WELCOME!

Matt Comer

Mission-Driven Nonprofit Professional.

Event Planning and Logistics.

PR and Communications.

Hi there! I'm Matt. I hope to meet you soon! Let me tell you a little about me:

I was raised in Winston-Salem, N.C., but Charlotte has been my home since 2007. I love this city and I am proud to call it my adopted hometown. I have more than a decade of professional experience in keeping ideas, communities, and organizations moving and communicating. I've worn many hats over my 15-plus year career — blogger, reporter, newspaper editor, magazine designer, web designer, event planner, operations and logistics director, media spokesperson, and so much more. In my free time, I enjoy traveling to the Blue Ridge Mountains, studying history, serving my faith community, and tending to my small and humble flower garden.

I can't wait to work with you!

A LITTE MORE ABOUT ME

MY EXPERIENCE

I have truly devoted my life to community service, and I feel blessed to continue doing so in my professional career. My volunteer work as a teen and young adult provided the foundation which prepared me for a mission-driven, community-focused career, with leading roles at some of Charlotte's and North Carolina's most iconic LGBTQ community institutions.

I am an innovative thinker who brings a can-do, solutions-oriented approach to my work. I work at my best when I take on projects and causes with deep meaning and impact. If I've reached out to work with your business or organization, you can trust that I'll apply every ounce of energy and passion within me to make your goals and projects successful.

Event Planning Pro

15 years experience in organizing and growing one of the largest and most iconic annual civic events in Charlotte and North Carolina.

IMPECCABLE PR AND COMMS

15 years of content creation and management experience. Writer. Reporter. Columnist. Newspaper Editor. Spokesperson. I've done it all.

FAITHFUL SERVANT LEADER

Nearly two decades experience in faith-based community work, grounded in humble principles of servant leadership.

From left: On stage at the Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade; Talking LGBTQ history and current events with Mike Collins and WFAE's Charlotte Talks; Awaiting breaking news from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals on marriage equality rights in 2014.

Every person and community has a story. I thrive helping others shape and share what makes them special and unique!

DESIGN and PROMOTIONS

I can create eye-catching graphics to help promote your business, organization, or events. I've also designed logos and other branding materials. Your brand deserves care, consistency, and style. I have extensive experience in Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, as well as email marketing platforms like Mailchimp, and I'm quick to adapt to a variety of new platforms and services. On this page you'll find just a small sampling of the kinds of promotional designs and logos I've created.

print design

From conception to execution, I can design and produce a variety of communications products in print or other physical mediums. I'm most proud of the large-scale stage and other event banners I designed for Charlotte Pride's new logo and branding, which were used for the first time in 2022 after a two-year pandemic hiatus put the event on hold. Project highlights on this page:

1. Charlotte Pride Stage banners
2. St. John's Baptist brochure
3. Charlotte Pride Magazines (2019,2020, 2021, 2022)
4. Charlotte Pride event banner
   

PR and Comms

I've successfully managed the PR and communications needs for one of the city's and state's largest events, in addition to my volunteer work assisting a variety of community organizations and causes in their own public and press relations needs. I believe that earned media is a key ingredient in sharing any organization's story and growing its brand recognition.

Here are some recent pieces of media coverage I'm proud of:

Charlotte Talks: In-person Charlotte Pride returns after pandemic hiatus

Mike Collins, WFAE (2022) (livestream video version here)

Pride creates 'unique opportunity' for businesses to showcase Charlotte's hospitality

Michelle Boudin, WCNC Charlotte (2022)

In a first for Charlotte Pride, a historically Black church hosts its annual interfaith service

Amanda Harry, QCityMetro.com (2022)

Faith prevails for LGBTQ Charlotteans — even when churches reject them

Devna Bose, Charlotte Observer (2022)

Reel Out Charlotte film festival reunites Charlotte's LGBTQ community

Diana Hernandez Gomez, Queens University News Service, Charlotte Observer (2022)

LGBTQ Pride: Our youth deserve protections

Matt Comer (guest op-ed), Winston-Salem Journal (2021)

Digging Deeper

Event Planning and Operations

I have an intimate knowledge of intricate, complex event design, planning, and production, including experience navigating bureaucratic permitting processes; vendor research, solicitation, and selection; catering; entertainment; promotional planning; and contracting. Whether you're expecting 15 guests or 15,000, I have the skills, expertise, and connections with a variety of vendors — including caterers, photographers, and event supply/rental companies — to make your event memorable and unique.

CONTENT CREATION and Editing

My many years of professional experience as a communications director and former newspaper writer and editor have provided me a deep wealth of knowledge on how the written word can be used to craft deeply meaningful and impactful stories. I can create a variety of content, including short- and long-form writing, interviews, features, marketing copy, and more.

Among the writing projects I'm most proud of is this long-form history feature relying on a wide range of research and interviews, as printed in the 2021 Charlotte Pride Magazine. Read it online or click here to view the PDF of the print version.

Resume Highlights

Feb. 2023 - Present

St. Stephen United Methodist Church

Director of Communications& Digital Engagement

Nov. 2017 - Dec. 2022

Charlotte Pride

Director of Operations and Communications

Sept. 2015 - Present

Freelance Consulting

Oct. 2007- Aug. 2015

QNotes / Pride Publishing & Typesetting

Editor

Other relevant experience:

I've worked closely as either a consultant or volunteer on a variety of other projects and with other organizations, among them:

• St. John's Baptist Church
  
• Media & Messaging Team
  
• Website and content management
• Worship & Special Events Livestream Team
• U.S. Association of Prides
• Communications Chair
  

Technical Skills:

Adobe Creative Suite (Acrobat Professional, Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, Premiere), WordPress, Canva, email newsletter services, CRM systems, social media

CONTACT

matt

I'm looking forward to working with you. Feel free to reach out! I'd love to chat!

Find me on LinkedIn