The White House Social Secretary

For more than one hundred years, White House Social Secretaries have demonstrated a profound knowledge of protocol and society in Washington, D.C. The position had its beginnings in the Theodore Roosevelt administration when First Lady Edith Roosevelt hired an executive clerk. From the intricacies of ceremony planning to routine office work, the social secretary must possess unfailing tact in being a liaison for the president and first lady. In this collection, learn more about the position of the White House Social Secretary and its role on the president's staff.

Welcoming the World to the President's House

Duties & Work Culture

Responsibilities and Job Description of the White House Social Secretary Through the Years

Historically Fascinating Job

Past Secretaries Remember the High Points

Memoirs from the First Social Secretary

Isabella Hagner is considered the first official social secretary at the White House. First Lady Edith Roosevelt hired Ms. Hagner in 1901. She also worked during the Woodrow Wilson administration. Isabella was an active participant in shaping different elements of White House entertaining, procedures, and protocol, detailing it all in her memoir—a portion of which is published here.

Introduction to Isabella Hagner