Award-Winning Science Writer
Laurie Garrett: Biography at a Glance
- Laurie Garrett is the only journalist to have won the Pulitzer, Polk, and Peabody Awards, bringing unparalleled authority and storytelling skill to her talks on science, health, and global crises.
- With decades of frontline reporting on HIV/AIDS, Ebola, SARS, COVID-19, and more, she offers rare, first-hand insights into how pandemics emerge, spread, and reshape societies.
- Drawing on her experience as Senior Fellow for Global Health at the Council on Foreign Relations, she connects the dots between health, national security, and economic stability in ways that resonate with leaders across sectors.
- Laurie’s engaging storytelling blends science and humanity, inspiring audiences to think critically, act decisively, and prepare for the challenges of an increasingly interconnected and fragile world.
- A passionate advocate for truth and resilience, she empowers audiences—from executives and healthcare professionals to students and emerging leaders—to understand their role in building stronger, more informed, and more prepared communities.
Videos
Biography
Laurie Garrett is the only journalist to have received all of the “Big Ps” of journalism: The Peabody, Pulitzer and Polk (three times).
With a background in research science, including graduation with Honors in Biology from UC Santa Cruz, PhD work in immunology at UC Berkeley and research at Stanford, Garrett started her journalism career in local radio broadcasting, followed by freelance reporting from Africa, and then as Science Correspondent for National Public Radio. By 1982 she was focused on the unfolding tragedy of HIV/AIDS as the deadly viral disease spread from one continent to another, covering the pandemic from all over the world first for NPR, and then Newsday and New York Newsday. Through the lens of HIV Garrett gained understanding of the social, political and national security aspects of emerging and new microbial diseases, leading to a Fellowship at the Harvard School of Public Health and writing of THE COMING PLAGUE: NEWLY EMERGING DISEASES IN A WORLD OUT OF BALANCE. Just months after its publication, Ebola broke out in Kikwit, Zaire: Garrett embedded with the responding epidemic control team in Kikwit for weeks, and her reporting garnered the 1996 Pulitzer Prize.
Recognizing failures in government, United Nations and private sector responses to disease outbreaks in the U.S., India, central Africa, and the former Soviet Union nations Garrett authored BETRAYAL OF TRUST: THE COLLAPSE OF GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH. And Garrett covered both the 9/11 and anthrax attacks extensively, leading to I HEARD THE SIRENS SCREAM: HOW AMERICANS RESPONDED TO THE 9/11 AND ANTHRAX ATTACKS. In 2003 Garrett was on the ground in the SARS epidemic, spending months in Hong Kong and China, and returning in 2005 to examine how Vietnam, Singapore, Japan and China handled the outbreak and its subsequent repercussions on the countries’ health systems and survivors.
At the urging of former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Richard C. Holbrooke, Garrett focused on the national security dimensions of naturally emerging and manmade pathogens, as well as the failure of global health systems and governments to prevent and respond to such threats, taking a position as Senior Fellow for Global Health at the Council on Foreign Relations. During her years at CFR Garrett tracked the emergence of deadly H5N1 “bird flu”and worked with the Bush Administration on development of a U.S. pandemic flu plan. She traveled across Liberia and Sierra Leone during the 2014-15 Ebola outbreak, and increasingly worked on climate change, planetary health, and related crises. After nearly fourteen years at CFR, Garrett has returned to her science journalism roots, writing extensively and reporting for multiple outlets, including MSNBC and Substack, on COVID-19 and a long list of health, science, geopolitical and climate concerns.
Along the way, Garrett has received five PhDs Honorus causa, been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Journalism three times (receiving the award in 1995), been a finalist for the National Book Critics Award, three times been awarded the George Foster Peabody Award in Journalism, been named one of the Remarkable Women of the University of California as well as Outstanding Alum of UCSC, been honored with four awards from the Overseas Press Club of America and been cited with numerous other honors. She has worked on several film documentary and movie projects, most notably a six-part series on CNN based on THE COMING PLAGUE and the motion picture Contagion, directed by Steven Soderbergh.
Garrett lives in New York City.
Topics
Collaboration in Crisis: Building Trust Between Public and Private Sectors
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Laurie Garrett has spent decades reporting from the frontlines of global health crises, witnessing firsthand how lives and economies are shaped by the strength—or failure—of collaboration. In this timely talk, she explores why trust between governments, businesses, and communities is essential to confronting pandemics, climate change, and other global challenges. With powerful stories and sharp analysis, Laurie reveals how public-private partnerships can transcend short-term interests to create long-term solutions that protect health, build resilience, and serve the greater good.
The Future of Global Healthcare
Based on her international travels to report on and research healthcare, Garrett delivers a sweeping, multimedia talk that uncovers the reality of healthcare in the United States, Europe, Russia, and Africa – providing a new understanding of both the challenges and the opportunities of delivering quality healthcare on a global scale.
Bioterrorism: The Modern Peril
It’s a surreal, terrifying thought: terrorists using biochemical weapons. Garrett has investigated both the science and the politics behind international bioterrorism, and, here, provides a responsible, informative assessment of who is capable, what form it might take, and how likely it is to happen.
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FAQs
How do I book Laurie Garrett for my event?
Contact CAA Speakers at (424) 288-2898 or speakers@caa.com to book Laurie Garrett to speak at corporate or private events, keynote speeches, speaking engagements, workshops, fireside chats, motivational speaking, or virtual appearances.
Quick booking process- Email CAA Speakers with event details
- Get availability confirmation within 24 hours
- Review speaking fee and contract terms
- Sign agreement and finalize logistics
As one of the most influential talent agencies in the world, CAA handles all speaking engagements from contract to event day coordination.
