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Leslie Morgan Steiner

New York Times Best-Selling Author; Columnist for The Washington Post; Former Corporate Executive; Domestic Violence Survivor

Leslie Morgan Steiner is a New York Times bestselling author and sought-after keynote speaker who brings lived experience and executive insight to conversations on gender violence, leadership, and resilience. With over eight million TEDTalk views, she delivers candid, tailored talks that drive awareness, culture change, and action.

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Bio

New York Times best-selling author, TedTalk veteran, columnist for The Washington Post, women’s empowerment expert, corporate executive – and gender violence survivor.

Leslie Morgan Steiner speaks candidly from personal and professional experience about surviving gender violence -- interpersonal abuse, trafficking, and sexual assault. Each keynote is crafted to specific audience needs and client goals. Her credentials include over a decade of keynote speaking, and leadership roles at the Conference on Crimes Against Women, The One Love Foundation, and DC Volunteer Lawyers Project.

Steiner is a regular speaker at international women’s conferences. Her TEDTalks have been viewed by over eight million people. She is a frequent media guest on The Today Show, National Public Radio, Anderson Cooper 360, The Tamron Hall Show, ABC, NBC, CBS, and cable news networks. She has appeared in Newsweek, BusinessWeek, Elle, Parents, Self, Vogue, Vanity Fair, The Los Angeles Times, and CNN.com.

Steiner is the author of four nonfiction books: the New York Times bestselling memoir Crazy Love; the critically acclaimed anthology Mommy Wars: Stay-at-Home and Career Moms Face Off on Their Choices, Their Lives, Their Families; The Baby Chase: How Surrogacy is Transforming the American Family; and her latest memoir, The Naked Truth, which explores female sexuality, self-esteem and dating after 50.

Steiner holds a BA in English from Harvard College. Her first job was writing and editing for Seventeen Magazine. After graduating from Wharton business school in 1992 with an MBA in Marketing, she launched Splenda Brand Sweetener internationally for Johnson & Johnson. She returned to her hometown of Washington, DC in 2001 to become General Manager of the 1.1 million-circulation Washington Post Magazine, a position she held for five years. She currently writes a column for AARP. From 2006-2008 she wrote over 500 columns for the Washington Post’s popular on-line work/family column, “On Balance.” She has been profiled by People Magazine, the New York Times, Glamour, Psychology Today, Redbook, The Washington Post, and other publications.

She serves as an emeritus board member for the One Love Foundation, in honor of slain University of Virginia senior Yeardley Love, and the National Advisory Council for the Conference on Crimes Against Women.

Leslie Morgan Steiner lives in Washington, DC; New York; and New Hampshire.

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Keynotes

Featured Keynote

Crazy Love: Misconceptions About Abuse

Leslie Morgan Steiner's candid, chilling, inspiring story of surviving relationship violence in her first marriage. Based on the New York Times best-selling memoir and TEDTalk.

Virtual - Domestic Violence in the Time of Coronavirus

Virtual - Domestic Violence in the Time of Coronavirus

In this virtual keynote, Leslie shares proven strategies, compassion and encouragement to ensure abuse victims — and the advocates and donors helping them — survive quarantine’s exacerbation of abuse trauma.
The Naked Truth for Couples
The Naked Truth for Couples
Happily married couples share one indisputable trait: the willingness to be open with their partner and resolve personal challenges and obstacles as a couple. Leslie’s keynote embraces this readiness to dive into the challenges of intimacy in longterm marriage, and addresses intimate topics with candor, humor and practical advice.

Feedback from participants says it best:

“I found your take on marriage extremely refreshing. I know that everything has to begin with me, and I also know the boost that acknowledgement by someone outside of myself provides. I love what my wife and our family have together, and, at the same time, it’s true that marriage has shut down the parts of me that make me, me. My life is really good, if slightly short of perfect. Sessions like yours help make it even better though; thanks to you and others, I am not alone.”

”After your session, my wife initiated sex last night and she NEVER does that! Two days later I gave her a card that said she was beautiful - she is - and some jewelry with it. She loved it, said thank you with a big smile and gave me good hug and kiss. Any further advice from you would be great - a woman's perspective really helps.”

