In Chapter 7 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Matt Curtis answers "How Are You Finding New Ways to Stay Connected to Government in the Work That You Do?" Through volunteering, Curtis is able to get involved in city and local government economic development initiatives. He is able to add value as a travel and tourism professional to work with cities around the world as they plan economic development travel and tourism strategies. For Curtis, this means helping cities work through alternative transportation, from light rail to Car2Go car sharing to bike share programs.
Matt Curtis is the director of government relations at HomeAway Inc. Previously he was deputy to Austin mayors Lee Leffingwell and Will Wynn. He has represented the City of Austin at the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities. In 2011, Curtis joined the Harvard Kennedy School Urban Policy Advisory Board to work on national best practices facing American cities. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas.