2014, 2015, 2016. Thats usually the case. I would like to open with the pledge of allegiance southeast training. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america and to the republi republic fort stands one nation, under god, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Im the associate director of education for School Programs here at the library. For those of you that have been attending each year since the program was officially launched you know this is the third meaning. In the past we brought amazing speakers to the panel of students who have impressed us with stories of trials, challenges, changes contradictions and ultimate success. Many of the students are in the audience today. Last year as many of you may know the normally celebrated reunion was in marked with a touch of sadness as two days after mrs. Ronald reagans funeral. After closing for a full week so the public to pay respects and canceling all other scheduled tours and events for her ceremony the Student Leadership reunion happened to be the only event that was allowed to go that week roughly one year ago. If you ask me i think someone was looking out for us that day. In the effort to always challenge ourselves to find opportunities to support our Program Alumni along the leadership journey todays event is a little different than weve done in the past. For those of you or maybe all of us in this room that have ever wondered who was Ronald Reagan not once did he accomplish or how did he change the world but who was the man, the person away from the photographs, the statues covered the interviews and other dimensions the public sees. Reading the book the president will see you now you cant help but feel that you are brought in closer to Ronald Reagan and the person he truly was. Today we invite you to learn more about what it means to be a leader from someone who worked alongside this great man for ten years please join me in welcoming the keynote speaker. [applause] thank you so much for having me here today. What a pleasure, but a Beautiful Day here not that there is ever an ugly day. Im grateful for the invitation to be here today and all of you for taking time on a saturday thats pretty remarkable and i did want to acknowledge this is a special week. A year ago this week she passed away and also it was their anniversary they were married on march 41952 so it is a special week of remembrance. Im going to share reflections of my time working for president president reagan but beo start with a littl the little ae book itself. How many of you have written a book or intend to. Dont be laughing im sure there are remarkable students. My book was a process of extreme so writing a book starts with ideas in your head, thoughts in your heart, your keyboard with magic characters on the screen eventually maybe you get pieces of paper you put together with a paperclip or binder and ultimately ends up like this like a magical incredible process. Because of the assistant to the executive president i was used to the role behind the scenes so i wasnt even sure how i felt about writing a book and putting myself out there in a visible way. I was just an ordinary girl and i felt grateful for this extraordinary man and i tried to write myself out of my own story. We ever try to do that cant downplay our own story and i appreciate my editor said to me. He said not many people can relate to being president of the United States that everybody can relate to a piece of your story so you need to tell your story so i think everyone that reads the book can relate to being young and stepping into a place that feels may be way too big for where you are at in your life and then hopefully relate to the feeling of finding her footing and all of a sudden realizing you can be a valuable contributor and a space that tht seemed very for an end as life goes on we can figure out a way when it throws curve balls and things come at us we didnt expect or plan or want how to adjust. How do we find in ourselves a strength to go on and find a balance and choose to live life joyfully when it tries to rob us of that. I want you to walk in to what i witnessed during the decade that i worked with him and on into his final twilight years. Through my lens you will experience the exhilaration of meeting him for the first time in person face to face. You will witness the outpouring of affection that happened every time we stepped foot outside the door how people would respond to him and starstudded events with world figures and humorous, opportunities and quiet moments of reflection and observation. He will also be in the room when the devastating news about his alzheimers disease is announced and part of sharing that with the nation. You will get to visit them in their home during their privateers out of the public eye and the heartbreaking moment the president bedside when i had to say my final goodbye to him. In my experiences i hope you will find your own and discover even through pain and heartache you can have growth and confidence in your ability and confidence in your self and realize that you are stronger than you ever imagined. It is a beautiful circle and it can end just as it began, hopeful, optimistic, full of faith and love even when it isnt a fairy tale ending faire all wish we could have. Those are some of the lessons you will learn from the learnedt will see you now. The book came out about two weeks ago and what an incredible two weeks it has been. I knew the flag loving patriots would respond to the book and have a longing to know more about him and im proud to be featured in places like the times with 700 club and american rifleman and conservative book club thats what im even more thrilled about is that its been featured in places like people magazine, huffingtonpost, the today show and even a top must read book in a ladies fashion magazine, kind of ironic. Why all the interest . I like to think it is a good book but its more than that. There is a longing for the value and kindness not just in our politics that our society. It was a symbol for the best of what we can be collectively and individually t. A nation of principled leadership, confidence in ourselves and in our united purpose. How did it all begin . Im going to take you with me to meet him in his office the first time i did. I went for an interview in the office and i know it might sound a little silly but it never occurred to me he might actually work in his office sai so in my preparations i planned what would i say and how they answer the questions but i never prepared for myself needing Ronald Reagan himself. So i go in there is myself with this story but its already out there in print for the world to see and i hope that you will experience the exhilaration of meeting him for the first time. I was walked out after the interview was over i was feeling pretty good about it but i walked out to the lobby and they were going to bring me parking validations because i was a starving College Student and was worried i wouldnt even be up to pay to get my car out of the garage so i was sitting at the lobby waiting for my interview and it felt almost like a dream state so foreign to anything i ever experienced that it somehow felt familiar as if it was meant to be. The door swung open and for secret Service Agents with earpieces, radios and guns under their coats walked towards