Public Policy Leader & Attorney; President & CEO at the Opportunity Institute; Former Deputy Chief of Staff to President Bill Clinton
Maria Echaveste Biography
Maria Echaveste is a public servant, attorney, and policy leader whose career spans government, academia, and the nonprofit sector. She serves as president and CEO of the Opportunity Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on increasing social and economic mobility and advancing racial equity. The organization promotes educational opportunities, including early childhood development, Pre-K through 12th grade, higher education, and juvenile education assistance.
Echaveste earned a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from Stanford University and a Juris Doctor from the University of California at Berkeley. She began her legal career specializing in corporate litigation at Wyman Bautzer in Los Angeles and Rosenman & Colin in New York. Her legal background led her to public service, where she served as administrator of the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor. In this role, she managed programs related to federal laws such as the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act. During her tenure, the Wage and Hour Division launched an anti-sweatshop initiative that received an Innovation in American Government Award from the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Echaveste held multiple senior roles in the Clinton White House, including director of public liaison and assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff to President Bill Clinton. She managed domestic policy initiatives on education, civil rights, immigration, and bankruptcy reform, and became the highest-ranking Latina to serve in a presidential administration. She was later appointed as a special representative to Bolivia by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
After her White House service, Echaveste co-founded NVG, LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based strategic and policy consulting group. She has held academic positions at UC Berkeley, including lecturer at the School of Law and in the undergraduate division on immigration and education. She also served as program and policy director of the Law School's Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy and as a senior fellow at the Center for Latin American Studies. Echaveste has appeared as a guest on the PBS television show "To the Contrary," a women's political roundtable focused on national issues.
Echaveste serves on the board of directors of UCSF-Benioff Oakland Children's Hospital, Cadiz, Inc., Mi Familia Vota, SMASH, and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. Her career encompasses labor rights, civil rights, immigration policy, education equity, and international diplomacy, positioning her as a leading voice on the intersection of government, policy, and social justice.
Maria Echaveste Speaking Topics
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The Intersection Among Politics, Policy & Communications
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The Border: Are We Ready For It to Disappear?
Maria Echaveste Videos
Changing America: The Digital Inclusivity Crisis in American Education
Steve Clemons (Editor-at-Large, Changing America; The Hill) discusses the digital divide for students and school systems with expert panel: Rep....
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Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Maria Echaveste 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 Maria Echaveste, 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 Maria Echaveste or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Maria Echaveste
Speaking fees for Maria Echaveste, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Maria Echaveste are under $10,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Maria Echaveste, 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 Maria Echaveste speak about?
Maria Echaveste is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Anti-Racism, Business, Business Leadership, Culture, DEI, Democrat, Disruptive Thinking, Diversity & Inclusion, Economy, Education, Government, Hispanic Heritage, Immigration, Influential Women, Journalist, Law, Leadership, Political, Social Activism, Social Sciences, Thought Leadership, Women, Women's History Month, World Affairs -
Where does Maria Echaveste travel from?
Maria Echaveste generally travels from Berkeley, CA, 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. -
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Maria Echaveste is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as The Intersection Among Politics, Policy & Communications, The Border: Are We Ready For It to Disappear?, Globalization: Can Consumers Make a Difference? and The Growing Political, Social & Economic Influence of Hispanic Americans: Myth or Reality?. The estimated speaking fee range to book Maria Echaveste for your event is available upon request. Maria Echaveste generally travels from Berkeley, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Dr. Claudia Espinosa, Alezandra Russell, Ana Larrea-Albert, Linda Alvarado and Anna Escobedo Cabral. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Maria Echaveste for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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