William Haldeman is a presidential historian and scholar with extensive executive leadership experience from federal and state government to higher education. His strategic communications, from speeches to policy documents, have been employed across the world, including by U.S. Presidents, U.S. Vice Presidents, U.S. Secretaries of State, U.S. Ambassadors, and other senior federal and state government officials and university leaders. He is the author of the upcoming book, Meeting the Moment: Inspiring Presidential Leadership that Transformed America (SUNY Press, 2024).

At the White House, Haldeman served on the Domestic Policy Council and conducted policy research and executed special projects for the White House Chief of Staff. At the U.S. Department of State, and across two presidential administrations, he served as special assistant and speechwriter to Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and as multilateral affairs officer in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs’ Office of United Nations Political Affairs and as Regional Affairs Officer in the Bureau of African Affairs’ Office of African Regional and Security Affairs. He was recognized with senior awards for directing U.S. government efforts to successfully lift Iraq’s United Nations Chapter VII obligations and for directing department participation at the opening of the 63rd United Nations General Assembly.

At the state level, Haldeman served the State of New Jersey as Assistant Commissioner of Education, Assistant Secretary of State, Chief of Staff to the Lt. Governor, and as a member of a Governor's senior staff. He oversaw finance and operations for two large state agencies, the New Jersey Department of Education and New Jersey Department of State. In particular, he helped to elevate the state’s K-12 education policy landscape with significant improvement in student outcomes and independent national recognition.

Haldeman currently serves as Vice Chancellor and Chief Strategy Officer at the University of Pittsburgh. His previous higher education experience includes service as a strategic advisor to the President at the University of South Carolina where his work was recognized with an American Advertising Federation Gold “Addy” and “Special Judges Award” for the “Mini Conversations” social media series. At the University of Minnesota, he served as Chief Strategy Officer, where he led the creation and implementation of the University’s first comprehensive systemwide strategic plan to record-breaking results. At Carnegie Mellon University, he was recognized as a Visiting Fellow for international policy and innovation.

Haldeman has extensive board service, currently serving the Heinz History Center and the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and previously as an executive board member for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, where he helped bring the games to the Twin Cities and the University of Minnesota.

Haldeman earned a Ph.D. in History from American University and Term Membership on the Council on Foreign Relations.