OUR TEAM
Matt Gordon
Owner & Principal Designer
Originating from New England and growing up surrounded by so much natural beauty as inspiration it makes sense that Matt Gordon ended up in a profession where he is tasked to imitate one of natures most intangible qualities: light.
With a deep appreciation of the outdoors and an interest in photography, Matt grew up learning how to use both natural and artificial light to his advantage in capturing the world around him, eventually transitioning this skill into a theatrical application. After graduating with a BFA in lighting design from the Theater Design/Technology conservatory program at SUNY Purchase Matt worked extensively in the NY theatre, dance, and music world, ultimately transferring the aesthetic he had crafted for the stage onto the TV screen. He has had a guiding hand in the look of some of the most watched television shows and events in the country including The Today Show, Iron Chef America, ESPN Sportscenter, Christmas in Rockefeller Center, The NFL Network Studios, and The Heisman Award Presentation.
Now the owner and principal designer of Eastern Lighting Design; Matt lives in picturesque Southern Maine. He continues to pursue his outdoor passions by hiking, climbing, skiing, and photographing his way through the area in order to build new inspiration for his projects. Don’t be fooled though, even though Matt spends most of his free time outdoors he stays on the cutting edge of technology so that he can bring the absolute freshest ideas and aesthetic to his clients.
Mick Smith
Vice President of Design
Mick lit his very first theatre production of Annie the Musical at Aloha High School in Beaverton Oregon at the age of 16, and has been hooked ever since. One of those rare people who knew what they wanted to be from a very young age, Mick pursued his passion in high school and college, obtaining a degree in theatre arts from the University of Arizona, and moved to New York directly after.
Once on the theatre scene, he worked on several Broadway productions including Saturday Night Fever and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He was a part of the Tony Award-winning team that brought the Producers to life and took the national touring companies to London and Toronto. After several years in theatre, Mick discovered the joy of lighting for television and began to pursue more work in that field. He loves walking into a raw space and designing a project from scratch. Some of his favorite productions have been Iron Chef America, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Myers and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. He has created studios for several news stations across the country as well as ESPN, the MLB Network and NFL, and is proud to have earned an Emmy for his work on the MLB studios. Mick has also enjoyed the travel that his work has allowed him, bringing his expertise to such exotic locales as Dubai, Nairobi, Macau, Beirut, and exotic New Jersey.
After living in New York for 18 years, Mick and his family have moved to Los Angeles and he is happy to be the ELD representative on the West Coast. This move has allowed Mick more time with his family and to enjoy some of his favorite pastimes including photography, cooking ridiculously delicious and overly complicated meals for family and friends, and exploring the outdoors with his son. Mick is affiliated with the International Cinematographers Guild as a Director of Photography.
Louis Malagrino
Lead System Designer
We are pretty jealous that Louis gets to have “Disney Imagineer” on his resume while the rest of us only have those souvenir ears we paid $25 for at the park. This credit is well earned. His depth of knowledge and the ability to explain it all in enough detail to make your eyes glaze over are what literally keep the lights on at ELD. The stability of his control systems have been proven during Louis’s 20 years in the business while working in nearly every facet of the industry .
With experience in broadcast television, new studio buildouts, live events, architectural installations, retail environments, and theme parks for prestigious clients such as Walt Disney, the New York Stock Exchange, the NHL, and the NFL there is nothing he hasn’t come across. His unique perspective on infrastructure and control systems through user end experience ensures every project is a success.
Josh Starr
Lighting Designer & Technical Director
Growing up in NY and being so close to Broadway, Josh used to see a musical every year around the holidays with his family. It wasn’t long before he was hooked and knew that was what he wanted to do. At a young age, he got involved in local theater companies where he immersed himself in every aspect of production. Ultimately this led to pursuing a degree in theatrical design from SUNY Purchase. Now, with over 25 years of experience, Josh has had the honor and privilege to work on Broadway, touring museum exhibits, architectural installations, live events, brand activations, corporate events, and broadcast productions around the world. Fun fact: Josh has worked in more countries than he has US states.
When not working, Josh spends his time with his wife, son and two dogs in Westchester County, New York. He enjoys woodworking, hiking and hosting game night with friends.
Josh looks forward to continuing to build relationships with clients new and old while enjoying the adventure each new project brings.
Nicole Sliwinski
Lighting Director
Nicole’s fascination with lighting began with theatre. She graduated with a BFA in Lighting Design from the Theatre Design/Technology conservatory program at SUNY Purchase in 2021. After graduating, she moved to NYC and was fortunate enough to assist many renowned designers including Jay Woods, Jason Lyons, Jen Schriever, Cory Pattak, and Anshuman Bhatia. Her interest in lighting quickly branched out of theatre to other industries such as events, architecture, and eventually television.
She got her start in television broadcasting as the Assistant Lighting Director for the 2021 US Open. This experience ignited a passion for television and has led to working on shows like the Jersey Shore Family Vacation Reunion, Al Araby TV in Doha, Qatar, and the Howard Stern show. She has since returned to the US Open as a Lighting Director, and has continued to explore sports broadcast by working with the MLB, NHL, and NFL networks. This love for television has led her to her current position as a Lighting Director for Eastern Lighting Design.
When she isn’t working, Nicole enjoys playing tennis, watching Polish soap operas, and traveling the world; hoping to see every state in the US by the time she turns 30! Though she is based out of NYC, she has recommendations on the best food in almost every state from Maine to California, and a story to match. Whether it’s a vacation, theater, or television, Nicole has always been passionate about storytelling and hopes to continue to incorporate it into all of her work.