At 49, Leslie Morgan Steiner’s life included many of our culture’s most enviable metrics: a stable marriage, happy children, a successful career at Johnson & Johnson and The Washington Post, best-selling books and TedTalks. After the unexpected death of her mother, Leslie realized she’d lost an essential element of herself in the chaos of juggling work, marriage, and parenthood. Her resulting memoir sparked a conversation among happily married couples regarding how to nurture self-acceptance and independence in a longterm relationship. As an a writer, successful corporate executive, experienced keynote speaker and frequent guest on National Public Radio, NBC’s Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and other programs, she is at ease in front of audiences of any size and gender mix.

Target Audiences

EO/YPO Couples Retreats

AARP/Conferences on Aging & Longevity

Health and Sexuality Conferences
The Female Phoenix: Embracing the joys of being female over 40
The Female Phoenix: Embracing the joys of being female over 40
At 49, Leslie Morgan Steiner’s life included many of our culture’s most enviable metrics: a stable marriage, happy children, a successful career at Johnson & Johnson and The Washington Post, best-selling books and TedTalks. Despite the image of the ideal life, after the unexpected death of her mother, Leslie realized she’d lost an essential element of herself in the chaos of juggling work, marriage, and parenthood. Approaching her 50th birthday, Leslie re-evaluated her life and embarked on an unexpected odyssey through men, sex, and herself, to find the one element missing from an outwardly perfect life: true self-love.

Most messages about women and aging focus on weight gain, cosmetic surgery, losing one’s attractiveness and sexuality, divorce and online dating, and the challenges of the so-called “sandwich generation” simultaneously managing children and aging parents. This keynote is decidedly positive and uplifting, embracing the wisdom, acceptance, and opportunities to increase your self-confidence as a woman, and how to evaluate our lives — at midlife or any point — and take steps to design, or redesign, your life to maximize happiness, meaning and purpose.

Leslie Morgan Steiner’s subject is women. Her first job after graduating from Harvard was at Seventeen Magazine. She went on to author four books about motherhood, marriage, domestic violence, and rediscovering sexuality after 50, as well as two TedTalks. She has spent the last two decades talking to audiences around the world about women’s leadership, resilience, and unique ability to overcome adversity. As a writer, successful corporate executive, wife and mother, she understands and demystifies women’s strength and secrets, and presents them with candor, humor, hope and inspiration, helping empower audiences. As an experienced keynote speaker and frequent guest on National Public Radio, NBC’s Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and other programs, she is at ease in front of audiences of any size.

Target Audiences

Women’s Leadership Conferences/Annual Sorority Meetings/YWCA

EO/YPO Spouse Forum Events & Couples Retreats

AARP/Conferences on Aging & Longevity

Health and Sexuality Conferences

Medical Events (Doctors/Nurses/Health Practitioners)
Mommy Wars

Mommy Wars

Funny, honest insights about the so-called "battles" between working and at-home moms.
Love the Skin You are In - Goodbye to Starving for Perfection
Love the Skin You are In - Goodbye to Starving for Perfection
This candid, keynote is carefully customized to each audience, exploring the unique challenges women and girls face today. Topics include how to make healthy relationship choices, accept your body in the age of social media, navigate dating, motherhood, and aging, and living your best life as a woman in America today.

Leslie Morgan Steiner is a NY Times bestselling author, frequent media guest, and women’s leadership expert. Her first published article on overcoming anorexia, "Starving for Perfection," appeared in Seventeen Magazine while she was a senior at Harvard College. Her subsequent books and TedTalks address work/family balance, surviving relationship violence, solutions to infertility, developing a positive body image, and instilling self-esteem in our daughters. Her unique experience as a survivor of domestic violence, workplace harassment, and eating and addiction disorders make her a unique and inspirational voice for female empowerment, no matter one’s age. As a writer, successful corporate executive, wife and mother, she understands and demystifies women’s strength and secrets, and presents them with candor, humor, hope and inspiration, helping audiences find their own strength. As an experienced keynote speaker and frequent guest on National Public Radio, NBC’s Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and other programs, she is at ease in front of audiences of any size.

