Sarah Hurwitz

Chief Speechwriter for Michelle Obama

From 2009 to 2017, Sarah Hurwitz served as a White House speechwriter, starting out as a senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama and then becoming the chief speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama.  Sarah worked with Mrs. Obama to craft a number of widely-acclaimed addresses, including her 2012 and 2016 Democratic National Convention speeches and her political speeches during the 2016 campaign cycle.  During Sarah’s time in the White House, she traveled with the President and First Lady across America and to five continents.  Sarah also worked on policy issues affecting young women and girls as a senior advisor to the White House Council on Women and Girls.

Before working at the White House, Sarah served as a senior speechwriter for then-Senator Barack Obama in the final months of his 2008 presidential campaign and helped Michelle Obama craft her 2008 Democratic National Convention speech.  During the 2008 presidential primary, Sarah was the chief speechwriter for Hillary Clinton from early 2007 until her concession in June of 2008.

Prior to working on the Clinton and Obama campaigns, Sarah was a lawyer at the Washington, DC office of WilmerHale.  During the 2004 presidential election, she served as deputy chief speechwriter for General Wesley Clark in the primary and deputy chief speechwriter for Senator John Kerry in the general election.  From 2000-2001, Sarah was a speechwriter for Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa.

Sarah is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School.