Local Keynote Speakers In Washington, DC

Dr. Fauci has served the country with a relentless pursuit of discovery and innovation. Serving as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for 38 years and being a public servant for more than 50 years, Dr. Fauci oversaw an extensive research portfolio devoted to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious and immune-mediated diseases. As the key advisor to 7 Presidents and their administrations, Dr. Fauci lead medical and public health preparedness and treatments against emerging infectious disease threats, including HIV/AIDS, pandemic influenza, Ebola, Zika, and COVID-19.

Ken Schmidt is the legendary former director of communications strategy for Harley-Davidson Motor Company. He played an active role in one of the most celebrated turnarounds in corporate history, and his vision helped transform Harley into one of the world’s most dominant brands. He is widely known as a provocative and engaging thought leader. Funny and energetic, he shares stories of how to compete with weapons stronger than price, build a fanatically vocal customer base, create a passionately loyal corporate culture, and develop leaders who inspire and motivate.

Jim VandeHei is one of the most celebrated media and political thinkers of his generation. He is the co-founder and CEO of Axios, a media company designed to get people smarter, faster on politics, technology, media, and business. A longtime White House reporter before creating and running both Politico and now Axios, VandeHei offers a clinical, insider’s view on politics, AI, starting and running companies, and the modern media ecosystem. He has co-moderated two presidential debates, wrote two bestselling books, and won numerous accolades, including the industry’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024. "Grand slam. Crushed it, both sessions! We want to book him for another event next year." - Consulting Company “Everyone loved Jim today. I have had many people say that he was the best speaker we have ever had! Seriously. And guess what - I agree! Please thank him for me and pass along my quick comment.” -Nonprofit

Charlie Cook is widely regarded as one of the nation’s leading authorities on U.S. elections and political trends. In 1984, at the age of 30, he started The Cook Political Report, an independent, nonpartisan newsletter that The New York Times once referred to as “being regarded as authoritative by both parties,” while legendary CBS Evening News anchor Bob Schieffer has called it “the bible of the political community.” In addition to lecturing, Charlie continues to write his weekly column for National Journal, while also serving as a political analyst for the publication. He is also a co-author of the 2020, 2022, and 2024 editions of The Almanac of American Politics. Al Hunt, in the Wall Street Journal, referred to Cook as “the Picasso of election analysis.” The late David Broder of The Washington Post, long considered "the Dean of the Washington political press corps," once wrote that Charlie Cook is “perhaps the best nonpartisan tracker of Congressional races.” “Our event with Charlie was outstanding! We exceeded our attendee expectations and had more Q&A than we had time for. All feedback received thus far has been overwhelmingly positive. Charlie is such a pro and did a fantastic job teeing up his remarks with a reminder of the importance of advocacy and political involvement. We will definitely be inviting him back to speak to our group.” - Pharmaceutical Company “Rave reviews! I truly appreciate his joining us for the dinner portion and for his interaction with our guests during dinner and after his speech. Thank you for a terrific speaker and a smooth process.” - Trade Association

Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper is one of the finest intelligence minds of the 21st century. In the midst of shifting national security policies and varying threats to American interests at home and abroad, Clapper illuminates a broad array of intelligence-related issues. “James was fantastic to work with, so gracious and professional. His presentation on insider threats was extremely informative and relevant to our industry, and the audience was completely engaged the entire time. Everything went very well!” - Software Company “Director Clapper, thank you for your time and energy and for the incredible dialogue today. We greatly appreciate your insights and wisdom. It was a fantastic session and got a lot of positive feedback.” Biopharmaceutical Company

General Stanley McChrystal is a four-star general, the former commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan and the former leader of Joint Special Operations Command, which oversees the most sensitive counter-terrorism units. He is widely praised for revolutionizing warfare by fusing intelligence and operations and is credited with the capture of Saddam Hussein and the location and killing al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates called McChrystal “one of America’s greatest warriors.” McChrystal addresses leadership, teambuilding, and geopolitics.