Target Audiences

Women and girls of all ages

Women’s Leadership Conferences

Girls Scouts & Sorority Conferences

YWCA

AARP

EO/YPO Spouses Events & Couples Retreats

Conferences on Aging & Longevity

Health and Sexuality Conferences

Medical Events (Doctors/Nurses/Health Practitioners)
The Baby Chase

The Baby Chase

The ethics of global surrogacy told through the eyes of an Arizona firefighter and nurse who traveled to India five times in search of creating their dream family via surrogate. Based on the book, The Baby Chase, and accompanying TEDTalk.

Show

Topics

Work-Life Balance

Backstage Pass with GDA Speakers: Leslie Morgan Steiner - The Interconnected Impact of Women's Issues

Leslie Morgan Steiner Speaker Reel 2024

TEDxRainier 2012 - Leslie Morgan Steiner

Opinion | For domestic violence victims, pandemic lockdown is a time to plan the escape

Thank You to the Police Who Helped Me Leave My Abusive Husband

Leslie Morgan Steiner on HLN's MichaeLA

Why I Stayed

Leslie Morgan Steiner on CBS This Morning

Leslie Morgan on The Today Show

Rising Stars: Meet Leslie Morgan Steiner of Turtle Creek and Downtown

Abuse victims can use the lockdown time to plan their escape

Author Leslie Morgan Steiner, an abuse survivor, says the coronavirus lockdown brings heightened danger for domestic violence victims but also a silver lining.

How to find a good Domestic Violence attorney

He held a gun to my head. I loved him.

Opinion: Abuse victims can use the lockdown time to plan their escape

My Ex-Husband Used His Guns to Terrorize Me — Without Once Pulling the Trigger

Episode 9 of the Podcast Features a Discussion with Best-Selling Author columnist for The Washington Post, and Renowned Speaker Leslie Morgan Steiner

Crystal Serenity Cruise Director Rick Spath is setting sail with New York Times best-selling author, Columnist for The Washington Post, and renowned speaker, Leslie Morgan Steiner.

Maybe it’s not surprising the White House kept Rob Porter around

Like my dangerous ex-husband, Porter is a well-connected Ivy League graduate. He graduated from Harvard University a year ahead of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, became a Rhodes scholar, is a member of the Mormon church and the son of a man who worked for President George H.W. Bush.

Why men like John Kelly do nothing when abuse allegations surface

Advocates who speak out against domestic violence debate the value of photos of bruises and strangulation marks on victims of intimate partner abuse. Why do victims need proof? Shouldn't victims' words be believed? But it's hard to look away from the photo of Rob Porter's former wife released to the media, and the yellow-purple bruise that blackens her eye.

A Memoir Of Domestic Violence And 'Crazy Love'

Steiner says when she first met her ex-husband, whom she calls "Conor," on the New York City subway, she had no inkling that he was capable of such abuse.

Why rape is a men's issue

Leslie Morgan Steiner: Rape - 'perpetrating it and preventing it' - is a 'men's issue'

2019 The Naked Truth: A Memoir
2013 The Baby Chase
2009 Crazy Love
2006 Mommy Wars

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I really appreciated how open she was, providing enough detail without going over time or remaining on one topic for two long. I liked how she included details about how she doesn't seem like the typical victim, and how she detailed the steps in abuse and how they related to her personal story. I also liked how she focused on herself, and not on the abuse itself.

University of Maryland

I thought that this was the best speaker to bring in for the semester. Being able to hear what it was like firsthand was amazing because it did bring us into her world and actually made us feel what she was feeling. It was moving and makes me want to fight against domestic violence more than ever. I wouldn't change anything about the presentation.

University of Maryland

Thank you so much for coming in and sharing your story. Hearing from you was so immensely powerful, empowering, and inspiring. The work you do is just so important, and it's truly a beautiful thing that you are taking the worst years of your life and turning them into a way to help others. You are an AMAZING speaker and I am so honored to have had the opportunity to hear from you today.

