Holy Ghost Prep alum Edmund A. Walsh ’95 will deliver the commencement address to the Class of 2017 on Saturday, June 3.

“We are thrilled that Ed will return home to Holy Ghost Prep to speak at this year’s commencement,” says HGP president Gregory J. Geruson ’79. “He has had a remarkable career—serving on the White House speechwriting staff for former President George W. Bush—and I am certain that Ed will deliver an inspiring message to our graduating seniors.”

Walsh, who credits HGP speech coaches Tony Figliola and Fr. John Sawicki with helping him begin to hone his communications skills as a high schooler, has been a successful writer and communications adviser to senior leaders in business and government for nearly 20 years.

After an early foray into journalism, he joined the speechwriting staff of President George W. Bush, where he wrote on a variety of domestic and foreign policy topics. He later served as head writer on the president’s re-election campaign and as the sole speechwriter to Laura Bush.

In the summer of 2006, Ed worked for the State Department’s Global Outreach team at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. He coordinated media coverage of recovery, reconstruction, and human interest stories in Iraq. His service in the Bush Administration also included stints as the deputy press secretary at the U.S. Department of Education and as chief speechwriter to Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson.

After leaving government, he worked as a speechwriter for the CEO of TIAA-CREF and as director of policy communications for the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. Since 2013, he has been an independent writing and communications consultant, working with companies and foundations in the financial services and education fields.

Following his time at HGP, Walsh attended American University in Washington, D.C. where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science.