Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate | Africa's First Democratically Elected Female President | Founder, EJS Presidential Center for Women and Development
Lorraine Hariton
Former President & CEO of Catalyst | Global Authority on Women's Leadership, DEI & the Future of Work | Former U.S. State Department Official & Silicon Valley CEO
Lorraine Hariton has spent her career opening doors for women in business and technology. As President and CEO of Catalyst from 2018 to 2024, she guided many of the world's most powerful companies toward more inclusive workplaces, drawing on a path that ran from IBM and Silicon Valley startups to the U.S. State Department. She gives leaders the data, conviction, and practical tools to turn diversity from an aspiration into measurable results.
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Lorraine Hariton biography
Women’s leadership speaker Lorraine Hariton is one of the world’s most influential voices on the advancement of women in the workplace, diversity and inclusion, and the future of work. As President and CEO of Catalyst from 2018 to 2024, she led the renowned global nonprofit, backed by many of the world’s most powerful CEOs and largest companies, in its mission to build workplaces that work for women.
Her authority is grounded in a remarkable career spanning Silicon Valley, government, and the nonprofit world. She spent 15 years at IBM before becoming CEO of two venture-backed Silicon Valley startups, Beatnik and Apptera. Appointed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs, she represented American business worldwide and launched the U.S. Global Entrepreneurship Program. She later created the Global STEM Alliance at the New York Academy of Sciences, including its 1000 Girls, 1000 Futures mentoring initiative.
A Champion for Women in Business and Technology
A seasoned corporate director, Hariton has served on the boards of public companies including Quotient Technology and Wave Systems, as well as women’s leadership organizations such as the UN Women Global Innovation Coalition for Change, the Stanford Clayman Institute for Gender Research, and Watermark. Today she remains an Honorary Director of Catalyst and advises a range of mission-driven organizations. She was the first recipient of the Women’s Leadership Award from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, and she holds a BS in Mathematical Sciences from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
As a speaker, Lorraine Hariton turns decades of executive and advocacy experience into a clear, data-driven roadmap for change. She helps senior leaders understand why inclusive cultures drive innovation and financial performance, how to dismantle the biases that hold organizations back, and what it takes to build a workplace where everyone can thrive. Audiences leave with both the conviction and the practical tools to move from words to measurable action.
Lorraine Hariton Speaking Videos
CNN's Zain Asher interviews Catalyst CEO Lorraine Hariton
Lorraine Hariton
Lorraine Hariton Keynote Topics
Hariton examines how recent disruptions, from the pandemic to rapid technological change, have reshaped working life, often falling hardest on women and especially women of color. She unpacks the systemic barriers and persistent bias that still limit advancement, then lays out concrete strategies for building a more flexible, equitable, and resilient workforce. Leaders leave ready to rethink policies so that every woman in their organization can advance and thrive.
Workplaces are being reshaped at extraordinary speed by technology, shifting expectations, and global change. In this forward-looking session, Hariton offers a clear roadmap for building a gender-inclusive organization that can adapt and win. She shows why inclusive cultures fuel creativity, innovation, and stronger financial results, and why companies that ignore diversity risk falling behind. Attendees leave with practical steps to translate values into measurable impact.
Gender bias remains one of the most stubborn obstacles to progress in business. Drawing on Catalyst research and decades of practice, Hariton shows leaders how to recognize and challenge bias in hiring, promotion, and everyday culture. She shares proven approaches for engaging men as allies and accelerating the advancement of women, especially women of color, at every level of the organization.
As artificial intelligence reshapes the workplace, it risks encoding and amplifying the very biases society is working to overcome. Hariton explores how gender and racial bias can quietly become embedded in algorithms and data, and what organizations can do about it. She offers practical guidance for building AI that is fair, transparent, and accountable, so that technology becomes a force for equity rather than exclusion.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Lorraine Hariton
Why Lorraine Hariton?
Booking Lorraine Hariton brings your audience a rare combination of executive experience and global authority on women's leadership. As the former President and CEO of Catalyst, she spent more than five years guiding the world's most powerful companies toward more inclusive, equitable workplaces, building on a career that spans Silicon Valley, the U.S. State Department, and the boardroom. Few speakers can connect the business case for diversity to concrete, proven strategies with such credibility. Her keynotes give leaders the data, conviction, and practical tools to turn good intentions into measurable change. Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you bring Lorraine Hariton to your next event.
What did Lorraine Hariton do at Catalyst?
Lorraine Hariton served as President and CEO of Catalyst, a leading global nonprofit focused on advancing women in the workplace, from 2018 to 2024. During her tenure she guided the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic, expanded its reach across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America, and championed thought leadership on equity, inclusion, and engaging men as allies. She is now an Honorary Director of Catalyst.
What was Lorraine Hariton's role in the U.S. government?
Lorraine Hariton was appointed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. In that role she represented American business interests around the world and launched several signature initiatives, including the Global Entrepreneurship Program, the WECREATE program for women entrepreneurs, and the Secretary's Council on Women's Leadership.
What topics does speaker Lorraine Hariton cover in her keynotes?
Lorraine Hariton speaks on the future of work, diversity, equity and inclusion, women's leadership and advancement, overcoming gender bias, building inclusive cultures, and bias in artificial intelligence. Her sessions are tailored for executives, boards, and HR and people leaders who want to strengthen culture and performance. To check her availability and speaking fees, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Lorraine Hariton as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Lorraine Hariton as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Lorraine Hariton's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Lorraine Hariton or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Lorraine Hariton speaking fee?
Lorraine Hariton speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Lorraine Hariton to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Lorraine Hariton.
How can I contact Lorraine Hariton?
We only work with Lorraine Hariton on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Lorraine Hariton and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Lorraine Hariton speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Lorraine Hariton for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Lorraine Hariton for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Lorraine Hariton is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Lorraine Hariton for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
