Laura Arnold is co-founder and co-chair of Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy that supports research to understand the root causes of America’s most persistent and pressing problems, as well as evidence-based solutions to address them. By focusing on systemic change, Arnold Ventures is working to improve the lives of American families, strengthen their communities, and promote their economic opportunity.

Laura and her husband, John, first launched a charitable foundation in 2008. Their philanthropic focus has since expanded, and today, Arnold Ventures concentrates on areas such as education, criminal justice, health, infrastructure, and public finance, advocating for bipartisan policy reforms that will lead to lasting, scalable change. With an extensive, 15+-year history, Arnold Ventures has been one of the foremost results-oriented philanthropies in the United States. The Arnolds became signatories of the Giving Pledge in 2010.

Prior to Arnold Ventures, Laura was executive vice president and general counsel for a global oil exploration company based in Houston. She is a founding partner of REFORM Alliance, a national criminal justice advocacy organization dedicated to reducing the number of people needlessly ensnared in a revolving door between supervision and prison. She also serves on the Leadership Advisory Council for the Tsai Leadership Program at Yale Law School.

Laura is a trustee emeritus for the Rice University Board of Trustees. She earned her law degree from Yale Law School, a master’s degree from the University of Cambridge, and a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College.

Laura was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She and John have three children and live in Houston.

Matt Rascon is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, communications strategist, and filmmaker with nearly 15 years of experience in broadcast journalism. Today, he leads Rascon Media Group and works with leaders and organizations around the world on communication, media, and storytelling.

Matt’s connection to Amigos de las Américas began as a teenager, when he volunteered in Paraguay. The experience had a profound impact on the course of his life, sparking a love of people, cultures, and storytelling that has since taken him throughout Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Matt lives in Houston with his wife, Marisa, and their five daughters.