me. Did they know who i was, what i was doing there, were they going to shoot me, arrest me, and then behind the agent i saw two older gentlemen in golfing attire they. Could it possibly be . It was the president and his golfing buddy walter annenberg. It never occurred to me i might actually meet president reagan and i didnt know what to do so i thought about what to do with the flaifthe flag were passing i stood up straight placing my hand over my heart not even looking at him staring nobly off into the distance. Im certain i looked completely ridiculous but instead of walking past me he walked right towards me, looked in my item extended his hand and i introduced myself. Well hello, peggy, its nice to meet you at the 40th president of the United States of america to me. I imagined him as a 10foot tall giant after all hed been a movie star, governor and president of United States, he fixed the domestic economy and sold many of the worlds problems and here he was an ordinary man just over 6 feet tall his hair and pictures appeared jet black but up close i saw touches of gray, evidence of his 78 years. He had cheeks full of life and happiness and vitality. His smile was more asymmetrical than i noticed in photographs. It wa is perfect in its imperfet way and those eyes were a wonderful bright true blue carrying so much joy. He was gone as quickly as he appeared taking over the energy and importance with him. The office was suddenly still. My friend that interviewed me then walked through the same door grinning from ear to ear having witnessed my ridiculous salute. Its incredible meeting him for the first time, isnt it . You should have warned me i said still trembling inside. No, its much better this way. So i thought i embarrassed myself i had to agreed. She then handed me the stickers and said i was going to wait till tomorrow and leave you hanging in suspense but we know we want you to work here so can you start interning with us on monday . Yes, i could. So i held it together until i was outside of the building. I didnt know whether to shout for joy, cry and thanksgiving. I was overwhelmed by all that happened i started laughing out loud. The preposterousness of it all. Me, him, this office. He shook my hand and now i worked for him . I didnt have any idea what monday would hold but i knew that it was never going to be the same after that day and in fact it had already changed so thats how my story begins and i consider myself to be one of the luckiest women in the road because i had an up front seat in history, behind the scenes when he thought nobody was watching, the cameras were not rolling but as the executive assistant my job is to always watch what hes doing so i will take you behind the scenes and show you what i saw when i was with him. But i realized and wha it what l realize that a lot of times there is a tendency to lead in a certain way and live your life another way. He had great consistency. Hhe didnt see two sides of the claimed thecoin they were the s. The way that you lea lead into e way that you lived were inseparable and that is what he believed and exhibited. I started working for him in 1989 and you can laugh at my hair style and fashion that the 80s and 90s might be horrifying but hopefully we keep up with the times. I started working with him after he left office. He came to los angeles and i started working for him a few months later. I thought i would be there a short pier co. Of time as i was graduating college and at the end of my internship i was offered a Fulltime Position and i went from being a interned to executive assistant chief of staff and worked in that capacity for three years until the executive assistant he had for decades retired and they asked me if i would take that job. That isnt something that you say no to al to although i was x months pregnant with my first baby i wasnt sure how that was going to work out. My job was a small staff so it was everything from meeting a world leader to print at the office bringing them in making sure the meeting was going well, snapping photographs, bringing them their lunch and at the endd maybe even clearing dishes. We did a little bit of everything. I had to make sure he had cash in his pocket when he wanted to get a haircut. President s dont always carry cash around. Toothpaste in his toothbrush and sharpened pencils at his desk. Anything and everything he needed i tried to take care of it for him and tried to anticipate so he didnt even have to ask. Seeing him behind the scenes there were not too different from the reagans. Reagans. You so publicly is who he was privately so when were traveling and just in the backstage hold area, the same graciousness and warmth he put on for the camera is the same way he lived his life behind the scenes. What a wonderful example of character and example for all of us to remember especially in the leadership role theres always people around you watching and whether or not he was conscious of that come he was the same person behind the scenes. I love working for him but of course it was difficult in a fastpaced job but it was a joy to work for him. There are so many things i look back on but its kind of ironic that when i look back on what were my favorites times working for him i dont know that you could call them ordinary because i dont know that there is anything ordinary being in the president s office that i look at the fondness from those days when it was just regular routine days in the office and views unlikely people based on our Life Experiences and ages and for eons apart and yet how we came together to have a great system of working things out and accomplishing things and enjoying working together. We had a smooth running schedule, everything worked out together but an interesting dynamic of two very unlikely people and how we worked together well so of course there were important days as well more than others witnessing historic signatures, being signed on documents, traveling all across the nation internationally with the president was always a thrill, private aircraft from a secret service, motorcades through intersection control, pretty phenomenal tha but he mat a lot of fun getting behind the scenes to see him was great for postpresidency he had a small staff and one of my favorite jobs as being the postpresidency photographer so here i am behind the lens of the camera and it was great to see him when things were unscripted. So how do we get those photos when everybody leaves the photographer stays. To be the ultimate fly on the wall and watch him interact with everybody from Margaret Thatcher, taking him through the museum upstairs. Im sure youve either seen or will see it, beautiful facility and its an honor to be here today in this beautiful place. Margaret thatcher and i got to see them behind the scenes after the event can you relate to this . The ladies have their shoes kicked off and the president campresident kind of has his eyen the back of his head as if just to say can we go home. How fun to see them behind the scenes like this and this was an ordinary enough picture until you realize i snapped this photograph right as the elevator doors were opening and Margaret Thatcher was stepping out. You look at their faces they are like little kids so happy that their end is here and you can see thatoming through. This was a woman they not only had a