Laura Schwartz
Former White House Director of Events, Host, International Television Commentator and Author of Eat, Drink & Succeed
FEE RANGE: Please Inquire
TRAVELS FROM: Illinois
Laura Schwartz is a dynamic speaker and internationally recognized television commentator. But when she arrived at the White House in January of 1993, she was just a 19-year-old student with no political connections and no way of knowing what was about to come next. She quickly landed a volunteer position answering phones in the press office, but that was just the beginning. She climbed her way up the ranks of the Clinton Administration, as the Midwest Press Secretary, Director of Television and, ultimately, Director of Events, where she produced the President’s events on the world stage. In her book Eat, Drink and Succeed and her acclaimed speaking series, Laura shares her secrets to success, revealing essential networking tools that will increase sales, productivity and leadership, and propel you to the next level in business and beyond.
Laura Schwartz, the White House Director of Events for the Clinton Administration, created and executed more than 1,000 White House events including State arrival ceremonies and dinners, America’s Millennium Celebration, NATO’s 50th Anniversary, the Concert of the Century and many others. While producing the President’s events on the world stage, Laura demonstrated the Presidency’s ability to inspire a nation and the world through powerful events. She arrived at the White House at just 19 years old with no political connections and volunteered answering phones in the press office. Proving her value immediately Laura climbed her way up the ranks as a Staff Assistant, the Midwest Press Secretary, the Director of Television and ultimately the White House Director of Events. Following the Administration, Laura traveled the world with Former President Clinton for his Foundation and Global Initiative.
In her first book, Eat, Drink & Succeed! Climb Your Way to the Top Using the Networking Power of Social Events, Laura shares the secrets to building powerful, effective partnerships in our companies, communities and beyond, adding color with personal anecdotes from her life and White House years. As a professional speaker she takes those same details to stages, boardrooms, classrooms and ballrooms around the world in her acclaimed speaking series to empower, motivate and inspire each audience to Eat, Drink & Succeed!
Laura appears regularly as an international television commentator speaking about leadership, networking, domestic and foreign affairs, pop culture and special events. She covered the 2008 presidential campaign for the CBS Early Show, was the on-air political contributor for Fox News Channel from 2004 to 2007, and was the special correspondent to Larry King Live and CNN for the 2008 presidential primaries. Laura appears on the BBC World News, BBC Wales and has also appeared on Sir David Frost’s Frost Over the World. Laura’s non-partisan commentary is well respected both domestically and internationally.
In addition to keynoting, Laura also emcees conferences and events large and small, conducts interviews on stage with CEO’s and organization leaders and moderates expert panel discussions. Laura is a well-known mistress of ceremonies for multi-day conferences and events including charity galas, sporting events, panel discussions and fashion shows. Whether addressing an intimate gathering of 30 or an audience of 30,000, Laura captivates audiences with her positive energy, expertise and enthusiasm. Laura is the annual emcee for several prominent charitable events and organizations, including the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk in Chicago’s Grant Park, the YWCA annual Leader Luncheon, which honors women and mentors for outstanding achievement in their chosen career fields.
Laura has been named one of the Best Keynote Speakers by Meetings and Conventions Magazine and is a member of the National Speakers Association serving on the boards of the American Heart Association, the Clean the World Foundation, Common Threads and Event Solutions Magazine. She was named one of the “100 Most Influential Women in Chicago” by Today’s Chicago Woman Magazine and named one of Chicago’s “Most Bold and Beautiful” by Chicago Magazine. In 2009, the prestigious Oxford Union in England invited Laura to speak on the Foreign Policy Legacy of the United States and the role of Women in the World.
Laura is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, where she founded White House Strategies in 2001. As Laura’s career transformed into predominantly live appearances – from keynotes and panel discussions to television and book signings – Laura Schwartz Live was established, a brand that truly reflects her core services.
Working closely with speaker bureaus and the client, Laura designs a unique program to meet the specific goals and needs for the audience. Whether she is speaking to a room full of entrepreneurs, sales executives, consultants, women business owners or Fortune 500 CEOs, Laura motivates her audience to turn relationships into partnerships and ideas into realities. From sharing relatable situations, encouraging stories and historical anecdotes from the White House to incorporating pop culture references and positive humor, Laura motivates, empowers and inspires each audience to apply the tools and techniques needed to Eat, Drink and Succeed!
In her first book, Eat, Drink & Succeed! Climb Your Way to the Top Using the Networking Power of Social Events, Laura shares the secrets to building powerful, effective partnerships in our companies, communities and beyond, adding color with personal anecdotes from her life and White House years. As a professional speaker she takes those same details to stages, boardrooms, classrooms and ballrooms around the world in her acclaimed speaking series to empower, motivate and inspire each audience to Eat, Drink & Succeed!
