William Bennett

  • America’s Leading Intellectual Voice on Social and Cultural Issues
  • Bestselling Author
  • Frequent Contributor to Fox News and Fox Business
  • Former Secretary of Education (1985-1988)

Dr. Bennett is an influential and respected voice in the American cultural debate, a prolific author and America's leading intellectual on pressing social issues.

 



William Bennett headshot
Past Hosts Include:
  • CSC Consulting
  • Westminster College
  • Washington & Lee University
  • Executive Focus International
  • National Asphalt Pavement Association
  • Plano Forum
  • Oklahoma Christian University
  • National Association of Realtors
  • Professional Liability Underwriting Society
  • Seattle Pacific University
Rave Reviews About William Bennett as a Speaker
We had an AWESOME event last evening! Dr. Bennett was very well received. As one influential supporter of the school commented, 'Bennett was a high water mark for our dinners.' We definitely made the right decision to stick with him! He was very accommodating at the afternoon reception as well as the reception just prior to the dinner. We raised over $431,000 for The Faulkner Fund which is more than 2 times the amount we've ever raised with the dinner in prior years. So, as you can tell, we are exceptionally pleased.

Bill Bennett - Why We Celebrate the Constitution, Hillsdale College - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with William Bennett
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America: The Last Best Hope

A passionate storyteller, Dr. Bennett shares an inspiring and entertaining message on American greatness and purpose focusing on the triumphs, glory and exceptional moments in our nation's past. ...

A passionate storyteller, Dr. Bennett shares an inspiring and entertaining message on American greatness and purpose focusing on the triumphs, glory and exceptional moments in our nation's past.

Leadership Imperatives in the 21st Century:

Dr. Bennett articulates leadership and the qualities necessary to engage our culture in change. ...

Dr. Bennett articulates leadership and the qualities necessary to engage our culture in change.

Politics, Culture and War:

Dr. Bennett discusses news-breaking developments in the war on terrorism and explains the value of positive public opinion as the war on terrorism moves forward. ...

Dr. Bennett discusses news-breaking developments in the war on terrorism and explains the value of positive public opinion as the war on terrorism moves forward.

Educating America in the 21st Century: Problems and Solutions:

One of our nation’s most informed, well-respected and tenacious advocates of bold education reform, Dr. Bennett discusses the power of technology and the marketplace in enhancing our children’s education. ...

One of our nation’s most informed, well-respected and tenacious advocates of bold education reform, Dr. Bennett discusses the power of technology and the marketplace in enhancing our children’s education.

Conservatism, Liberalism and the Media: The Battle for the Culture:

An influential voice in America’s cultural debate, Dr. Bennett addresses hot-button issues and how the media ultimately covers such politically loaded topics. ...

An influential voice in America’s cultural debate, Dr. Bennett addresses hot-button issues and how the media ultimately covers such politically loaded topics.

Mornings in America: What I’ve learned about America from Talk Radio

Translating Trump

There is still a great deal of puzzlement and bewilderment about the election of Donald Trump. As the former host of a national radio show and as a regular contributor to Fox News, Bennett can offer both an insider’s and outsider’s view of the process, explain the huge mistakes made by those who pre ...

There is still a great deal of puzzlement and bewilderment about the election of Donald Trump. As the former host of a national radio show and as a regular contributor to Fox News, Bennett can offer both an insider’s and outsider’s view of the process, explain the huge mistakes made by those who predicted the election wrong, discuss what shaped the final outcome, and give a progress report on Donald Trump's presidency.

America Divided: How to Mend It

A great deal is being made of the great divide (and decline) in American society. But this can be remedied. The two parties and many factions could possibly come together on some common basic principles and values: economic growth for all; strong national defense (because the safety of the people is ...

A great deal is being made of the great divide (and decline) in American society. But this can be remedied. The two parties and many factions could possibly come together on some common basic principles and values: economic growth for all; strong national defense (because the safety of the people is the first object of government); true equality which is colorblind, gender blind, and identity group blind; and a common educational system with high standards and shared values.

Education and the Future of America

As the former Secretary of Education and author of “Is College Worth It?”, Bennett can discuss in detail how America continues to lag in its educational performance and what can be done to put it on the right course and what this would mean in terms of productivity, higher wages, and domestic tranqu ...

As the former Secretary of Education and author of “Is College Worth It?”, Bennett can discuss in detail how America continues to lag in its educational performance and what can be done to put it on the right course and what this would mean in terms of productivity, higher wages, and domestic tranquility. Regarding higher education, Bennett can explain why many students leave college buried in student loan debt and unequipped for the workforce and what can be done to fix the system.

Our Children and Our Country

For one of the most successful and richest countries in the world, the condition of our children is not what it should be, from low educational performance to increased drug use to dislocation due to family and community dysfunction. Bennett can explore the ways in which our children are hurting and ...

For one of the most successful and richest countries in the world, the condition of our children is not what it should be, from low educational performance to increased drug use to dislocation due to family and community dysfunction. Bennett can explore the ways in which our children are hurting and how we can remedy this.

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Biography

William J. Bennett is one of America’s most important, influential, and respected voices on cultural, political, and education issues. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Bill Bennett studied philosophy at Williams College (B.A.) and the University of Texas (Ph.D.) and earned a law degree (J.D.) from Harvard. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of Udacity, one of the world’s leading online education organizations, as well as the Advisory Board of Viridis Learning, Inc. He is also a Senior Advisor to Facebook and to Istation, an education technology company principally serving rural America.

Over the course of his professional life, in education, government and the private sector, Dr. Bennett has succeeded in a trifecta of American institutions. He is an award-winning professor in academia, having taught at Boston University, the University of Texas and Harvard; he is a three-time confirmed executive in the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations including holding two cabinet-level positions, Secretary of Education under Ronald Reagan and the Nation’s first Drug Czar under the first President Bush. He was formerly the host of Morning in America, one of the largest national talk shows in the country, and is now host of The Bill Bennett Show podcast. He is an official Fox News contributor appearing weekly on some of the nation's highest-rated cable TV shows.  He is also an experienced technology entrepreneur, having been the founding Chairman of K12.com a multi-billion dollar online education company.

In his various roles, Dr. Bennett is perceived—even by his adversaries—as a man of strong, reasoned convictions who speaks candidly, eloquently, and honestly about some of the most important issues of our time.

Dr. Bennett has written or co-authored more than 25 books including two New York Times number one best-sellers, one of them being the Book of Virtues, one of the most successful books of the 1990s. His latest book Tried By Fire: The Story of Christianity’s First Thousand Years has also quickly become a best-seller. His three-volume set of the history of the United States entitled America: The Last Best Hope, has been widely praised and adopted for use in schools around the country. The Sunday New York Times previously named Dr. Bennett the “leading spokesman of the Traditional Values wing of the Republican Party.” Although he is a well-known Republican, Dr. Bennett often has crossed party lines in order to pursue important common purposes.

Thanks to his government positions, his writings and speeches, and thousands of media appearances, William Bennett has extraordinary influence on America’s political and social landscape. In many surveys and publications he has been named one of the most influential individuals in America. He is the recipient of more than 30 honorary degrees.

Dr. Bennett and his wife, Elayne, reside in North Carolina and Chevy Chase, Maryland and are the parents of two sons.