Peggy Grande is keynoting the annual Ronald Reagan dinner, hosted by the Moore County Republican Party, on Tuesday, February 6, President Reagan’s 107th birthday.
Who is Peggy Grande? She arguably experienced the best first-job-after-college in American history. After earning her undergraduate degree at Pepperdine University, the Los Angeles-area native applied for and was granted an internship in the Office of Ronald Reagan, whose second term as U.S. President ended in January 1989. By 1990, Peggy was employed as a member of the President’s post-White House era staff and became his Executive Assistant from 1993 to 1999.
Just last year she published the incredible stories and memories of those years working for and traveling with President Reagan. The President Will See You Now is must-reading for Americans who remember the Reagan era as one of the greatest chapters in our nation’s evolution. Peggy remembers the Reagan post-White House office as “a joyful place”, where the President’s optimism and curiosity uplifted all with whom he crossed paths. She marveled at his inclination to read and understand ideological positions that differed from his own. She remembers how meticulously he prepared for engagements with world leaders, but how he also was well equipped to make a brief interaction with an ordinary citizen personal and memorable.
Today, Peggy tours the U.S., sharing her behind-the-scenes memories of an American icon, all the while looking forward to heading home to her husband and their four children.
Recently, we recorded an interview with Peggy and recommend these audio clips as a preview of her speech next month in Pinehurst:
I can’t wait, she sounds interesting and engaging!