Riley L. Roberts
WRITER. SPEECHWRITER.
STRATEGIST.
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RILEY ROBERTS IS A SEASONED WRITER, SPEECHWRITER, AND STRATEGIST. A VETERAN OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, CAPITOL HILL, AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR, RILEY CRAFTS SPEECHES, BOOKS, OP-EDS, AND OTHER STRATEGIC MATERIALS FOR LEADERS ON THE WORLD'S BIGGEST STAGES.
02 PROFESSIONAL BIO
As a principal at the world’s premier speechwriting firm, West Wing Writers, Riley helped a Fortune 50 CEO articulate the story (and strategy) of a global enterprise in transformation, advised some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley, and wrote a book about a pathbreaking mobile technology company.
He was part of the on-site communications operation at the 2016 Democratic National Convention and crafted primetime convention segments in both 2016 and 2020.
Over the course of his career, Riley’s speeches have been delivered by CEOs and activists, pop stars and professional athletes, political leaders—including three U.S. presidents—and royalty.
His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, TIME Magazine, VOGUE, and The Atlantic, among many other publications. His words have held audiences rapt at the White House, the United Nations, TED conferences, chambers of commerce from Berlin to Hong Kong, and parliaments from Sweden to the European Union. In 2013, then-President Barack Obama described Riley’s work as “great” and “bold.”
During his TIME AS AN EXECUTIVE BRANCH APPOINTEE, Riley served as chief speechwriter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.
At the Department of Justice, Riley drafted hundreds of speeches on topics ranging from national security and counterterrorism to civil rights, police violence, criminal justice reform, federal law enforcement, and international diplomacy. He worked closely with senior officials at the White House and across the Executive Branch to develop and execute strategy, respond to crises, and reach audiences across the globe.
Prior to joining the OBAMA Administration, Riley served as chief speechwriter on a prominent U.S. Senate campaign and in the Capitol Hill office of a U.S. Senator from his home state of Illinois.
In addition to his work on behalf of clients, Riley has written under his own byline for publications such as POLITICO Magazine and The Huffington Post; taught a PhD-level seminar at the University of Chicago; guest lectured at Georgetown University, American University, and at professional conferences; and provided TV and radio commentary on the BBC, Al-Jazeera World, ABC-TV Australia, National Public Radio, and Sirius XM, among other outlets. He is also a Pushcart Prize-nominated essayist.
Riley STARTED HIS CAREER as an intern for then-Senator Barack Obama.
A Chicago native, he is a graduate of the University of Illinois, an Eagle Scout, and a licensed pilot. He lives with his wife and their intrepid rescue hound near Capitol Hill.
2004-2005
MARBLE
UI Design
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03 GET IN TOUCH
LET'S WORK TOGETHER.
I'm excited to be collaborating with a select handful of individuals, companies, and nonprofit organizations.
Drop me a line. I'd love to work with you, too.
Tel: 202.417.6739