Political Alliance with but the president had a personal friendship with and there is so much i learned about what diplomacy looks like. Ronald reagans version of diplomacy wasnt political, it was personal and it wasnt based on rhetoric it was based on relationship and i watched time and time again as the World Leaders came to see him postpresidency. They didnt have to come for protocol or diplomatic reasons. When they came all the way from los angeles it was because they wanted to. They had a relationship they want iwanted to continue after s the office holder. They liked him as a person and wanted to continue that relationship. They were great dear friends of the president , i think symbolically they were trying to push the wall over. So a man of authenticity what hes all is what you what he saw as what you got and as much as he loved the circumstances of black tie events and going to all th these things he liked gog to the ranch. He liked being at the ranch and have any of you been there . Its small and humble. People would picture the estate is being a glamorous retreat but its not that at all. He loved it there. He was never in their asked about this little tiny home but started its foundation in the 18 hundreds was where they lived. He loved taking people up there including Margaret Thatcher although she doesnt look like shes dressed for ranching activities. But he has his flannel and jeans and belt buckle boots. He loved being up there and wasnt embarrassed to bring her up to their little home at the top of the hilltop in santa barbara. He came alive in such a different way. He loved working outdoors, clearing brush, chopping trees. See the World Leaders bouncing around the back of a secret service suburban was enjoyable they both had Irish Heritage and they were storytellers so they would always have this great banter going back and forth and tell hilarious stories. There was this great woman i overheard when snapping this picture she looked at mrs. Ronald reagan and said you are stylish and your trendy boot cut jeans which was the thing at the time and she looked at her and said ive been wearing these since the last time these were in fashion for some things in your closet if you hold onto them long enough they will come back around. I was wearing a burberry skirt by the way we can laugh at all of these, i was ahead, not behind. [laughter] here he is, gorbachev riding shotgun and Ronald Reagan is driving when he was behind the wheel he wanted to get off the road because he hadnt driven in eight years so you didnt trust his driving. The head of the secret service was a little nervous in the backseat with the president is like a little kid at the Steering Wheel so excited to be behind the wheel of a car. Gorbachev was then to be coming up to the ranch president reagan asked me if i would get a gift for him. We joked tongueincheek saying it may be tough to find one in his size since he has such a big head. He was just named man of the year. We have to figure ou had to fige hat does he even where. People could google it now back in the day but i know i sound old we couldnt so i had to stay up wa late into the night to cal the offices and through several phone calls and faxes and things and finally got a hat size but had to convert it to a western hat size and wondering if it would actually work and thankfully when the cameras were rolling and he put the hat on it fit perfectly. I dont know if you know much about his life story but he talks about having very humble beginnings. He was born in the middle of a snowstorm in the Great Depression in central illinois. By all accounts he would look at his life story and say hes never going anywhere. The cards were stacked against him. His father was an alcoholic, they had no money and yet he was raised by an incredible mother of faith and she taught him to be true, serve serve his commun, care about others, to believe god has a plan for every one and twists of fate are part of his plan and in the end everything will work out for the best. How it appeared he was always raised b by a mother that belied was a bigger plane for his life and thankfully he believed it, too mac. It didnt come without a lot of hard work but he dared to dream and pursue it and he is the ultimate epitome of the american dream. Anything is possible here in america so regardless of your circumstances those do not dictate your future and he did prove that. He was known for being a great communicator but also a great optimist. In the 1970s, things in america were not good, taxes were high, inflation was high, unemployment was high. Heres the beautiful part about Ronald Reagan. On day number one key took office and started using language like its mourning in america there is a new dawn ahead and a shining city on the hill and we are all part of it. On the night at his inauguration daof his inaugurationday not ont in america. We got our hostages back which was great but the economy was the same. We need to remember optimism makes all the difference. He painted a picture fo paints t could be better and people eagerly followed him. He got government out of the racwayso the people could do grt things. That is what great leaders do. Everything changed with a little bit of optimism and a good plan of action that came in behind it. He was also a man of humility so when you speak of people on the world stage at the highest pinnacle of their career i dont know that humility is often a word you would think is in sync with that but he was a great man of humility. He never felt he was better than anybody else come he felt he was living out his calling in life and if you were doing the same we were all equal. He kept a sign on his desk that says there is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go so long as he doesnt mind who gets the credit and that was actually the way he lived his life there was nothing above or below him. He would demonstrate this humility in little ways like reach over and fold my elbow as we would go up and down stairs which i dont know if you gentlemen know that is the polite thing to do and i thought it was especially sweet because i was in my 20s and he was in his 80s and he was reaching over to help me. There was another day in the office that we got extra furniture and had a big meeting and at the end i was carrying these big wooden chairs one at a time from the office back to the Conference Room and on one of my chairs back and forth i felt like someone was following me and sure enough there he was behind me carrying one of the chairs and i stopped and i said its okay mr. President i will come back and get it. He said what makes you think you can carry a chair any better than i can. So we carried them together. [laughter] he was very appreciative of the people around him and what they were doing on his behalf. He had a great sense of humor. He was the originator of so much humor and it wasnt just for the sake of humor but he used to makit tomake a point and put pet ease. You can imagine how i felt reading the president for the first time. When people came to meet him they were pretty nervous and he would often use humor to break the ice and make them comfortable even in big meetings he would use stories that would make a significant file may be using a little humor to do it. We need to revise humor is an important component. Im not saying them out