Kelly O’Donnell is the White House correspondent for NBC News. A veteran of presidential politics, her work on the 2008 presidential election earned her an Emmy and a National Headliner Award. Her other work has won myriad others, including multiple Edward R. Murrow Awards. In 2004, she was inducted into the Ohio Radio/Television Broadcasters Hall of Fame. O’Donnell has covered events ranging from the 9/11 attacks and the Iraq war to the Olympic Games and the British royal family. She addresses politics, current events, the presidency, women’s issues, and the media. “Kelly is articulate & bravely measured in her rhetoric. Refreshing in midst of our noisy 24/7 media cycle." - Board of Education

Political strategist Donna Brazile is the former interim chair of the DNC, as well as the former vice chair for civic engagement and voter participation at the DNC, an adjunct professor, current Fox News contributor, best-selling author, syndicated columnist, and television commentator. She was also the first African-American woman to manage a presidential campaign. Her southern charm, big personality, and hilarious anecdotes make her an instant audience favorite. Oprah’s O magazine chose her as one of its “20 remarkable visionaries” and Washingtonian named her one of its “100 most powerful women.” Brazile is known for her ability to analyze the political climate and attract supporters, and she addresses this and the political mood of the country.

Mike Allen is one of Washington’s most influential and well-connected journalists. He is the co-founder and executive editor of Axios, a disruptive media company delivering news and insights on politics, business, media, and tech. The company, whose name means “worthy” in Greek, specializes in high-quality news and analysis easily shared among the country’s influential readers and across social platforms. Axios has been recognized for its forward-thinking approach to the way people consume news in the 21st century. The approach is chronicled in Allen’s book Smart Brevity: Saying More with Less, which he co-authored alongside Axios co-founder, Jim VandeHei. In addition to starting Axios, Allen was a co-founder at POLITICO, the digital media company that upended and revolutionized political and policy journalism in Washington, New York, and Europe. He not only reported on but also drove the day’s conversations in and around the Beltway. His sharp journalistic experience and coveted insider status make him an ideal choice to discuss the latest political happenings. In presentations, he offers his nonpartisan, energetic and up-to-the-minute insider perspective on the political issues of the day, the current administration, Congress, and building a business in an unsteady economy. “It was fantastic! Our guests were so impressed with the discussion and our ability to plan such a timely and relevant discussion. Personally I have to say Mike Allen is the nicest speaker I have ever met. In the few minutes I spoke with him, I could tell he is such a wonderful person! He is so kind and thoughtful! Now to work on next year and try to meet the level of expectation we have created!” - Private Equity Company “Mike was terrific. Everyone appreciated him. Perfect dinner speaker for our group!" - Investment Firm

A presidential-level communicator with more than three decades experience as a national security official, Beth Sanner is among the most influential voices at the highest levels of American intelligence. As the senior-most analyst for the entire Intelligence Community (IC), she was a trusted adviser to the President of the United States on our nation’s most important intelligence matters – first as the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s director of the President’s Daily Brief and later as the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Mission Integration. Having served in several leadership, staff, policy, and analytic positions in the IC, Sanner has briefed four Presidents and also advised vice presidents, congressional and cabinet officials, and foreign partners; her acumen is highly sought after by our nation’s decisionmakers and organizations across various industries. Sanner uniquely immerses audiences in her talks —making them feel as though they are our nation’s leaders being briefed on hot-button developments with the potential to reshape our world. "Beth was spectacular! It was a really excellent conversation, and we're delighted to have Beth in our ecosystem now. Members were overflowing with questions, and seemed to really value her taking the time to share her insights and speak with them. Super credible, super well spoken. She's a gem. I am positive we'll be reaching back out about her in the near future. :) Thank you so much for facilitating!" - Business Consulting Company

