The Orrin G. Hatch Foundation released the following statements after announcing Matt Sandgren would take the helm as executive director of the organization.
Sandgren was the chief of staff to former US Senator Orrin Hatch and shepherded legislation through some of the Senator’s most effective years as a lawmaker. Scott Anderson, chairman of the foundation’s five-member board and longtime colleague, also offered his full support.
“I was well served by all my chiefs of staff, but few—if any—compared to Matt Sandgren. Matt is a Utah native and one of the sharpest policy minds in Washington,” said Hatch. “He has the institutional memory, the administrative know-how, and the proven leadership ability necessary to build the Hatch Center into a nationally respected forum for bipartisan policymaking. Matt was the obvious choice for executive director, and I’m grateful to have him on the team.”
“Matt Sandgren’s Capitol Hill career was an embodiment of our mission: To promote commonsense solutions to the nation’s most pressing problems,” said Anderson. “As the Senator’s chief policy aide, he worked behind the scenes to forge consensus on highly sensitive issues—from immigration and antitrust to data privacy and IP reform. Matt knows the ins and outs of the legislative process and has a policy resume that is second to none. Most important, he has a profound appreciation for the Hatch legacy and the commitment necessary to carry it forward.”
A Capitol Hill veteran with over 15 years of experience, Matt Sandgren directed Orrin Hatch’s legislative, communications, and political activities during the Senator’s final chapter in the Senate. Previously, Matt served as senior counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which Hatch led as member and chairman.
Beyond intellectual property and technology issues, his legislative portfolio spanned a significant portion of the Judiciary Committee’s jurisdiction, including biotechnology, cybersecurity, immigration, internet governance, and privacy. Matt also served as Senator Hatch’s staff director for the Senate Republican High-Tech Task Force and as lead counsel for the International Creativity and Theft Prevention Caucus.
Both on and off the Hill, Matt is widely regarded as a leading expert on tech policy and intellectual property law. He earned a B.A. from Brigham Young University, a J.D. from The University of Tulsa, and an LL.M. from The George Washington University. Matt is a member of the Utah, District of Columbia, and U.S. Supreme Court bars.
