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Donna Brazile

  • Veteran Democratic Political Strategist
  • New York Times Bestselling Author
  • Chair of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board
  • Emmy- and Peabody-Award-Winning Media Contributor

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Donna Brazile is one of the best known, most influential African-American women in modern American political life. She was named one of the “100 Most Powerful Women in Washington, D.C.,” by Washingtonian Magazine and one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in America” by Essence Magazine. Ms. Brazile is a Senior Advisor at Purple Strategies, New York Times bestselling author, Chair of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, and sought-after Emmy- and Peabody-award-winning media contributor to such outlets as ABC News, USA Today and TheGrio.

She became the first African American woman to serve as the manager of a major party presidential campaign, running the campaign of former Vice President Al Gore.  She previously served as interim Chair of the Democratic National Committee and of the DNC’s Voting Rights Institute.  She is a current member of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee. 

She is author of the 2004 best-selling memoir Cooking with Grease: Stirring the Pots in American Politics and the 2017 New York Times Bestseller Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-Ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump In The White House. 

She serves as an adjunct professor in the Women and Gender Studies Department at Georgetown University and served as the King Endowed Chair in Public Policy at Howard University and as a fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School. She has lectured at nearly 250 colleges and universities on diversity, equity and inclusion; women in leadership; and restoring civility in American politics.

 

Donna Brazile headshot
Past Hosts Include:
  • Salt Lake Tribune
  • PCBC
  • Cleveland Clinic
  • Cleveland Clinic
  • AEW Capital Management
  • Possible Women Enterprises
  • Annie's List
  • Louisiana Center for Women and Government
  • Louisiana Center for Women and Government
Rave Reviews About Donna Brazile
“
It was absolutely wonderful! She provided the perfect amount of humor and inspiration to reenergize the group after a busy morning...it was a huge success!

”
More rave reviews

"...Everything I heard from attendees leaving was phenomenal on Donna. She was as always thoughtful, funny and full of great stories and insights. She also stayed for the entire event and then an hour after mingling with attendees."

-Salt Lake Tribune

"Donna and Karl were very well received and did a great job on stage. Thanks again!"

-PCBC

"You made a great impression and delivered a strong message several months ago, as our keynote speaker for Cleveland Clinic's 2014 MLK Day of Celebration. We continue to receive positive comments about your remarks that brought a personal, historical perspective to the work of Dr. King and its impact on you and your commitment to service. "

- Cleveland Clinic

"Thank you for delivering Donna Brazile. She was terrific this morning and very well received by our audience. She made a great addition to an already terrific event. "

-Cleveland Clinic

"She was great! Great presentation, funny and personable, and she did a great job of keeping it non-partisan."

- AEW Capital Management

"Donna Brazile is just awesome. She was wonderful. She rocked and rolled, sang and danced, put together more one liners with a straight face than I have every heard one person do.....told her story. She was really great. THE AUDIENCE LOVED HER."

-Possible Women Enterprises

"Donna’s trip to Dallas was fantastic."

- Annie's List

"Thank you for being the energy behind the National Women’s Leadership Summit on Energy and the Environment. Your contribution as a speaker empowered the Louisiana Center for Women and Government in its efforts to motivate and prepare women of public service. There are not enough languages with which to express our appreciation for your phenomenal participation in a Summit which exceeded all expectations. "

- Louisiana Center for Women and Government
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News Commentary - Democrats fend off 'red wave' in midterm elections l GMA [4:32] - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Donna Brazile
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Challenges in Washington

Ms. Brazile, a well-versed Democratic political strategist, provides insider perspective on the challenges in Washington and where we go from here. ...

Ms. Brazile, a well-versed Democratic political strategist, provides insider perspective on the challenges in Washington and where we go from here.

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Books by Donna Brazile
Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House

Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House

Cooking with Grease : Stirring the Pots in American Politics

Cooking with Grease : Stirring the Pots in American Politics

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Press & Media
Panelists ‘lay out the stakes’ of civil discourse - Penn Today
Donna Brazile: To win presidency and majorities in Congress, Democrats should follow this battle plan - FoxNews
Donna Brazile: Why I am excited to join Fox News and take part in a civil - and sensible - debate - FoxNews.com
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Ideas for the Meeting Planner
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Biography

Donna Brazile is a veteran political strategist, Senior Advisor at Purple Strategies, New York Times bestselling author, Chair of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, and sought-after Emmy- and Peabody-award-winning media contributor to such outlets as ABC News, USA Today and TheGrio.

She became the first African American woman to serve as the manager of a major party presidential campaign, running the campaign of former Vice President Al Gore.  She previously served as interim Chair of the Democratic National Committee and of the DNC’s Voting Rights Institute.  She is a current member of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee. 

She is author of the 2004 best-selling memoir Cooking with Grease: Stirring the Pots in American Politics and the 2017 New York Times Bestseller Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-Ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump In The White House. She is a co-author of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics, which won the 2019 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work, Nonfiction. Ms. Brazile is a contributor to the recently published 400 Souls:  A Community History of African America, 1619-2019.

She serves as an adjunct professor in the Women and Gender Studies Department at Georgetown University and served as the King Endowed Chair in Public Policy at Howard University and as a fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School. She has lectured at nearly 250 colleges and universities on diversity, equity and inclusion; women in leadership; and restoring civility in American politics.

She is the proud recipient of more than ten honorary doctorate degrees from major colleges and universities, including her alma mater Louisiana State University. In October 2017, Ms. Brazile was the recipient of the W.E.B Du Bois Medal, Harvard’s highest honor in African American studies.  Ms. Brazile was the recipient of a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Daytime Program, Good Morning America (2016-2017) in connection with her work with ABC and she was a member of the Peabody Award-winning “Best Political Team on Television” on CNN during the 2008 election cycle.

She moonlights as an actress and is especially honored to have made three cameo appearances on CBS’s The Good Wife, and two cameo appearances on Netflix’s series House of Cards. She also appeared as herself on BET's Being Mary Jane. Most recently she played herself in the Zack Snyder film Army of the Dead. Ask her and she’ll tell you that acting, after all, is the key to success in politics.

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