CNN anchor and chief Washington correspondent, Jake Tapper, joined the network in January 2013. His one-hour weekday program The Lead with Jake Tapper debuted in March 2013. The program seeks to examine and advance stories that demonstrate Tapper's own curiosities and interests with headlines from around the country and the globe, from politics to money, and sports to popular culture. “Jake Tapper was actually kind of funny! He covered a lot and actually did research on our group, probably more than any speaker I have ever seen. Made calls to Capitol Hill to see what the status of legislation was that was related to us, etc. that was impressive.” - Engineering Company

Sue M. Gordon is the former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence (PDDNI) – the country’s number two ranking intelligence official. As the fifth PDDNI, she co-led the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and oversaw the entire Intelligence Community, comprised of over a dozen agencies that collect information on threats against the United States. In particular, Gordon’s transformative leadership focused on integrating intelligence across the organization, expanding outreach and partnerships, driving innovation, and advancing diversity and inclusion throughout the Community. With nearly four decades of legendary and dedicated service, Gordon has led at every level of the Intelligence Community with roles spanning numerous organizations and disciplines – drawing on this experience to inspire audiences to challenge the status quo, adapt to changing environments, and apply innovation to their business. “Sue Gordon was exceptional. She is smart, engaging and provided a unique insight into the intelligence community. Possessing both in-depth knowledge and an ability to explain complex issues, she delivers a thought provoking essay on the challenges facing our country at this important time.” - Association "Sue was absolutely terrific at our CEO summit. The group spent 90 minutes together in Rich dialogue. She is truly inspiring and edifying. Thanks for helping arrange her appearance." -Healthcare Company

Charlie Cook is widely regarded as one of the nation’s leading authorities on U.S. elections and political trends. In 1984, at the age of 30, he started The Cook Political Report, an independent, nonpartisan newsletter that The New York Times once referred to as “being regarded as authoritative by both parties,” while legendary CBS Evening News anchor Bob Schieffer has called it “the bible of the political community.” In addition to lecturing, Charlie continues to write his weekly column for National Journal, while also serving as a political analyst for the publication. He is also a co-author of the 2020, 2022, and 2024 editions of The Almanac of American Politics. Al Hunt, in the Wall Street Journal, referred to Cook as “the Picasso of election analysis.” The late David Broder of The Washington Post, long considered "the Dean of the Washington political press corps," once wrote that Charlie Cook is “perhaps the best nonpartisan tracker of Congressional races.” “Our event with Charlie was outstanding! We exceeded our attendee expectations and had more Q&A than we had time for. All feedback received thus far has been overwhelmingly positive. Charlie is such a pro and did a fantastic job teeing up his remarks with a reminder of the importance of advocacy and political involvement. We will definitely be inviting him back to speak to our group.” - Pharmaceutical Company “Rave reviews! I truly appreciate his joining us for the dinner portion and for his interaction with our guests during dinner and after his speech. Thank you for a terrific speaker and a smooth process.” - Trade Association

At the height of her 37-year career as a distinguished national intelligence leader, Linda Weissgold was among an elite group of trusted advisors who informed the U.S.’s national security strategy. From March 2020 to April 2023, she served as the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) Deputy Director for Analysis, making her the organization’s top analyst. As the CIA’s Deputy Director of Analysis, Weissgold was called upon by the nation’s highest-ranking officials, policymakers, and military leaders to brief them on global risks, emerging trends, and actionable opportunities, and provide the decision advantage needed to navigate the complexities of national security and protect our democracy. Having served seven presidents, including two years as President George W. Bush’s intelligence briefer, Weissgold offers audiences incomparable analysis of the national and global intelligence landscapes and their impact on organizations and society. Weissgold’s contributions to the Intelligence Community have been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including the Presidential Rank Award — the most prestigious award for outstanding career senior leaders in the federal workforce. She is also the recipient of the CIA’s Distinguished Intelligence Medal, Distinguished Career in Intelligence Medal, and Director’s awards, as well as the William Langer Award.