and buy a joke book but you cant take the role seriously without taking yourself too seriously. He was excellent at using selfdeprecating humor making himself the butt of the joke not taking himself too seriously and that allowed people around him to relax. If people around him were they brought their best work out. He stranded us with such an era of acceptance and appreciation and sense of humor about things because not everything went perfectly. Sometimes things went wrong. Regardless how hard you try to make everything perfect sometimes things dont go as planned and he was always gracious and rolled with that. Youre not afraid to try something new and put yourself out there a little bit and take a chance because you know that hes got your back and will live life with a sense of humor. He was a man with incredible respect whether it was president s that have come before him or after him [inaudible] he also had Great Respect for women and talked about his mother being the most important person in his early life and theres been so much written about mrs. Reagan and the respect they had. Mother teresa came to visit the office and this little tiny woman he recognized as being hiv and on the world stage he had amazing respect for and being the first president to put a woman on the Supreme Court with Sandra Day Oconnor to do something he was very proud of. He respected women and this was many years ago so that wasnt even one of the big issues back then but it was important to show respect. As a young Woman Working for him i always thought his utmost respect towards me and appreciation for the value that i added. So a man of incredible patriotism and that is something we would expect that from having been behind the scenes it wasnt just something he did when the cameras were rolling. He was patriotic to the core. How many times do you think that he heard the starspangled banner, National Anthem or any of these episodes being played . Then we would have guests come to the office a lot of times they would perform for him and you can imagine if you are coming to perform for the president what will you probably perform, publicly patriotic music so you know hes heard the songs a thousand times before and that i would watch him and as it would start you would see him tapping his toe, singing along to every word to every verse and every now and then he would stand up just out of respect and put his hand over his heart were certain songs or just so beautifully performed and you would see tears in his eyes. This was a man who was patriotic to his core. He loved this country and he felt the honor and privilege of serving at the highest level. He was proud for what he was able to represent and what america is represented on the world stage. He was appreciative and getting the president ial medal of freedom in the white house from his successor, george bush, president at the time. We went to the white house and presented them with the medal of freedom. Is a man who has won every award, got in every trophy and certificate. On the way home what is he do . Takes off his jacket commits along six hour flight home. He left his metal on. He wore that metal all of the way home. It meant something to him. It was very special, what represented in the people he had represented. He appreciated it so much. He word all the way home. Another thing i noticed that i didnt know sweater first took it, what is he doing in this photo . Can you tell . As his pen out and is no card. He is writing thank you notes. Anybody else a big writer out here. I am because of this man. He can do it i can do. By the way, he was fairly elderly at this time. He is not taken a nap, his not having a champagne party, he is not saying im going to disneyland, he is writing thank you notes on the plane on the way home. By the way, he had an executive assistant who wouldve been more than happy to do that for them. Thats part of what did. Instead, hes putting pen to paper right then saying what he wants to say and expressing gratitude right after the moment. So i travel quite a bit. Every time i it on the plan i have my note cards with me and i figure that this man can do it i can do. I pull out my notecards and rethink is for the trip. Thats a great example of gratitude. He was at the highest and best level. If he can be grateful, we all can be. When my favorite treasures i have for my years of working for him is this, my daughter is actually a set of three daughters look into my jewelry box trying to find something to steal of my. I guess thats a compliment when your kids want to steal your stuff. They came across this green leather box. What is this . It had a big gold seal on it. What is it, and i said i dont know. I remember it but let me see. It was a gold watch that had been given to me the king of jordan. Who knew. Talk to in my jewelry box. So i got a lot of amazing gifts over the year. The gold watch from the king of jordan Means Nothing to me compared to this piece of paper what it represents. Ronald reagan took pen to paper to show his gratitude toward me. This means more than anything. Why . Because it is from his heart. Its from him personally. He gave this to me from christmas it says Merry Christmas to peggy, nancy and Ronald Reagan. When he give it to me he was apologetic. He said i made this for you for christmas and i hope you like it. But i wanted to do something more but you always do my shopping so wasnt sure how to manage that. This was before amazon, so he had very creatively come up with a way to show his gratitude toward me. There is nothing i treasure in the world more than this because of what it symbolizes. The world knew him for so many things, i knew him as a man of incredible kindness. This does look like a prom picture but he was celebrating with me. I just got engaged to my husband greg, we ever 27th anniversary coming up in a few weeks. I got married and had three of my four children while working for the president. You can imagine those were some very busy years. The president was wonderful as was mrs. Reagan to welcome all these changing family dynamics. Theyre there to welcome my first, my son taylor, my second, my daughter courtney and my third, my daughter paige and my fourth, my daughter jocelyn. I which by mrs. Reagan pulled me out the hallway she said peggy, you know how this is happening right . Not really conversation i want to have with the former first lady, for no more. The family was complete. But over the years to be able to interact with dragons casually at their house there is nothing like looking over at Ronald Reagan pushing my sons stroller through the l. A. Zoo. Celebrating in the pool or birthdays and halloween, christmas together. For my kids grew up thinking this was all very normal. My son would look at me in the evening id have a blacktie dress on hed say are you having dinner tonight with daddy or the president question work and then when the office kids get to gather they would say you be secret service and they peek around, its very normal for them. I always appreciated the records allowing my family to grow up alongside them. The husband got into the action and he was fortunate that is president reagans front scuttled a lot to not golf anymore. Ronald reagan love to golf. He only golf daytimes when he was president. But he did golf a couple of times a month post presidency. His friends