Laura Schwartz has had an extraordinary career. At just 19 years old, she began working at the White House and later rose to become Director of Events under President Bill Clinton.
This made her one of the youngest women ever appointed to a position of significant responsibility within a U.S. administration. She later published the internationally successful book Eat, Drink & Succeed. Today, Laura Schwartz is a sought-after keynote speaker, emcee and television commentator. From 2019 to 2025, she was named one of the “100 Most Influential People in the Global Event Industry” for seven consecutive years.
Laura Schwartz Keynote Topics
- Eat, Drink & Succeed – How to turn conversations into opportunities and contacts into partnerships.
Laura Schwartz shows how networking really works: not by asking “What can you do for me?”, but “What can I do for you?”. Her central message is simple: every encounter can be the beginning of a new opportunity, a valuable partnership or a game-changing idea.
With high energy, personal stories and practical examples, she demonstrates how people can build relationships, support others and strengthen their networks both inside and outside the workplace. Participants leave with practical ideas they can apply immediately in their professional and personal lives.
Ideal for: conferences, sales meetings, leadership programs, employee events, strategy and innovation sessions, and team development.
- Activate Your Superpowers – Discover your strengths – and put them to work.
From a small-town girl with a speech impediment to one of the youngest women ever appointed to a role in the White House, Laura Schwartz openly shares the challenges, turning points and successes that shaped her life.
She shows that everyone develops unique “superpowers” over the course of their journey. In this keynote, she introduces five universal strengths and explains how they can be activated to lead more effectively, inspire others and encourage personal growth.
A personal and motivating keynote about confidence, leadership and the ability to use your strengths with purpose.
Ideal for: leadership programs, women’s empowerment events, employee events, conferences, team development and personal growth.
- The Third Place – Where encounters become opportunities.
The “Third Place” describes spaces beyond home and work where people come together, exchange ideas and build new relationships. Laura Schwartz brings this concept to life on stage.
Together with the audience, she demonstrates how spontaneous encounters can lead to valuable connections, how conversations can open up new perspectives and how ideas can become real opportunities. Interactive elements, personal stories and practical strategies make this keynote a memorable experience.
Participants learn how to create their own “Third Places” and use everyday interactions more intentionally to foster collaboration, innovation and growth.
Ideal for: conferences, innovation and strategy formats, leadership programs, employee events, networking events and team development.
- Lead First – Leadership matters most when things get difficult.
Leading in successful times is relatively easy. It is during periods of change, uncertainty and pressure that true leadership becomes visible.
Laura Schwartz combines little-known stories from more than 200 years of U.S. presidential history with her own experiences from the White House. From these, she develops non-partisan and practical leadership lessons for the challenges organizations face today.
Through compelling examples, she shows how leaders can provide direction, take responsibility and successfully guide people through times of change.
Ideal for: leadership programs, change and transformation events, conferences, strategy meetings, women’s empowerment events and team development.
Tailored to each audience
Laura Schwartz customizes every keynote to the goals, messages and themes of the individual event. Rather than delivering a standard presentation, she creates talks that are tailored to the audience and occasion, ensuring they remain fresh, relevant and impactful.
The White House Years
During the Clinton administration, Laura Schwartz served as White House Director of Events. She worked directly with President Bill Clinton, First Lady Hillary Clinton, international heads of state and government, and leading figures from the business world.
She accompanied the President on trips around the globe and was responsible for more than 1,000 events. These included state arrival ceremonies and dinners, America’s Millennium Celebration, the UN Millennium Summit and the 50th Anniversary of NATO.
In this role, Laura Schwartz experienced first-hand the impact that exceptionally planned events can have – on people, organizations and even entire nations.
Her own path to the White House was anything but predetermined. At just 19 years old and without any political connections, she started there as a Staff Assistant. Step by step, she took on greater responsibility: first as Midwest Press Secretary, later as Director of Television and ultimately as Director of Events.
Laura’s Book: Eat, Drink & Succeed
In her book Eat, Drink & Succeed, Laura Schwartz shows how valuable relationships often emerge exactly where we least expect them – within companies, at events, in our personal lives or through chance encounters.
Drawing on stories from her years at the White House and her international experiences, she explains how conversations can lead to new contacts, partnerships and opportunities. Her message: successful networking does not begin with exchanging business cards, but with genuine interest in other people.
More about Laura Schwartz – Keynote Speaker & Emcee
Laura Schwartz has been appearing on international stages for 25 years. She inspires audiences with engaging keynotes and is also an experienced emcee for conferences, congresses and multi-day events.
Whether speaking to ten executives, 10,000 attendees or virtual audiences across several continents, Laura Schwartz combines extensive experience with energy, humor and a powerful stage presence.
As an emcee, she has been trusted by numerous internationally renowned companies and organizations. These include HP, Microsoft, Hyundai, Boeing, Uber, AT&T, Infosys, Gilead, Regeneron, Raytheon, EY, Cartier, BlackRock, Hyatt, Hilton, the Oprah Winfrey Network, Macy’s, Realtor.com, Coldwell Banker, Berkshire Hathaway and Nielsen IQ.
Television and Media Commentator
Since 2001, Laura Schwartz has been a regular presence on international television. As a commentator, she provides insight into current political and economic developments. Her areas of expertise include the U.S. presidency, American domestic and foreign policy, and global economic issues.
In Australia, she regularly appears as an American commentator on the morning program The Today Show. Together with her team at ITV, she was also awarded the prestigious Drum Award for “Podcast of the Year” in 2021.