2018 SPEAKERS
Valerie Biden Owens
Valerie Biden Owens is one of the first women in the United States to have managed a modern U.S. Senatorial campaign, as well as a Presidential campaign. Mrs. Biden Owens has led every campaign in her brother Joe Biden’s political career, including his seven straight U.S. Senate victories and his run for two Democratic Presidential nominations. She also has been his principle surrogate on the campaign trail.
In March 2017, Valerie was named Vice Chair of the Biden Institute at the University of Delaware, whose mission is to influence, shape, and work to solve the most pressing domestic policy problems facing America. She is a partner in the Owens Patrick Leadership Seminars and is also a certified trainer in body language: non-verbal communication skills.
Since late 2016, Valerie has served as Vice Chair of the Biden Foundation and on the Advisory Board of the Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children. The Biden Foundation works to advance issues that the Vice President and Dr. Biden have worked on throughout their careers, including, the Cancer Moonshot, Violence Against Women Act, military families, equal rights and affordable education, with a focus on community colleges.
In September 2016, Valerie was nominated and served as U.S. Senior Advisor to the United Nations 71st General Assembly. While at the UN she represented the U.S. government when, among other things, she delivered three interventions to the General Assembly on topics such as The International Court of Justice and human rights. Valerie also delivered remarks to designated committees of the UN as the U.S. delegate. In addition, during her time at the UN, Valerie conducted a training seminar for New York’s Homeland Security team, as part of their Leadership Education and Development program.
From 1997 until 2016, when Valerie was not managing or advising the Vice President’s campaigns, she served as Executive Vice President of Joe Slade White & CO, a media consulting firm, where she worked to help create and implement candidates’ messages.
A pioneer, Valerie has trained women on how to engage in and influence the political process. Over the past 18 years, she has traveled extensively with Women’s Campaign International to teach women in emerging democracies how to organize and develop communication and political skills. Her most recent international training experience includes a 2016 trip to Taipei, during which Valerie was the keynote speaker at a workshop entitled “Enhancing Prosperity and Opportunity for Women in Asia-Pacific Region.”
In March 2015, she was asked to be the keynote speaker at Harvard Law School’s International Women’s Day celebration. In addition, Valerie was honored as one of 50 women presented with the law school’s international “Women Inspiring Change” award.
In 2014, Valerie was selected to be one of six Resident Fellows at the Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University for the fall semester. Valerie’s weekly seminar, “Politics, Up Close and Personal,” was the most highly attended seminar for the Fall 2014 semester.
Some of Valerie’s recent speaking engagements include the keynote at the National Association of Electrical Distributors and the keynote at the conference of the Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America. In addition, Valerie spoke at The White House Summit on The United States of Women in Washington, D.C., and conducted two Leadership Seminars for Bank of America.
Valerie has also served on the National Board of the Women’s Leadership Forum of the Democratic National Committee and has served for 35 years on the board of The Ministry of Caring; an ecumenical organization in her community dedicated to serving poor, homeless, and disadvantaged people. In the fall of 2010, she was honored with The Ministry of Caring’s highest award for her dedication and service.
She is a graduate of the University of Delaware, and is married to Jack Owens, an attorney and businessman. They have three children.