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Kay Coles James

Kay Coles James

Keynote Speaker: Conservative Christian and Republican with Broad Public Experience

  • Speaking Fee:
    Live Event Fee: $10,000 - $20,000
    Virtual Event Fee: Contact us for details
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Kay Coles James Biography

After being nominated by President George W. Bush, the United States Senate unanimously confirmed Kay Coles James to be Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on July 11, 2001. Director Kay Coles James is an advocate for Federal employees and leader of a dynamic agency with over 3,600 employees across the country, an annual budget in excess of 261 million dollars and trust funds that annually exceed 29 billion dollars in appropriations.

As President Bush's principal advisor in matters of personnel administration for the 1.8 million members of the Federal civil service, OPM, under Director Kay Coles James' leadership, manages financial programs and workforces that are larger than many Fortune 500 companies! In fact, if OPM were in the private-sector, it would rank as the largest Fortune 500 company in terms of assets.

Director Kay Coles James oversees the stewardship of over $650 billion in Federal retirement, health, life and long term care insurance assets and oversees the Federal HSA program – the largest trust fund in the world.

Kay Coles James played an instrumental role in designing the process and system through which nearly 170,000 employees from 22 different agencies, each with different cultures and human resources services and represented by 17 separate labor unions, merged into the new Department of Homeland Security – one of the largest personnel mergers in history.

She was also a central official in supporting and implementing the legislation that led to human resource flexibilities at the Department of Defense – providing the President and Secretary of Defense greater flexibility to manage 700,000 Defense employees in the performance of their duties to support America's men and women in uniform.

Kay Coles James currently serves as the Chair of the Joint Financial Management Improvement Program (JFMIP) Principals. The JFMIP is a joint and cooperative undertaking of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the General Accounting Office, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Office of Personnel Management working in cooperation with each other and other agencies to improve financial management practices in government.

Kay Coles James is chair of the Chief Human Capital Officers Council (CHCO), a group comprised of the selected officers from cabinet departments and other agencies. She is also a member of the President's Management Council and Chair of the Council's Subcommittee for Human Capital / Workforce Management. Kay Coles James has also been appointed by the President to serve on the White House Fellows Commission.

Prior to coming to OPM she served as a leader and manager in Government on the Federal, state, and local levels and in private, non-profit, and academic settings. She most recently served as a Senior Fellow and Director of The Citizenship Project at the Heritage Foundation. Prior to joining Heritage, Kay Coles James served as Dean of the School of Government at Regent University and as Chair of the National Gambling Impact Study Commission. She served as Secretary of Health and Human Resources for former Virginia Governor George Allen where she designed and implemented Virginia's landmark welfare reform initiative.

A graduate of Hampton University, Kay Coles James is the recipient of numerous honorary degrees, most recently the Doctor of Laws Degree from Pepperdine University. She is also the recipient of several awards and special recognitions, including the University of Virginia's Publius Award for Public Service. Kay Coles James is a frequent commentator and lecturer and has appeared as a guest on every network morning show, several national news and talk programs, and her editorials have been featured in newspapers across the country. In addition, She is the author of three books: her award winning 1993 autobiography Never Forget; Transforming America: From the Inside Out (1995); and a third book on the subject of marriage (2001).

Most importantly, Kay Coles James is the wife of Charles James, Sr. and the proud mother of three grown children, and a new grandchild.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Kay Coles James and other top speakers and celebrities.

Kay Coles James Videos

Commencement Address 2013 - Mrs. Kay Coles James on Vimeo

How do I book Kay Coles James to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Kay Coles James for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Kay Coles James, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Kay Coles James or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Kay Coles James for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Kay Coles James, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Kay Coles James, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Kay Coles James speak about?

Kay Coles James is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Business, Government, Leadership, Economy and Finance.

Who is the agent for Kay Coles James?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Kay Coles James for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Kay Coles James for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Kay Coles James or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Kay Coles James is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Business, Government and Leadership. The estimated speaking fee range to book Kay Coles James for live events is $10,000 - $20,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Kay Coles James can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Lynn Brewer, Marla Blow and Janelle Orsi. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Kay Coles James for an upcoming event.

Kay Coles James Videos

Commencement Address 2013 - Mrs. Kay Coles James on Vimeo

Kay Coles James News

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