Stewart McLaurin

Stewart Douglas McLaurin (born February 19, 1959) is an American author, podcast host, and non-profit executive who has served as president of the White House Historical Association since 2014. A dedicated scholar and leader, he has held several senior positions within higher education and national non-profit organizations, including roles as chief of staff at the American Red Cross, Georgetown University, and executive director of the Ronald Reagan Centennial Celebration.

Early life and education Stewart Douglas McLaurin was born on February 19, 1959, in Raleigh, North Carolina, to Stewart Parnell McLaurin and Gwendolyn McLaurin (née Stafford). He attended Shades Valley High School before enrolling at the University of Alabama, where he earned bachelor's degrees in American history and political science in 1981. During his time at the university, McLaurin became a member of the Iota Iota chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

Early career Early in his professional career, McLaurin was an executive assistant to the secretary at the United States Department of Energy (1990–1993) and then served as Manager of Public Affairs at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (1993–1994).

Executive and non-profit leadership In 1996, McLaurin joined the American Red Cross as chief of staff, holding the post through 1999 and developing a close working relationship with then–CEO Elizabeth Dole.

In 2001, McLaurin was appointed chief of staff to Georgetown University president John J. DeGioia, a role he maintained until 2007. He then served as executive vice president of Education Affairs at the Motion Picture Association of America for two years.

In October 2009, McLaurin became executive director of the Ronald Reagan Centennial Celebration at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation in Washington, D.C. In that capacity, he organized a year-long series of national and international events that honored President Reagan’s legacy. He later served as executive vice president for The American Village Citizenship Trust from August 2013 until his appointment as president of the White House Historical Association in July 2014. covering topics like the making of the presidential seal, cooking at the White House, and presidential yachts. Since 2022, he has authored more than 35 columns for USA Today. McLaurin has also written and published three books about White House history.

Published works

Awards McLaurin’s work on The White House 1600 Sessions podcast has garnered multiple honors, including two Communicator Awards for Excellence and three Telly Awards at the 45th Annual Telly Awards in 2024. These accolades recognized both the landmark episode “Remembering President John F. Kennedy: A 60th Anniversary Special” and the overall excellence of the series. At the 46th Annual Telly Awards, McLaurin and Haddad Media received a Bronze Award for the series and for the episode “Making the Presidential Seal.”

Memberships McLaurin is actively involved with several organizations. He serves on the boards of the Metropolitan Club Preservation Foundation and the National Trust of Scotland USA Foundation, and he is a member of the Charleston Symposium Advisory Board. Additionally, he was a founding board member of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.