Vinca LaFleur's biography
- Foreign policy speechwriter and special assistant for national security affairs
- Executive Director and COO at West Wing Writers
- A member of the Council on Foreign Relations
When Bill Clinton made history as the first sitting U.S. president to visit Northern Ireland, Vinca LaFleur helped him find the words to inspire new hope for peace. The Times of London called his Belfast keynote address “one of the finest” of his presidency and The Guardian advised the British prime minister to “hire that man’s speechwriter.”
As a foreign policy speechwriter and special assistant for national security affairs, Vinca accompanied President Clinton everywhere from Asia to Australia. Previously, she served as a speechwriter for the Secretary of State, and before that as a human rights analyst at the US Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Today, Vinca draws on her three decades of strategic communications experience to help high-profile leaders in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors shape compelling messages and drive conversations on issues from cybersecurity to public health, women’s empowerment, and many more.
Topics, sessions and talks
There’s no more visible venue for speeches than the White House. Vinca LaFleur has been there—and she’ll teach you what she's learned, helping you find the words that defined debates, engaged supporters, convinced sceptics, and transformed ideas into action on national and global stages. You'll cover the fundamentals of speechwriting with style—from the moment you get the assignment to the moment your speaker takes the mic. And, if you’re curious, Vinca tell you what it’s really like to be a West Wing writer, with a peek behind the scenes of her experience in the Clinton administration.
Vinca LaFleur is often asked if making a powerfully persuasive speech or argument is something anybody can do. The answer is yes! This workshop takes participants through the art and craft of making a persuasive argument, including a proven, easy-to-employ structure that anyone can follow. You’ll learn how to capture an audience’s attention, define the problem, describe a solution, provide a compelling vision for the future, and call an audience to action.
Your Story Is Your Strategy
There’s no better way to convey a memorable message, a meaningful lesson, or a persuasive point than to wrap it in a story. That’s because our brains love narrative. It’s how we make sense of the world. In this workshop, Vinca LaFleur will cover some of the key ways the best leaders use stories strategically. You’ll learn how to bring dry statistics to life, how to give abstract ideas a human face, and how to make your speaker and your speech more relatable, entertaining, and inspiring.
Write On: How To Polish Your Prose
In this workshop, Vinca LaFleur will reintroduce you to the basics that underpin the best writing, regardless of format — from speeches to memos to executive correspondence to company reports. Vinca will also teach you how to self-edit —the secret of polished prose. Whether you’ve been a professional communicator for a few months or a few decades, you’ll come away with tools you can use right away to make every piece of writing as clear, concise, compelling, and effective as possible.
Op-eds and guest essays remain a great way to get your message noticed—and make your mark as a thought leader. In this workshop, Vinca LaFleur will start by discussing the op-ed form itself. Next, she’ll deconstruct what goes into crafting an effective op-ed, from finding the hook to addressing counterarguments to leaving your reader with a clear takeaway. Finally, your team will have the opportunity to put the concepts into practice through hands-on exercises so that participants leave the workshop ready to write an op-ed of their own.
Why we recommend booking Vinca
Book Vinca LaFleur to master the art of strategic communication and impactful messaging. Her experience crafting speeches for President Clinton and other high-profile leaders ensures your team will learn to inspire and drive meaningful conversations. Benefit from her expertise to elevate your communication strategies on issues ranging from cybersecurity to women's empowerment.
I thought it was really fantastic. Even after years of writing and giving lectures I learned new things from it – so thank you!
Your session at the offsite was extremely informative and instructive, and I've heard terrific feedback.
Lockheed Martin, Lockheed Martin
Your enlightening discussion of speechwriting provided the group with keen insights... you drew rave reviews.
Senior Manager Course on National Security, George Washington University
Senior Manager Course on National Security, George Washington University
