Matthew Hughes is president and CEO of the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA), where he leads efforts to support and strengthen a national network of 90 nonpartisan World Affairs Councils dedicated to enhancing the global perspective of communities across the United States.
Before joining WACA in 2023, Matthew served as executive director of the International Relations Council, WACA’s member Council in Kansas City. There he broadened public access to international affairs education through expanded programming, strengthened regional and national partnerships, and a strategic renewal of the Council’s mission, operations, and outreach. His earlier work at People to People International focused on fostering global understanding through educational initiatives and public diplomacy. Matthew began his career as a K-12 teacher, where he designed and delivered learning opportunities for students and colleagues ranging from age 4 through working professionals.
With a background in education, nonprofit leadership, and association management, Matthew has worked across sectors to advance civic learning, global awareness, and international engagement. He regularly serves as a moderator for public forums and contributes to conversations on international affairs, organizational strategy, and the evolving role of membership-based institutions. In his current role, he represents WACA in national and international settings and engages with stakeholders in diplomatic, academic, philanthropic, international organization, and policy communities to promote dialogue on global issues.
Matthew holds a Master of Education degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Arts degree in Global and International Studies from the University of Kansas, where his graduate research examined opportunities for global-competence education. He is a Certified Association Executive and has been recognized by Association Forum as a Forty Under 40 recipient. Fluent in Spanish and conversational in Portuguese, Matthew has traveled to six of seven continents and all 50 U.S. states and has experience living internationally, including in South America and on the U.S.-Mexico border.