Laura appears regularly as an international television commentator speaking about leadership, networking, domestic and foreign affairs, pop culture and special events. She covered the 2008 presidential campaign for the CBS Early Show, was the on-air political contributor for Fox News Channel from 2004 to 2007, and was the special correspondent to Larry King Live and CNN for the 2008 presidential primaries. Laura appears on the BBC World News, BBC Wales and has also appeared on Sir David Frost’s Frost Over the World. Laura’s non-partisan commentary is well respected both domestically and internationally.
In addition to keynoting, Laura also emcees conferences and events large and small, conducts interviews on stage with CEO’s and organization leaders and moderates expert panel discussions. Laura is a well-known mistress of ceremonies for multi-day conferences and events including charity galas, sporting events, panel discussions and fashion shows. Whether addressing an intimate gathering of 30 or an audience of 30,000, Laura captivates audiences with her positive energy, expertise and enthusiasm. Laura is the annual emcee for several prominent charitable events and organizations, including the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk in Chicago’s Grant Park, the YWCA annual Leader Luncheon, which honors women and mentors for outstanding achievement in their chosen career fields.
Laura has been named one of the Best Keynote Speakers by Meetings and Conventions Magazine and is a member of the National Speakers Association serving on the boards of the American Heart Association, the Clean the World Foundation, Common Threads and Event Solutions Magazine. She was named one of the “100 Most Influential Women in Chicago” by Today’s Chicago Woman Magazine and named one of Chicago’s “Most Bold and Beautiful” by Chicago Magazine. In 2009, the prestigious Oxford Union in England invited Laura to speak on the Foreign Policy Legacy of the United States and the role of Women in the World.
Laura is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, where she founded White House Strategies in 2001. As Laura’s career transformed into predominantly live appearances – from keynotes and panel discussions to television and book signings – Laura Schwartz Live was established, a brand that truly reflects her core services.
Working closely with speaker bureaus and the client, Laura designs a unique program to meet the specific goals and needs for the audience. Whether she is speaking to a room full of entrepreneurs, sales executives, consultants, women business owners or Fortune 500 CEOs, Laura motivates her audience to turn relationships into partnerships and ideas into realities. From sharing relatable situations, encouraging stories and historical anecdotes from the White House to incorporating pop culture references and positive humor, Laura motivates, empowers and inspires each audience to apply the tools and techniques needed to Eat, Drink and Succeed!
Topics:
- The Power of the Presidential Inauguration
Laura’s keynote presentation, “The Power of the Presidential Inauguration” offers a rare look behind the scenes at an event so powerful it only happens once every four years! Laura captures all the ceremony, significance and power behind presidential inaugurations as she offers a look inside what it takes to make it all happen. From the first nail hammered into the U. S. Capitol platform, months before the election is even decided, to the last formal ball in the wee hours of the President’s first night in office, Laura takes you there. This keynote presentation gives a behind-the-scenes look at how 15 entities collaborate over 7 months to seamlessly make it all happen. It explores the excitement, drama and even the occasional gaffes going on in the background that hopefully no one notices! This presentation is intriguing and delivers inside tips and techniques to make your next conference, event or meeting reach a presidential level. - Brief on US Politics and World Events
Political speaker Laura’s stellar and wide-ranging background in presidential politics is fascinating. It began at 20 years old, as the youngest female presidential appointee in history. She has had her pulse on the American electorate, policy and campaigns since 1993, when she began her journey serving 8 years in senior staff positions at The White House in the Clinton Administration. While there, she successfully executed the positions of the Midwest Press Secretary, the Director of Television and the White House Director of Events. While serving as the White House Director of Television during the ‘96 re-election of President Clinton, Laura took leave to produce the live coverage aboard the President’s train trip to the Democratic National Convention and to produce the televised portion of Election Night at the State House in Little Rock, Arkansas. In 2004, she spent the Presidential election travelling with the candidate 24/7 as a Senior Advisor to the John Kerry presidential campaign. Following the campaign, Laura joined Fox News Channel in 2005 to cover the George W. Bush Administration and the 2006 mid-term elections and presidential primaries at Fox News Channel. In 2008, Laura relocated to cover the Presidential Election as a special correspondent to CNN’s Larry King Live and CBS News’ “The Early Show” as well as providing regular appearances on Sir David Frost’s “Frost Over the World,” BBC World News and China Global Television. Laura covered both terms of the Obama Administration as well as the 2012 Election. Laura covered the 2016 election of President Donald Trump and now covers the Trump Administration daily and serves as the fill-in guest host for television icon Larry King’s Emmy Award winning program “PoliticKING.” - Lead First
