Reggie Love, President Barack Obama's former "body man" and personal assistant, is the newest addition to the Creative Artists Agency roster of speakers, joining an impressive lineup of celebrities, athletes, and musicians.
Urgent: Should U.S. Strike Syria? Vote Here
Love, 32, spent four and a half years as Obama's right-hand man, gatekeeper, liaison, and basketball buddy. A onetime forward for Duke's Blue Devils' basketball team, Love started out as a staff assistant for then-Senator Obama in 2007 and quickly rose through the ranks to become a trusted adviser. The president once described Love as his "little brother," and it's estimated that Love traveled more than a million miles with the president and that he spent more time with Obama than anyone in the world.
"I've hipped him to Aretha Franklin and John Coltrane and he, in turn, has downloaded Jay-Z, Lil Wayne so that I'm not a complete fuddy-duddy," the president once told ABC News of his relationship with Love.
Love left Obama's staff last year to pursue an MBA at Wharton Business School.
"Over the years, Reggie has been a friend, a teammate and an indispensable member of my staff," the president said in a statement at the time of Love's leaving. "From my Senate office to the White House, his ability to juggle so many responsibilities with so little sleep has been an inspiration to watch.
He is the master of what he does. And even though I will miss seeing Reggie every day, I want to thank him for his service and wish him all the best as he begins a new chapter in his career."
As a CAA speaker, Love has a handful of speeches in his repertoire. From encouraging audiences to be more politically engaged to revealing the leadership lessons he learned at the White House, Love's passion and enthusiasm are sure to help him succeed in the next chapter of his life.
According to
Reggie Love's page on CAA, his speeches include:
Leadership Lessons from My Time at the White House
At the White House, high-pressure decisions are made daily involving staff, other branches of government, the corporate sector, and foreign countries. Love, Obama's one-time "gatekeeper," filters the behind-the-scenes drama and procedure to extract engaging (and customized) takeaways. Serious but self-deprecating, he doesn't just recount his amazing journey with the President; he takes a step back and makes vital connections to your organization.
Voting Is Just the First Step: Getting Excited About Democracy
Reggie Love offers a rousing call to students to shape both their future and the shared future of our nation--by actively participating in our democracy. Being informed and casting a vote are just the beginning. Drawing on his time at The White House, where he witnessed the power of the democratic process firsthand, Love debunks misconceptions about government and public life to help spur social change. With unbounded enthusiasm, he is sure to spark a non-partisan campus-wide discussion during this important election year.
Many Roles, One Identity: Reggie Love's Journey to the White House and Beyond
Reggie Love has packed a tremendous amount of life into his 30 years. In this soaring yet humble talk, he shares the lessons that have grounded and guided him. Like most of us, Love is many things to many people. To President Obama, he was a tireless personal aide. To sports fans, he's the former captain of the Duke Basketball team. To others, he's the quiet guy working toward his MBA. Love sees himself as someone who has been graced with good luck. More important than having good luck, though, is being self-aware enough to recognize and harness it. Imploring us to make the most of opportunities, Love gently updates a classic inspirational talk about preparation and success.
How to Lead When No One Wants to Follow: The Five P’s of Leadership
Reggie Love is no stranger to leadership. From the competitive world of college sports to a front row seat at the White House, as President Obama’s former personal aide, Love has learned through trial, tribulation, and tumble that a great leader is someone who can lead even when others don't want to follow—especially when others don’t want to follow. Leadership, he explains in this keynote, is more truly measured during tough times. After all, anyone can lead when the going is good, or great! Love draws on his collegiate sports career and distills his years as Obama’s “body man”—where he spent more time with the President than perhaps anyone else—and offers his five P's of leadership: perspective, preparation, persistence, passion, and patience. Each point is a hallmark of a great leader, and each is backed by Love with vivid examples that he experienced firsthand, and which will make anyone a better leader.