Terry Edmonds lives in New York and is a corporate speechwriter. Prior to working in corporate America, he served as Director of Editorial Management for AARP, the nation’s largest advocacy and membership organization devoted to improving the lives of older Americans. In that capacity he oversaw the production of board member and corporate executive speeches, op-eds and other written materials.

Prior to joining AARP, Mr. Edmonds served as Assistant to the President and Director of Speechwriting during the final term of President William Jefferson Clinton. In that capacity he was responsible for the production of all of the President’s domestic policy speeches on such issues as education, transportation, race relations, welfare reform, health care reform, the State of the Union and the federal budget. Prior to assuming the leadership of the White House speechwriting office and beginning in 1995, Mr. Edmonds served as Deputy Director of Speechwriting for the President. He came to the White House after two years as Deputy Director of Speechwriting for HHS Secretary, Donna Shalala.

Upon graduation from Baltimore’s Morgan State University in 1973, Mr. Edmonds embarked on a career in public affairs, marketing, writing and management that has included experiences in advertising, public service, politics and corporate communications. He has worked as a public relations specialist with the Maryland Mass Transit Administration. He was the first public relations director for the Baltimore ad firm, Trahan, Burden and Charles; and he served as the first public relations director of the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. He has also served as Director of Communications for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and as Press Secretary for then Congressman, Kweisi Mfume.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. Edmonds has always believed in giving something back to his community. Born and raised in the inner-city projects of Baltimore, he has consistently reached out to young people and given inspirational talks to dozens of audiences, including elementary, high school and college students. In recent years, he has delivered speeches to audiences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Harvard University’s Kennedy School, Dartmouth College, Auburn University, Auburn University, Cuyahoga Community College, Howard Community College, Southside Academy Middle School, Morgan State University, the Las Vegas Chapter the International Association of Business Communicators and the Nevada Governor Points of Light Awards.

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