Who is Laurie Garrett's booking agent?
CAA Speakers is the preferred booking agency to contact for Laurie Garrett’s speaking engagements. Contact speakers@caa.com for all Laurie Garrett in-person appearances and keynote speaking requests.
Contact Laurie Garrett's agent- Email: speakers@caa.com
- Website: caa.com/caaspeakers
- Response: Within 24 hours
CAA Speakers can check Laurie Garrett's speaking calendar with direct access to availability and official pricing. While many websites may list Laurie Garrett, CAA Speakers is the direct source for authentic information about availability and pricing.
What is Laurie Garrett's speaking fee?
Laurie Garrett's speaking fee varies by event type, location, and requirements. As a top keynote speaker, Laurie Garrett's fee reflects their expertise and market demand.
Speaking fee factors:- Event type and audience size
- Travel distance and logistics
- Presentation length and customization
- Virtual vs. in-person delivery
Additional costs: Travel, accommodation, A/V requirements, and optional meet-and-greets.
Contact CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com for Laurie Garrett's current speaking fee and detailed cost breakdown.
How much does it cost to book Laurie Garrett as a keynote speaker?
The cost to book Laurie Garrett as keynote speaker includes their speaking fee plus travel and logistics expenses.
Total booking cost includes:- Laurie Garrett's keynote speaking fee
- Travel and accommodation
- Technical requirements and A/V setup
- Optional add-ons like book signing and meet & greets
- Virtual presentations
- Local/regional events
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- Flexible event dates
Email speakers@caa.com for Laurie Garrett's exact booking cost and customized pricing proposal.
How to contact Laurie Garrett for speaking engagements?
Contact CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com for all Laurie Garrett speaking engagements.
Official contact for Laurie Garrett bookings:- Email: speakers@caa.com
- Website: https://www.caa.com/caaspeakers/laurie-garrett
- Response time: 24 hours
Include your event date, location, audience size, and budget when contacting CAA about booking Laurie Garrett.
Is Laurie Garrett available for virtual speaking events?
Yes, Laurie Garrett speaks at virtual events with professional-grade equipment and interactive presentation style.
Laurie Garrett's virtual event options:- Live virtual keynotes with Q&A
- Interactive workshops and breakouts
- Hybrid events (in-person + virtual)
- Pre-recorded presentations
Virtual events offer global reach, flexible scheduling, and reduced travel costs while maintaining Laurie Garrett's engaging presentation quality.
Contact CAA Speakers for Laurie Garrett's virtual event availability and technical specifications.
What events can I book Laurie Garrett for?
Book Laurie Garrett for corporate conferences, industry events, private functions, and virtual presentations. Laurie Garrett customizes content for any audience size or event type.
Event types:- Corporate meetings and conferences
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Laurie Garrett engages audiences from private executive meetings to large conferences with thousands of attendees.
Contact CAA Speakers to discuss how Laurie Garrett can customize their presentation for your specific event.
Laurie Garrett booking information and availability
Check Laurie Garrett's speaking availability through CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com. Book 3-6 months in advance for best date selection during peak seasons (September-November, March-May).
Availability factors:- Event date and location
- Speaking fee and budget
- Lead time for booking
- Peak conference seasons
- 3-6 months: Best availability
- 3-6 months: Best availability
- 2-3 months: Good availability
- 1-2 months: Select availability
- Under 30 days: Limited availability
Contact CAA early in your planning process to secure Laurie Garrett for your preferred event date.
Book Laurie Garrett keynote speaker through CAA
Book Laurie Garrett through CAA Speakers for guaranteed authentic representation and professional event coordination. CAA is the preferred booking agent for Laurie Garrett, with direct access to their speaking availability and decades of experience representing the world’s top keynote speakers.
CAA booking advantages:- Direct access to Laurie Garrett's calendar
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Trusted by Fortune 500 companies for their most important speaking engagements. Contact speakers@caa.com to book Laurie Garrett for your next event.
Will Laurie Garrett speak at private events?
Yes, Laurie Garrett speaks at private corporate events, executive retreats, board meetings, and exclusive functions.
Private event types:- Executive retreats and board presentations
- Client entertainment and VIP gatherings
- Corporate celebrations and award ceremonies
- Private dinners and exclusive functions
Private event benefits: Customized content, enhanced interaction, complete confidentiality, and flexible scheduling.
Contact CAA Speakers for Laurie Garrett's private event availability and confidential pricing proposals.
How quickly will I get a response about booking Laurie Garrett?
CAA Speakers responds to Laurie Garrett booking inquiries within 24 hours during business days. Complex requests or international events may take up to 48 hours for detailed proposals.
Response timeline:- Initial acknowledgment: Within 24 hours
- Availability confirmation: 24-48 hours
- Detailed pricing proposal: 48-72 hours
- Urgent requests: Same-day priority response
Include complete event details (date, location, audience size, budget) for fastest response times.
How far in advance should I book Laurie Garrett?
Book Laurie Garrett 3-6 months in advance for best availability, especially during peak speaking seasons. Early booking ensures better date selection and rate negotiations.
Recommended booking timeline:- 3-6 months: Optimal availability and pricing
- 2-3 months: Good availability
- 1-2 months: Select availability
- Under 30 days: Limited availability
Peak seasons: September-November and March-May book fastest. Contact CAA Speakers early for priority consideration.
How do I get Laurie Garrett pricing information?
Get Laurie Garrett pricing information by contacting CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com with your event details. Receive detailed cost breakdown within 24-48 hours with no obligation to book.
For accurate pricing, include:- Event date and location
- Audience size and type
- Event format and duration
- Budget parameters
CAA provides transparent pricing with all costs included - speaking fee, travel, accommodation, and technical requirements.