Laura’s Lead First Presentation addresses leadership in successful, turbulent and changing times for companies and associations. This presentation is unique and empowering as it incorporates more than 200 years of U.S. Presidents, First Ladies and their stories which have rarely, if ever, been shared before from deep behind the scenes of The White House. All anecdotes are non-partisan, interesting, relevant and relatable to your company or association and are accompanied by tips from leadership speaker Laura that attendees can immediately put into action in their personal or professional lives. As a witness on the front lines of climatic celebrations as well as moments of great gravity, determination and leadership, Laura achieved a rare perspective on the private and public moments of first families and global leaders. Laura shares valuable takeaways in this unforgettable program using inspiring stories and visuals from the earliest White House inhabitants, along with first-hand accounts of defining moments during the Clinton administration. She illustrates real solutions from the successes and failures in leadership that we all can use in our daily lives as we work with our customers and colleagues and share within our communities and families. - Master of Ceremonies, Host and Moderator
Laura has been taking her empowering presentations to stages across the world since 2001 and is well known for her dynamic keynotes and as a mistress of ceremonies for multi-day conferences and events. Whether addressing an intimate gathering of 30 or a crowd of 30,000, professional speaker Laura captivates audiences with her positive energy, expertise and enthusiasm. Laura has received high marks for her work as emcee for many prominent corporations including Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, Mercedes Benz, Cathay Pacific, HSBC, BlackRock, Pacific Life, MACY’S, Hilton Worldwide, the Oprah Winfrey Network, Hyatt, NBC Universal, PepsiCo, Coldwell Banker, Asembia Pharmaceutical and more. - Setting the Bar
This womens empowerment speech covers the “bars” set by female leaders who have changed history and forged the professional community landscape that women excel in today. Laura takes the audience on a journey that explores the lives of notable women and those who “set their bars” around the world and across a variety of fields – such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Margaret Thatcher, Rosa Parks, Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey and others – to better understand how women today are shaped by the skills, strength and struggles of those who came before them. Laura allows the audience to recognize how they, too – as women who are leaders, mothers, spouses, sisters and friends – set the bar for themselves, their families and other women every day, whether or not they realize it. The message resonates with women of all ages in every stage of their careers and lives. Whether it is a corporation, industry association or nonprofit, Laura will ensure her message relates to your audience. She can develop an even stronger connection with the audience by incorporating your organization’s own founders, leaders or other strong women your audience identifies with to demonstrate how they “set the bar.” - Empowerment Through Service
The 19th century French social scientist Alexis de Tocqueville once stated that the defining characteristic of America is its commitment to service. In this moving keynote address, Laura puts a modern-day twist on de Tocqueville’s statement, showing how giving back today can make a difference in your world and in your organization. Regardless of their role in organization, Laura will empower the audience members to strengthen their commitment, whether that means working harder, becoming more involved or giving greater. As Laura explains, volunteer associations and service organizations are instrumental in our society because they can often do things more effectively than our own government. She communicates the power of service using colorful examples and entertaining anecdotes from her work both in the White House and afterward traveling around the world with the Clinton Global Initiative. Audience members will feel empowered to give and continue to give back through the sponsoring organization because they’ll see that their service not only affects the lives of those they help directly, but also their own personal and professional communities. Laura tailors this keynote address based on the association’s objectives and the audience in order to create a completely unique presentation that is appealing, engaging and, most importantly, effective. This presentation has been successfully used to inspire organizations for their annual conference, to motivate donors and raise funds for new non-profit initiatives, and to kick-start membership drives and raise awareness in the community. Corporations have also used this keynote as a way to motivate their employees for their internal campaigns and company-wide philanthropy. Laura has presented customized versions of this address to organizations such as the United Way, YWCA, American Heart Association, Illinois Governor’s Conference, General Federation of Women’s Clubs, Emergency Nurses Association and the Junior League of Chicago. Each organization has reported stronger results with this keynote than in previous years. - Eat, Drink & Succeed!
In Eat, Drink & Succeed! Laura shares the secrets to building powerful, effective partnerships in our companies, communities and beyond, adding color with personal anecdotes from her life and White House years. Through her acclaimed speaking series, she takes those same details to stages, boardrooms, classrooms and ballrooms around the world empowering, motivating and inspiring each audience to Eat, Drink & Succeed! Laura donates 100% of proceeds from her book, Eat Drink & Succeed, sold at engagements around the world to the scholarship fund or charity of the client’s choice.
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