Leslie Morgan Steiner

NYT Best-Selling Author, Columnist for The Washington Post, Former Corporate Executive & Domestic Violence Survivor

Leslie Morgan Steiner

NYT Best-Selling Author, Columnist for The Washington Post, Former Corporate Executive & Domestic Violence Survivor

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Biography

At 22, Leslie Morgan Steiner seemed to have it all: a Harvard diploma, a glamorous job at Seventeen magazine, a funky New York City apartment. Plus a handsome, funny, streetsmart boyfriend who adored her. But behind a façade of success, this golden girl hid a dark secret. She’d made a mistake shared by millions: she fell in love with the wrong person.

At first Leslie and Conor seemed as perfect together as their fairytale wedding. Then came the fights she tried to ignore: he pushed her down the stairs of the house they bought together, poured coffee grinds over her hair as she dressed for a critical job interview, choked her during an argument, and threatened her with a gun. Several times, he came close to making good on his promise to kill her. With each attack, Leslie lost another piece of herself.

Gripping and utterly compelling, New York Times bestseller Crazy Love takes you inside the violent, devastating world of abusive love. Why did Leslie stay? She thought she loved him. Find out for yourself if she had fallen truly in love – or into a psychological trap.

Today, Leslie Morgan Steiner is an expert on violence against women and other women’s issues. Her TED Talk about surviving domestic violence, titled “From the Ivy League to a Gun at My Head,” has been viewed by over seven million people. She has served as a board member for the One Love Foundation, in honor of slain University of Virginia senior Yeardley Love; the Conference on Crimes Against Women; the National Domestic Violence Hotline; Liz Claiborne’s MADE council; and as former spokeswoman for The Harriet Tubman Center in Minneapolis, the country’s oldest shelter for abused women.

She is a regular national television and radio guest, appearing on National Public Radio, NBC’s Today Show, The Diane Rehm Show, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and other programs. She holds a BA in English from Harvard College. Her first job was as an editor at Seventeen Magazine; she financed her MBA in Marketing from Wharton by writing for Seventeen, Mademoiselle, New England Monthly and Money Magazine.

As an author and international speaker, Steiner’s subject is women. She is the editor of the anthology Mommy Wars and a former parenting columnist for washingtonpost.com. Her other books include The Naked Truth (2019), about aging and female sexuality, and The Baby Chase (2014), which explores the ethics of global surrogacy.

She lives in Washington, DC, New York and New Hampshire.

Speaker Videos

Why Domestic Violence Victims Don't Leave

Opinion | For domestic violence victims, pandemic lockdown is a time to plan the escape

Naked Truth

Speech Topics

The Naked Truth for Couples

Happily married couples share one indisputable trait: the willingness to be open with their partner and resolve personal challenges and obstacles as a couple. Leslie’s keynote embraces this readiness to dive into the challenges of intimacy in longterm marriage, and addresses intimate topics with candor, humor and practical advice.

Feedback from participants says it best:

“I found your take on marriage extremely refreshing. I know that everything has to begin with me, and I also know the boost that acknowledgement by someone outside of myself provides. I love what my wife and our family have together, and, at the same time, it’s true that marriage has shut down the parts of me that make me, me. My life is really good, if slightly short of perfect. Sessions like yours help make it even better though; thanks to you and others, I am not alone.”

”After your session, my wife initiated sex last night and she NEVER does that! Two days later I gave her a card that said she was beautiful – she is - and some jewelry with it. She loved it, said thank you with a big smile and gave me good hug and kiss. Any further advice from you would be great - a woman's perspective really helps.”

At 49, Leslie Morgan Steiner’s life included many of our culture’s most enviable metrics: a stable marriage, happy children, a successful career at Johnson & Johnson and The Washington Post, best-selling books and TedTalks. After the unexpected death of her mother, Leslie realized she’d lost an essential element of herself in the chaos of juggling work, marriage, and parenthood. Her resulting memoir sparked a conversation among happily married couples regarding how to nurture self-acceptance and independence in a longterm relationship. As an a writer, successful corporate executive, experienced keynote speaker and frequent guest on National Public Radio, NBC’s Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and other programs, she is at ease in front of audiences of any size and gender mix.

Crazy Love: From The Ivy League to A Gun At My Head

Leslie Morgan Steiner's candid, chilling, inspiring story of surviving relationship violence in her first marriage. Based on the New York Times best-selling memoir and TEDTalk.

Love the Skin You Are In: Goodbye to Starving for Perfection

This candid, keynote is carefully customized to each audience, exploring the unique challenges women and girls face today. Topics include how to make healthy relationship choices, accept your body in the age of social media, navigate dating, motherhood, and aging, and living your best life as a woman in America today.