were getting older and many had back trouble or were not available. Every now and then on the friday afternoon mrs. Reagan mccall the house and ask for greg. She would say ronnie really needs a fourth tomorrow, can you go out of play . He would say yes and turned to me and say peggy, i really was looking for to mowing the lawn tomorrow and i couldnt wait to tackle that honey list chores, but duty calls. Must serve my country play golf with the president. So i work hard all week long and you go golf on saturday . Thats not right. He came back with Great Stories from the golf course and enjoyed the behindthescenes times with the president. In many ways i feel like i grew up with Ronald Reagan. He taught me everything i need to know about how to lead and how to live. Not by a list of rules or lessons, by how he lived his life. When you look at this list diplomacy, humble beginnings, humor, respect, patriotism, gratitude and kindness does that surprise you that be the recipe for success . Ronald reagans way . It is not the type of leadership we see depicted on tv or in the movies. I can tell you this man had a spine of steel, went toe to toe with the communists and shut down the soviet union in a lot of ways. He also had beautiful humanity behind him. So thinking about your own leadership moving forward realize that you can be tough, you can accomplish what you want to and be hardworking and driven, you can also incorporate these beautiful elements that Ronald Reagan embodied one of the things i took away from my experience with him is that your legacy is not something that is written after you are gone. It is something you write with every single day of your life. I challenge you to leave and lid as if your legacy depends on it. Because, it does. Every single day Ronald Reagans legacy wasnt written after he left us. He had already written his legacy. I saw behind the scenes, i side every day when we walked out of the office seen how the world responded to him and how he responded to the world, that was his legacy on display. Your legacy has already started. If your legacy is not what you want people to be saying about you when youre gone now is the time to change that. Never too late to head into a better direction. Your legacy is already started. His legacy of course now we remember it in an entirely different way now that he is gone. Even after he passed away we had lines hours and hours just to watcwalked past his casket. People who had never even met Ronald Reagan. They did not know him personally. Yet they had an attachment to him, a fondness for him. Because they knew he always cared about them. So they always cared about him. People lined the streets and waited for hours for people to watch them drive by. One last moment to touch and interact with him. His legacy is lasting. So memorable enough for all the policies are elements of the presidency although we talk about those two, but for the character of the man, how you lead and how you live that equals your legacy. Ronald reagans passing made us cry but in his lifetime he often made a slack. Part of the reason we miss them today is because we miss how we felt as a nation under Ronald Reagan. We miss how we felt when we are prospering economically and proud diplomatically. When were strong militarily. And were at every corner of the globe were oppression still existed. Now more than ever we as a nation to not want to get over Ronald Reagan and his impact on our nation. We want to get back to him. To what he represented. We want to get back to loving ourselves and loving america as we did when Ronald Reagan was president. The great communicator said it best, one of my favorites especially for this timeframe when everything of politics and society is dismissive. Ronald reagan had a great way bringing people together reminding us what is important and that there is always a better way. And 92 is conventional speech in houston he said, and whatever else history may say about me when im gone, i hope it will record that i appeal to your best hopes not your worst fears, should your confidence rather than your doubts. My dream is that you will travel the road ahead got in your steps and opportunities armed studying your way. How wonderful to be reminded that we can leave by appealing to confidence and to invest in hope. He also said my hope for each of you young people here, he used to always think about the future, but the end people. Before donald trump he was the oldest president that had ever served but was always forward looking. He said especially for the young people here that you will love your country now for her power wealth, but for her selflessness and idealism. That each of you have the heart to conceive, the understanding to direct the handset execute that will make the world a little better for you having been here. I have no doubt that through this program and the things that each one of you are doing in your own little corners of the world that you are making this world a better place for having been here. I think were going to come up and do some questions. [applause] thank you for that talk. Those very inspiring for all of us those of us who have been here for a while maybe those who have just joined. To start with, i like to go back, where things all started you said in the book that your life was forever changed by the phone call you god. You mentioned writing letters to for in organizations. Several weeks later cannot phone call. What would you think those in that letter of how you can work for a president when he had no experience at the time. I was a nerdy little kid. I love government politics. It was this reality that i was fascinated with. When he grew up in the beltway of washington d. C. That big. I grew up in Southern California. Men and women in general were not involved in politics. I did not have any role model or event know that woman could be involved in politics. I was fascinated by the presidency. In college i was a communications major. The great communicators in the white house and hes the perfect convergence of everything i love. Is the president , i knew everything right there. I was raised by daddy said somebodys going to have the job you want, might as well be you. So i grew up believing that and believing anything was possible. When Ronald Reagan left the white house and came back to l. A. Thought if i could work for anybody thats who i would work for and somebody has to have the job. So i was brought into the interview, i was terrified but at the same time had a feeling that these pieces of my life had let up to that point. People and say that i was so lucky, i believe luck has somethings to do with life, but i also think that people are willing to recognize it and grab it when it comes and are willing to put in the work to maximize it. I was fortunate to have the opportunity and youll have luck in your life if youre ready to grab it. We notice the quote from your father that says somebody has a job you might as well be you. What advice would you give your children as you go forward that you hope they would hold onto . Well i figured they were already equipped with certain skills and traits and talents that were embedded in them when they were born. As a mom i feel like its my role to nurture and facilitate them growing its what theyre meant to be a not make them into what i want them to be. For