With more than two decades of executive leadership positions in various aspects of the public sector, Betsy Myers brings a wealth of leadership experience and personal focus. Most recently, Betsy served as COO and senior advisor to Barack Obama’s Presidential Campaign, and chaired the Women for Obama organization. Prior to this appointment, she was the Executive Director of the Center for Public Leadership (CPL) at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Betsy came to CPL in 2003, bringing with her a proven track record of building, growing, and strategically realigning organizations. Motivated by her strong belief that the hardest person we will ever manage is ourselves, Betsy is known for bringing a focus to the Center’s teaching and research around personal leadership and the fully integrated person.

A senior official in the Clinton Administration, she was the President’s senior advisor on women’s issues and the first Director of the White House Office for Women’s Initiatives and Outreach (1995–1997). Betsy helped ensure that issues such as domestic violence, reproductive choice, breast cancer, and women in business figured prominently on the Administration’s legislative agenda. Betsy also worked in the US Small Business Administration as Director of the Office of Women’s Business Ownership and as Associate Deputy Administrator for Entrepreneurial Development. She was responsible for the agency’s technical assistance, management, and distance learning program as well as implementing the agency’s national requirements under President Clinton’s Welfare to Work initiative.

Betsy’s presentations center on leadership through the eyes of someone who has achieved personal success, while also working with people of great accomplishment. She is able to discuss intricate leadership concepts in a straightforward manner, which allows the listener to experience her examples and easily understand the importance of the subject. Betsy speaks on a range of topics, including Generational Leadership, The 10 C’s of Change, The Keys of Leadership Through a Campaign Lens, Observations of Great Leaders From a Front-Row Seat, The Future of Leadership, The Art of Personal Leadership, and The Simple Truths for Women in Leadership Positions.

A Public Service Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School, she graduated with an MPA in 2000,and then served as the school’s Director of Alumni Programs and External Relations.