Matt has served in senior communications roles in the Bush White House, at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as a Press Secretary for two U.S. Senators, and served in a leadership role on the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign in Iowa. He is a columnist for The Washington Times, Townhall and The Washington Examiner, and regularly provides political analysis for Fox News, Fox Business, BBC, CBC and other outlets.

Since 2011, he has managed a boutique, high-stakes corporate communications advising firm with client accounts in transportation, health care, energy, telecommunications and tech.

Matt graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in political communication in 2003. Matt and his wife Amy (Sowa) Mackowiak live in Northwest Hills in Austin and have two spoiled rescue dogs, Hope and Harry. They attend Covenant Presbyterian Church. Amy is in private practice as a Speech Therapist who works mostly with kids.

Read Matt’s full bio here.

Contact Matt: matt@potomacstrategygroup.com 

Aaron Pluto | Chief Operating officer

Aaron J. Pluto has served as a strategic advisor to numerous top-level military leaders and diplomats domestically and overseas. He has served as a military commander, a combat MEDEVAC pilot and as an intelligence professional. His global reach, experience and extensive network of relationships continue to make him a sought out and trusted voice on global policy and security issues. In March, 2021 Aaron joined Potomac Strategy Group (PSG), LLC first as a strategic consultant and then as Chief Operating Officer, bringing his unique blend of leadership and expertise to PSG’s growing team. As COO, Aaron provides guidance on policy initiatives, planning and strategy as well as oversight of operations. 

Aaron comes to Potomac after a distinguished 20-year military career which began in 1999 working for the National Security Agency as an intelligence professional.  He earned his commission as an Aviation Officer in the U.S. Army through Texas State University where he was recognized as a Distinguished Military Graduate. Following flight school, Aaron led troops for a total of 27 months in combat as a UH-60 Medical Evacuation pilot with the 101st Airborne.  

In 2011, Aaron was selected as the first commander of the newly formed B Company, 2916th Aviation Battalion. After selection to the diplomatic corps in 2014, he served as a military advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine during the Russian invasion of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine. From 2017 to 2020, Aaron served as an advisor and staff officer to two concurrent four-star commanders at United States Central Command coordinating military security cooperation efforts with former Soviet countries of the Central Asian region.  

Aaron holds a master’s degree in International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies as well as numerous undergraduate degrees in Business, Finance and Communications. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College and the Defense Language Institute.  

Contact Aaron: Aaron@potomacstrategygroup.com 

Leland Bickers | Vice President - Political

A native of Indianapolis, IN, Leland Bickers moved to Austin, TX in the Summer of 2015 to work in event and convention management. He has assisted in managing several global conferences with various professional organizations around the world. After almost a decade in the hotel and events industry, Leland transitioned his career to work in the finance sector of Facebook for 5 years where he managed contracts, purchases, and agreements globally.

Leland transitioned his career into politics when he took on the role of Policy Advisor with a member of the Austin City Council where he managed the council agenda, conducted research, consulted with stakeholders, and negotiated with other council offices. Since moving on from the councilmember’s office, Leland began his role with PSG in January of 2024.

Leland enjoys reading, playing guitar, and riding his bike along Lady Bird Lake in his free time.

Contact Leland: Leland@potomacstrategygroup.com 

Lauren Day | Vice President- Fundraising

Since April 2021, Lauren Day has served Potomac Strategy Group clients with fundraising and event leadership. In 2015, Lauren founded marketing firm GoodBuzz Solutions and over the years through the current day serves dozens of clients ranging from small & midsize businesses, elected officials & public figures, political causes, religious charities & non-profit organizations. Lauren shares her expertise as a Board member for several organizations including Texas Crime Stoppers Council, a state agency in the Criminal Justice Division she was appointed to direct by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in 2017 and again re-appointed in 2020 to lead a four-year term. Lauren has more than a decade of experience working directly in-house for brands before she took up consulting. She was director of external affairs for a think tank, worked for a Texas Congressman on Capitol Hill in DC, reported on foreign direct investment news at a China media company, managed marketing campaigns and business development for an engineering firm headquartered in Texas, coordinated press interviews at a university as a media relations specialist, taught a graphics course for three semesters to 120 college sophomores and juniors at Syracuse University as an instructional associate as well as served as the director of communications & recruitment for a seminary now known as Lipscomb University Austin Center, and worked at an advertising agency—GSD&M—on the SBC (now AT&T) media planning account plus at worldwide public relations agency Weber Shandwick Worldwide. Lauren has been a resident of four countries, but her children are 5th-generation Austinites and 7th-generation proud Texans! Additionally, she and her husband recently purchased a three-decades-old small business and have big plans to steward it well. Lauren holds three higher education degrees from various universities.

Contact Lauren: Lauren@potomacstrategygroup.com