my children i want them to know anything is possible especially for my daughters, my mother was an incredible mother, a Betty Crocker stayathome wonderful welleducated woman who chose to be home and raise her family. I actually thought i would never be a working mom. Life had a different plan for me. So i thought that was where is called to be. Wherever you are called to be you need to be there and do that with excellence. For my girls i hope they know anything is possible. You can have it all you can have a family and a career. Its not always prettier perfect, i read a lot about in the book with going to work with spit up behind my back are catastrophic baby things. But anything is possible. Dream big and work hard and dont assume its for someone else. For you at such a young age you learn to keep up and youre able to do it all, what advice you have for your people trying to look at a fulltime job while juggling other aspects of their life. You have to be very organized managing a household of four kids i dont know whats harder it truly is a fulltime difficult job. We need to give ourselves a lot of grace and slack because we expect perfection. My priority was the president safety. I never wanted anything i was doing or not doing to jeopardize his life and make him look bad so i focused on the things that are most important, his safety, his reputation persona. The same with my kids. What are the major priorities and focus on those. We cant get upset about every tiny thing, life isnt always perfect to let the perfect be the enemy of the good dont expect things to be perfect and enjoy the good that there is. It was challenging because i not only had to say pace with him but i had to stay three steps of how to fit. Because when he would be in the middle of a meeting he would be enjoying the meeting in i would take that momentary snapshot of my head of this amazing opportunity. Im here in the room observing this, but there was one moment and im taking a snapshot of my mind thinking im wonder if their lunch is ready how do i break this up i dont want to be read but i need to get things moving. The secret Service Ready . So as im standing there smiling taking pictures or whatever and thinking 12 steps ahead. So i guess i would be symbolic of your life. Take a snapshot where your but always be thinking whats around the corner and how can i be ready and prepared . My goal is when the president came to my desk and said im looking for that i would hand it to them because i ready anticipated what he would need. After reflecting on the career with the president there any advice you would wish someone have been able to give you before you had gone through your career. I may mile path in a lot of ways. My dad was the superintendent of schools i went up to the ranks and my mom was a School Teacher who went on to be a college professor. I did not really have somebody to look to. I would say would be helpful if you find somebody in your arena you think i would love to do it theyre doing or maybe i want to know more about what they do or what that arena looks like talk to them. Anybody at any level is willing to invest in the lives of young people if they know you have a curiosity and interest and are willing to take your advice and listen to move forward. Thats very helpful to surround yourself with people. You might get into a conversation and thats not what im interested in doing but how great to find that out now. I wanted to college as a communications major. I always love politics but more of a hobby. I do not think i would be so fortunate in life to interact with the political arena at all. But remember what youre interested in see what it can look like. See if you can picture yourself there and what the lifestyle and training is thats required to be there. Be bold. Dream big. I work hard to get there. Going after that in your book you said you gave instances where he said yes ill come in for an interview, yes i can start monday and yes you can be the primary photographer in those kind of things making sure your able to be there for the president. Is there every time you remember so you know and if so why . I live by the motto that i always say yes when i can and no only when i have to. I found that it has open interesting doors for me. I travel and speak to political conferences to Global Executive conferences. But i have interesting clients come up and say so all the diplomacy and hospitality stuff can you do that in the sporting world . So i worked the final for the super bowl and kentucky derby. That dignitaries from all around the world come in any summative interface. Just basing sure think i can do that in my mind thinking i dont know if i capital figured out. I would challenge everybody to only say no when you have to. You will be uncomfortable. Theres lots of things, comfortable doing all the time still. Every time you do it and get a success on rebel you think okay, i can do that. Challenge yourself and push yourself especially when youre young the best time to take a risk and try something new. Decide you love it or decide you dont. Not just the skills and things are good but what are the personality traits you possess that are the best of you . Even if your resume is thin, are you hardworking and innovated . What is that at the core of you but is the best of you. Lead with that and it will open doors of conversation moving forward. The last question i like task is for anyone who has lost some of their close to we know certain things to remind us of them. When i think say you see that reminded president reagan . Every time i drive up the hill i think of him and being here with him, today when i pulled off the offramp picturing a year ago today we bought mrs. Regular. What an honor was to be planning her memorial. I was in the motorcade that drove her body out here. I pictured pulling off the freeway and everyone in fall salute and what she meant spend and what he meant to them in the honor of having any opportunity to be one part of their world. So many people now are torchbearers for their legacy. Theres so many voices out there and i felt very privileged to be one of those moving forward. Every time i come to me its very personal since he is buried here. Every time im here i always walk by the grace of and say hello mr. President am still here still talking about you and telling people how you change my life and how you still change lives today. A beautiful place for sure. Now well open it up for questions. I think there are two microphones going around and if you have a question please raise your hand when a ms. Weston. Thank you for speaking with us today. You talk about the list of traits that he and body, which trade to believe in our society and government they are we missing the most and how can we rectify that . Thats an interesting question. Jose the last political cycle especially jose authenticity. We have become a society of soundbites and reality tv not based in reality. I think were craving for people who are authentic. Are you who people think you are. Have you created a false persona that youre really not . Whether people like her hated donald trump theres nothing to stay about him. You knew what he thought because what he thought right to his twitter fee. So i think that resonated with people. Whether they loved him or hated him there is an authenticity you knew what