Richard D. Kahlenberg

Diversity Inclusion & Affirmative Action in Education Expert; Housing Policy Researcher; Writer & Consultant

Rockville, MD, USA
Live Event: $5,000 - $10,000 Virtual Event: $5,000 - $10,000 More Fee Info
Anti-Racism, Author, Business Consulting, Civil Rights, Democracy, Diversity & Inclusion, Education, Government, Law, Social Activism, Social Justice
Read More +
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

Richard D. Kahlenberg Biography

Richard D. Kahlenberg is an education and housing policy researcher, writer, consultant, and speaker.

He is also Director of Housing Policy and Director of the American Identity Project at the Progressive Policy Institute. In addition, he is a professorial lecturer at George Washington University's Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration. He was recently featured in a front-page New York Times profile on his policy work as a "liberal maverick."

The author or editor of 19 books, Kahlenberg has been recognized primarily for his expertise in three policy areas:

Affirmative action in higher education He has been called “arguably the nation’s chief proponent of class-based affirmative action in higher education admissions.”

Diversity in K-12 schools He has been labeled “the intellectual father of the economic integration movement” in K–12 schooling.

Zoning barriers to housing opportunities His work on how housing policies inhibit educational opportunities made him one of Washingtonian magazine’s top 25 most influential people shaping education policy.

Kahlenberg’s articles have been published in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Atlantic, the New Republic, and elsewhere. He has appeared on ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, PBS, and NPR.

His books include: "Class Matters: The Fight to Get Beyond Race Preferences", "Reduce Inequality", and "Build Real Diversity at America's Colleges" (PublicAffairs Books, 2025); "Excluded: How Snob Zoning", "NIMBYism", and "Class Bias Build the Walls We Don't See" (PublicAffairs Books, 2023); "A Smarter Charter: Finding What Works for Charter Schools and Public Education" (with Halley Potter) (Teachers College Press, 2014), "Why Labor Organizing Should Be a Civil Right: Rebuilding a Middle-Class Democracy by Enhancing Worker Voice" (with Moshe Marvit) (Century Foundation Press, 2012); "Tough Liberal: Albert Shanker and the Battles Over Schools, Unions, Race and Democracy" (Columbia University Press, 2007); "All Together Now: Creating Middle Class Schools through Public School Choice" (Brookings Institution Press, 2001); "The Remedy: Class, Race, and Affirmative Action" (Basic Books, 1996); and "Broken Contract: A Memoir of Harvard Law School" (Hill & Wang/Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1992).

The Remedy was named one of the best books of the year by the Washington Post, Tough Liberal was named one of the best books written on labor unions by the Wall Street Journal; and Excluded won the Goddard Riverside Book Prize for Social Justice.

Kahlenberg has been a nonresident scholar at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy, a Senior Fellow at The Century Foundation, a Fellow at the Center for National Policy, a visiting associate professor of constitutional law at George Washington University, and a legislative assistant to Senator Charles S. Robb (D-VA).

His work has been supported by leading foundations including Broad, Jack Kent Cooke, Ford, Gates, Hewlett, Lumina, Nellie Mae, Spencer, Walton, and W.T. Grant.

He serves on the advisory boards of the Pell Institute and the Albert Shanker Institute. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Richard D. Kahlenberg and other top speakers and celebrities.

Read more +

BOOK Richard D. Kahlenberg

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 03/24/2026.

Richard D. Kahlenberg Videos

#962: Replacing DEI with something better

#962: Replacing DEI with something better

#387 | Richard D. Kahlenberg: Can Class-Politics Fix Housing & Education? - The Realignment Podcast.

Excluded: How Snob Zoning, NIMBYism, and Class

Excluded: How Snob Zoning, NIMBYism, and Class

Richard D Kahlenberg Narrated by Graham Winton Excluded: How Snob Zoning NIMBYism and Class Bias Build the Walls.

#387 | Richard D. Kahlenberg: Can Class-Politics Fix Housing ...

#387 | Richard D. Kahlenberg: Can Class-Politics Fix Housing ...

Richard D. Kahlenberg author of Excluded: How Snob Zoning Nimbyism and Class Bias Build the Walls We Don't See joins The Realignment.

See All Videos »

Class Matters The Fight to Get Beyond Race Preferences, Reduce Inequality, and Build Real Diversity at America's Colleges
Class Matters The Fight to Get Beyond Race Preferences, Reduce Inequality, and Build Real Diversity at America's Colleges
Excluded: How Snob Zoning, NIMBYism, and Class Bias Build the Walls We Don't See
Excluded: How Snob Zoning, NIMBYism, and Class Bias Build the Walls We Don't See
Why Labor Organizing Should Be a Civil Right
Why Labor Organizing Should Be a Civil Right
All Together Now : Creating Middle-Class Schools through Public School Choice
All Together Now : Creating Middle-Class Schools through Public School Choice
The Remedy: Class, Race, And Affirmative Action
The Remedy: Class, Race, And Affirmative Action
Broken Contract: A Memoir of Harvard Law School
Broken Contract: A Memoir of Harvard Law School

  • How do I book Richard D. Kahlenberg to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Richard D. Kahlenberg for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Richard D. Kahlenberg, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Richard D. Kahlenberg or any other speaker of your choice.

  • What are the speaker fees for Richard D. Kahlenberg

    Speaking fees for Richard D. Kahlenberg, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Richard D. Kahlenberg are under $10,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Richard D. Kahlenberg, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

  • What topics does Richard D. Kahlenberg speak about?

    Richard D. Kahlenberg is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Anti-Racism, Author, Business Consulting, Civil Rights, Democracy, Diversity & Inclusion, Education, Government, Law, Social Activism, Social Justice

  • Where does Richard D. Kahlenberg travel from?

    Richard D. Kahlenberg generally travels from Rockville, MD, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.

  • Who is Richard D. Kahlenberg’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Richard D. Kahlenberg for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Richard D. Kahlenberg for your next private or corporate function.

  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Richard D. Kahlenberg or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Richard D. Kahlenberg is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. The estimated speaking fee range to book Richard D. Kahlenberg for your event is available upon request. Richard D. Kahlenberg generally travels from Rockville, MD, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Joy-Ann Reid, Michael Eric Dyson, Boyah J. Farah, Nkechi Taifa and Maria A. Ressa. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Richard D. Kahlenberg for an upcoming live or virtual event.

BOOK Richard D. Kahlenberg

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.
Please Select Event Budget
Please enter your message
Please Enter Your Name
Please Enter Your Email

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

Need Quick Answers?

We are happy to help! Call us to speak with a booking agent about your event or specific speaker request.

1.800.698.2536

Our celebrity booking agents can:

  • Gauge interest and check availability for speaking engagements, appearances or corporate events

  • Provide you with the speaking fee to book Richard D. Kahlenberg or other celebrity appearance fees

  • Give you personal recommendations for the best keynote speakers or celebrities

  • Assist you with any questions you have throughout the talent booking process

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

1.800.698.2536
Contact Us

TOP