership roles with the Baltimore Community Foundation, Parks & People Foundation, Catholic Charities of Maryland, the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance, and Maryland Citizens for the Arts.