you were getting. I believe societies pendulum will swing and at some point it over corrects. I just think that will be swinging back toward bringing people of substance people of authenticity. Hello, my name is and i want to thank you again for your very perspective on Ronald Reagans life. Its inspiring to me and other people. My question to us, it definitely came across that you valued what Ronald Reagan stood for. Was this more a position of authority as him being president of the United States that influenced your decision to see him as a role model or was it a belief in the alignment of you trying to become more of a character like he was because you look up to him for what he believed in and stood for . I was fairly young and when Ronald Reagan took office i was in junior high. So i watched an Early High School and college. So as i was still trying to figure where political ideology. I would say it was wasnt really a factor in my fascination with Ronald Reagan. Smarty communicated in the way he made people feel. When you think about how you communicate with others they dont remember every word you say that they will remember how they felt when you talk to them. That is far more lasting. When Ronald Reagan would talk to me to the tv camera coming through the lens to my living room, there is a feeling he was talking right to me. He had a way of connecting to me the young girl in Southern California never imagined i would work for him. It was the essence of the man and later when he painted the vision of what we could accomplish as a nation i had already believed in him as a leader. It is the character, the vision and i think the policies come along. We saw a lot of people crossover vote. We had democrats voting for Ronald Reagan because they believed in him as a leader even if they did not align with all of the politics. A good thing to remember is that we always have commonalities we should highlight those rather than those that divide us. Think you. Hello, i am juliana. I was a brain part of the reagan leadership family for three years something they up into genesis how to make the ask input things out there and push for what we want. And so you decided you wanted to work in politics in your dream job would be working for president reagan and he made that by writing that letter. How did that feel to be advocating for yourself . Were there outside influence that drove you towards advocating for yourself . I thought it was very bold but i was so terrified that i did not tell one person. Because i thought what are the chances. I do not tell anybody when i went in for my interview because i just thought what are the chances this would happen. But i do appreciate that. There had to have been something in many old enough to say maybe there could be a place for me there. Maybe there could be a chance somebody like me is not politically connected or wealthy in the donor class maybe theres a chance somebody like me and i just think all of you when you thinking wheres my place maybe even someone like you could step into a place like that. Be prepared for that. One thing i think is important i learned over the years having to accomplish things they think how my going to ask the person for this, this is crazy what im about to have to do for the president. Its always put yourself in their shoes. You know you want to accomplish but put yourself in their shoes. What is their background. Are they trying to accomplish and whatever their business or worldview is. To about the ways of what you are asking will benefit them. Thats difficult to do but if you pause for a moment and think about how the other person sees that you might put the ask in a different way. In my case i didnt say here are the great things ive done because when you go in as a College Student theres maybe not that many great things on your resume. You dont care about your summer jobs you had, what i did lead with his here is my traits. Im a hard worker, and super discipline, im very thorough detail oriented. Im committed to efficiency and excellence. These are things that are hallmarks of projects i work on. This is where i live my life. When you present yourself that it doesnt matter what the resume says. I babysat i worked at a restaurant. But efficiency, excellence, your time and hardworking. Going prepared to make sure you know whats going on. Google the company. What they been in the news for recently. Dont walk in without having a game. Plan ready to go. Do your homework and make sure you are ready showing how it will benefit them. I can imagine that i have another question for you you mention Ronald Reagan was a great communicator, and is able to make that connection with others, do you believe there times that keeping something secret is more important and communicating it . That whatever value is going to hold even though youre compelled to share that i deal with the public theres something that will keep you from expressing your identity. There ever a circumstance where you have to remain quiet . Of course. Especially president who is a keeper of all kinds of secrets. In writing this book i had to go through my own vetting process. Everything i wrote in the book there are thousand things i did not write. I wanted to strike the balance between being revealing so you felt like the curtain was being pulled back and he got to see him in places and interacting in ways that you cannot see, but having that ultimate foundation of respect. He still had the right to privacy in his life. And to certain things that i would never preach the confidence. Part of that comes with being a leader. Leaders often have more information that they should share with others. My comes with maturity of knowing what people need to know and he was a leader not gloating saying i know more than you but realizing the importance of sharing the right information at the right time and thats a delicate balancing act. We always knew that Ronald Reagan has secrets that he can tell us about. The thing that gave us confidence in the fact that he had the secrets is that we knew his heart. We knew he loved america and he wanted america to be the best it can be. When you know the leaders heart, the goals, values and core essence of who they are in the minutia of the decisions they make are the bits of information here there doesnt matter so much. Thats why the leadership component is so important. The actuality of how it plays out by the policies on the exact list doesnt matter. He would buy into the vision of the leader and if so that would change everything. Throughout your entire career with everything you have done, what was the hardest or most nerveracking thing you had to do . How did you remain optimistic about going into it . Definitely the most heartbreaking part was when the president announced he had alzheimers. That for me personally was devastated. I had a personal relationship with him. Beyond that one of the most difficult tasks i ever had has been part of a team that release that information to the world. I knew how i felt about him and i knew how millions of people around the world felt about it. They would write him and call him and wanted to be connected to his life. So here i was, one of his biggest fans and supporters and i was going to be part of shattering his image of being this invincible superhero to the world. I dreaded sharing that with