Hilary Pennington

Hilary Pennington

Keynote Speaker: Expert in Global Grantmaking & Postsecondary Education & Intergenerational Change; Former Executive at the Ford Foundation

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    Live Event Fee: Below $10,000
    Virtual Event Fee: Below $10,000
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Hilary Pennington Biography

Hilary Pennington is an expert in global grantmaking, a philanthropist, and the former executive vice president for programs at the Ford Foundation.

At her time as executive vice president for programs at the Ford Foundation, she oversaw their programs globally, working closely across sectors to ensure strategic, meaningful, and well-aligned global grantmaking. She oversaw the foundation’s BUILD program, and the Office of Strategy and Learning. Before that, she served as the foundation’s vice president for Education, Creativity, and Free Expression.

A national expert on postsecondary education and intergenerational change, Pennington joined the foundation in 2013. Earlier, she was an independent consultant whose clients included the Next American University project of the New America Foundation and Arizona State University. She also led the Generations Initiative, a project funded by national foundations to develop effective responses to the dramatic demographic shifts occurring in the United States.

Between 2006 and 2012, Pennington served as director of education, postsecondary success, and special initiatives at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where she guided grant programs across the country and worldwide. Before joining Gates, she was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and president and CEO of Jobs for the Future, a research and policy development organization she co-founded. In 22 years with JFF, Pennington helped the organization become one of the most influential in the country on issues of education, youth transitions, workforce development, and future work requirements. She also served on President Bill Clinton’s transition team and as co-chair of his administration’s presidential advisory committee on technology.

Pennington serves on the boards of Bard College, the Center for Effective Philanthropy, and Giving Tuesday, and she is a member of the Trinity Church Vestry. She is a graduate of the Yale School of Management and Yale College, and she holds a graduate degree in social anthropology from Oxford University and a master’s degree in theological studies from the Episcopal Divinity School. In 2000, she was a fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Hilary Pennington and other top speakers and celebrities.

Hilary Pennington Videos

Centering Disability Rights and Justice
How to make AI systems more just with Hilary Pennington
Heart of Giving, Hilary Pennington, Ford Foundation - YouTube

How do I book Hilary Pennington to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Hilary Pennington 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 Hilary Pennington, 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 Hilary Pennington or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Hilary Pennington for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Hilary Pennington, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Hilary Pennington are Below $10,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Hilary Pennington, 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 Hilary Pennington speak about?

Hilary Pennington is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Non-Profit, Social Activism, Philanthropy, Social Justice, Diversity & Inclusion, Civil Rights, Government and Education.

Where does Hilary Pennington travel from?

Hilary Pennington generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Hilary Pennington?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Hilary Pennington 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 Hilary Pennington 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 Hilary Pennington 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.


Hilary Pennington is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Non-Profit, Social Activism and Philanthropy. The estimated speaking fee range to book Hilary Pennington for live events is Below $10,000, and for virtual events Below $10,000. Hilary Pennington generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Jean Case, Erin Gruwell and Amali Tower. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Hilary Pennington for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 20/03/2025.

Hilary Pennington Videos

Centering Disability Rights and Justice
How to make AI systems more just with Hilary Pennington
Heart of Giving, Hilary Pennington, Ford Foundation - YouTube

Hilary Pennington Reviews

  • Ms. Pennington was an excellent speaker for our audience; she understood who our members are. For the Q&A session, her answers were right on target. I would highly recommend her!
    Society for Social Work and Research - Jan 26 2023

  • How do I book Hilary Pennington to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Hilary Pennington 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 Hilary Pennington, 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 Hilary Pennington or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Hilary Pennington for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Hilary Pennington, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Hilary Pennington are Below $10,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Hilary Pennington, 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 Hilary Pennington speak about?

    Hilary Pennington is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Non-Profit, Social Activism, Philanthropy, Social Justice, Diversity & Inclusion, Civil Rights, Government and Education.
  • Where does Hilary Pennington travel from?

    Hilary Pennington generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Hilary Pennington?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Hilary Pennington 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 Hilary Pennington 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 Hilary Pennington 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.
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