University of Maryland

Thank you so much for taking the time to come speak to our class. I can't express how grateful I am for all of the work that you do. I deeply respect and admire the way that you have found meaning and purpose in your story, utilizing it for advocacy and education with the goal of helping others.

University of Maryland

You have been one of the most impactful public speakers that I have ever witnessed. I am literally speechless and so appreciative for your strength. Thank you.

University of Maryland

Leslie – I can’t begin to thank you enough for coming to Dallas for the CONFERENCE ON CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN. Your keynote was absolutely AMAZING! Sharing your story/your life – you absolutely set the tone for the entire conference. You are exactly WHY we do what we do! And as many times as I have personally watched your Ted Talk – I was as spell bound as the first time I heard it. Your words of thanks to the police in the room – so poignantly helped them understand WHY victims DON’T say thank you at the time. You helped prosecutors understand the process and not the isolated incidents. I was touched by your willingness to return to the house/to the floor/to the abuse – but with the understanding that THIS TIME you did not return by yourself. There is NO doubt in my mind that those professionals in the room returned home with a better/deeper understanding of what these hideous crimes are and how to better investigate – supporting the victim and holding accountable the perpetrator. So….thank you SO much for being part of this Conference. And…it was a personal and professional honor to meet you in person. Of course because I HAVE seen you so many times on line that I already thought we were best friends. This conference makes that official. Also – wanted to say THANKS for the outstanding CNN-Op Ed piece. I use those examples all the time, Orlando, San Bernardino, etc. etc. etc. You are an amazing spokeswoman! You inspire us all! Hope our paths cross again soon!!!

Jan Langbein, Genesis Women's Shelter & Support

Leslie is an amazing speaker. Her personal, honest story and insights captured the interest of the audience, helping the audience better understand the nature of intimate partner violence, how it unfolds, and what people can do to challenge the structures that promote it while empowering themselves and others to be safe.

Kathy Rose-Mockry, University of Kansas

Leslie was exceptional. She was extremely interested in our audience demographics, in our donor attendance, and what, if anything in the local news happened to be immediately relevant to our program. You could hear a pin drop when she engaged the audience with her keynote. Her speaking style was well received, and she went over and above to inspire giving to our organization.

Lysetta Hurge-Putnam, Independence House Inc.

Leslie was the perfect addition to our event supporting survivors of domestic violence in Arizona. She brought an impactful and inspiring story of hope, love and resilience. We even gave out copies of her book "Crazy Love" to a few lucky guests and she was kind enough to sign them for our guests. She was open to spending time with sponsors and our DV staff to connect with our organization. We have only had very positive feedback from guests who attended and listened to Leslie speak!

McCall Schnepf, A New Leaf

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Leslie Morgan Steiner

Bio

Keynotes

Crazy Love: Misconceptions About Abuse

Topics

Thank you so much for taking the time to come speak to our class. I can't express how grateful I am for all of the work that you do. I deeply respect and admire the way that you have found meaning and purpose in your story, utilizing it for advocacy and education with the goal of helping others.

You have been one of the most impactful public speakers that I have ever witnessed. I am literally speechless and so appreciative for your strength. Thank you.

Similar Speakers

Kristina Wandzilak and Constance Curry

Let's find your perfect speaker!

Explore

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Keep Up To Date

Leslie Morgan Steiner

Bio

Keynotes

Crazy Love: Misconceptions About Abuse

Virtual - Domestic Violence in the Time of Coronavirus

The Naked Truth for Couples

The Female Phoenix: Embracing the joys of being female over 40

Mommy Wars

Love the Skin You are In - Goodbye to Starving for Perfection

The Baby Chase

Topics

Thank you so much for taking the time to come speak to our class. I can't express how grateful I am for all of the work that you do. I deeply respect and admire the way that you have found meaning and purpose in your story, utilizing it for advocacy and education with the goal of helping others.

You have been one of the most impactful public speakers that I have ever witnessed. I am literally speechless and so appreciative for your strength. Thank you.

Similar Speakers

Kristina Wandzilak and Constance Curry

Let's find your perfect speaker!

Explore

Quick Links

Keep Up To Date