Leslie Morgan Steiner is a NY Times bestselling author, frequent media guest, and women’s leadership expert. Her first published article on overcoming anorexia, "Starving for Perfection," appeared in Seventeen Magazine while she was a senior at Harvard College. Her subsequent books and TedTalks address work/family balance, surviving relationship violence, solutions to infertility, developing a positive body image, and instilling self-esteem in our daughters. Her unique experience as a survivor of domestic violence, workplace harassment, and eating and addiction disorders make her a unique and inspirational voice for female empowerment, no matter one’s age. As a writer, successful corporate executive, wife and mother, she understands and demystifies women’s strength and secrets, and presents them with candor, humor, hope and inspiration, helping audiences find their own strength. As an experienced keynote speaker and frequent guest on National Public Radio, NBC’s Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and other programs, she is at ease in front of audiences of any size.

Mommy Wars

Funny, honest insights about the so-called "battles" between working and at-home moms.

The Baby Chase

The ethics of global surrogacy told through the eyes of an Arizona firefighter and nurse who traveled to India five times in search of creating their dream family via surrogate. Based on the book, The Baby Chase, and accompanying TEDTalk.

The Female Phoenix: Embracing the Joys of Being Female Over 40

At 49, Leslie Morgan Steiner’s life included many of our culture’s most enviable metrics: a stable marriage, happy children, a successful career at Johnson & Johnson and The Washington Post, best-selling books and TedTalks. Despite the image of the ideal life, after the unexpected death of her mother, Leslie realized she’d lost an essential element of herself in the chaos of juggling work, marriage, and parenthood.

Approaching her 50th birthday, Leslie re-evaluated her life and embarked on an unexpected odyssey through men, sex, and herself, to find the one element missing from an outwardly perfect life: true self-love.

Most messages about women and aging focus on weight gain, cosmetic surgery, losing one’s attractiveness and sexuality, divorce and online dating, and the challenges of the so-called “sandwich generation” simultaneously managing children and aging parents. This keynote is decidedly positive and uplifting, embracing the wisdom, acceptance, and opportunities to increase your self-confidence as a woman, and how to evaluate our lives — at midlife or any point — and take steps to design, or redesign, your life to maximize happiness, meaning and purpose.

Leslie Morgan Steiner’s subject is women. Her first job after graduating from Harvard was at Seventeen Magazine. She went on to author four books about motherhood, marriage, domestic violence, and rediscovering sexuality after 50, as well as two TedTalks. She has spent the last two decades talking to audiences around the world about women’s leadership, resilience, and unique ability to overcome adversity. As a writer, successful corporate executive, wife and mother, she understands and demystifies women’s strength and secrets, and presents them with candor, humor, hope and inspiration, helping empower audiences. As an experienced keynote speaker and frequent guest on National Public Radio, NBC’s Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and other programs, she is at ease in front of audiences of any size.

Virtual: Domestic Violence in the Time of Coronavirus

In this virtual keynote, Leslie shares proven strategies, compassion and encouragement to ensure abuse victims — and the advocates and donors helping them — survive quarantine’s exacerbation of abuse trauma.

Testimonials

"Leslie is an amazing speaker. Her personal, honest story and insights captured the interest of the audience, helping the audience better
understand the nature of intimate partner violence, how it unfolds, and what people can do to challenge the structures that promote it while
empowering themselves and others to be safe."

- University of Kansas

"Leslie – I can’t begin to thank you enough for coming to Dallas for the CONFERENCE ON CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN. Your keynote was
absolutely AMAZING! Sharing your story/your life – you absolutely set the tone for the entire conference. You are exactly WHY we do what we do! And as many times as I have personally watched your Ted Talk – I was as spell bound as the first time I heard it. Your words of thanks to the police in the room – so poignantly helped them understand WHY victims DON’T say thank you at the time. You helped prosecutors understand the process and not the isolated incidents. I was touched by your willingness to return to the house/to the floor/to the abuse – but with the understanding that THIS TIME you did not return by yourself. There is NO doubt in my mind that those professionals in the room returned home with a better/deeper understanding of what these hideous crimes are and how to better investigate – supporting the victim and holding accountable the perpetrator. So….thank you SO much for being part of this Conference. And…it was a personal and professional honor to meet you in person. Of course because I HAVE seen you so many times on line that I already thought we were best friends. This conference makes that official. Also – wanted to say THANKS for the outstanding CNN-Op Ed piece. I use those examples all the time, Orlando, San Bernardino, etc. etc. etc. You are an amazing spokeswoman! You inspire us all! Hope our paths cross again soon!!!"

- Genesis Women's Shelter & Support