the world. I knew they would be devastated and heartbroken. Yet, i respected and admired his willingness and ability to put that out there. Is very private and personal. All the hipaa laws were not even and then yet. Theres something he did not have to share with the world. They could have perhaps retreated to the ranch and nobody would have known. But is not a Public Service does. They chose to reveal it in a very public way so other people could be helped. So many ways we know about alzheimers today because of ronald and nancy reagan. We know the symptoms are and how to better care for people. There are drugs being developed to help alleviate symptoms. All because we are willing to step into a place of Public Service. Lets say that was a very challenging time. I was very young, is married with two little kids overlapping with that my own father was dying of colon cancer. I was stretched very thin. But, even that personal grief wasnt nearly what they guilt i felt about taking something so awful and sharing it with the world. That is what he wanted so that is what i would give. We have time for two more questions. [inaudible] now is your chance. We have one more. Two brave leaders stepping up. Hello, my name is emily. Was it difficult for you to follow through with some of the things that Ronald Reagan asked for . Some of it wouldve been a lot easier now. Because of the internet. Back in the day i had a word processor. I typed all my envelopes and a typewriter which you probably dont know what that is. I had a word processor which i could type letters on which i could cut, paste, and copy but it wasnt connected to anything. There is no internet. So much of my job was spent not only getting information but trying to figure out how to get information. Back in the day i had a rolodex, dating my self. If i got five minutes i could be pretty close to getting everything you wanted. I had contacts to all embassies around the world. My friends here and there, a lot of times it was a matter of getting on the phone. I said hey im trying to get hold of this person or figure out this information. Many times it was down a rabbit trail. I dont know but i have a friend and if you call, but again the time change. Sometimes i could call overseas or there is always a way to get it done. I think im glad there wasnt internet back then. I dont know if i wouldve had a job. At the same time it challenged my problemsolving skills. There was always a way to get it done and i was a good way to get a job. But it took a little creativity, little thoughts, little inconvenience but there always was a way. So i would never turn to the president say sorry i just couldnt figure that out. I would never do that. There was always a way to figure it out. You could look at what was the best way to get to the best solution possible. Theres always a way to get there. You can do it with a smile on her face. And one more question. Morning everyone. My questions, how did you find a way to communicate effectively with various leaders he met . I took my cues from the president. My job was to be behind the scenes, but i consider myself a very visible, invisible person. I had to hover and if he ever needed something i wanted him to be able to turn his eyes and know i was there, jump on whatever he needed. Just watching him communicate with people, the thing that impacted me the most is he always spoke to people. It wasnt putting people down, he spoke right to people. It didnt matter if you are the had a state where child visiting the office, he treated everyone with respect. When your communication is driven by the other person with the impression they want them to have just a person, another human and look them in the eye like the president always did, it sets up a great platform for friendship, working relationsh relationship, moving forward far better than worrying about getting the talking points right how about connecting with the person in the talking points will take care of themselves. We look at the public arena but i dont think it could ever go wrong. Before we give our round of applause i know you wanted to share little bit from your book to. Yes i read a passage at the beginning how it all began. I thought it would be appropriate and with a passage that is summing up how it all ended. I work for the president for ten years, had three of my four children working there and wasnt coming into the office anymore. I had move a distance from the office and decided it was time for me to go home. This is looking back at the end. Seems surreal to be leaving for good. Yet looking back on the past ten years it had all been surreal. Maybe this was just the ending of a vivid, realistic and extended dream. I thought back to my first glance of the president and how exhilarating that was. No ever could i have imagined every detail of his face, and his mannerism would be forever ingrained in my mind and on my memory. I recall the emotions of the excitement when i was invited, riding the elevator but rocketed to the penthouse. I thought of how surprised how it was from the outside and how uncomfortable he is special my first moment of meeting the president was. See mike yesterday when i answered the phone for the first time, office of Ronald Reagan. Now, yet ten years later, i had to consciously overwrite that habit and remember to answer my own home phone with a simple, hello. Pictured how carefree and simple my life was, going for the gym, socializing and pouring my whole self into my career. By contrast now i sometimes felt like i was barely staying afloat let alone going through life with the easing grace of a few years ago. I was 31 years old and thought that i had lived ten lives in last ten years. In seymour, denmark and met more people the most people would in 100 years. I had gone from being out of place to feeling comfortable, complex, and confident to my work. I do not know what its like at a place in my life where it thrilled me and allowed me to offer my best for my boss at my workplace. I remember what it felt like to be jolted out of bed in 1994 earthquake. Im sure the house around me would stand. Similarly jolted out of the comfort zone and invading my life trying to steal the joy from my most memorable and celebrated youth. The experience taught me that life doesnt happen by accident. We need to prepare and plan injury. Need to be able to grab the opportunity when it comes your way regardless of how inadequate you feel for the task at hand. Keep trying, keep growing, keep entering your surroundings and eventually you, to can become accomplished and become a valued contributor in an environment that previously seemed form. I learned we all have a greater capacity to work and multitask, achieve and celebrate and more simultaneously. We can do so with a genuine sense of contentment. Sometimes, especially the. I learned that life was a circle and just as i was welcoming you i was also reluctantly letting go of a life that had meant so much to me and taught me so much. I realize the gifts were given seem to be under general undeserved. Often recalled in life a blessing on others. Unconditionally loving others. I learned that nothing is forever and had to accept this amazing chapter of my life is now ending. I mourned its loss yet with gratitude that it had ever happened at all. Thank you very much for having me here. [applause]