When college students ask Capricia Marshall for advice, she often says, "Don't think life offers you only one track, and when you get on it, you have to stay on it."
Marshall has lived that philosophy. She held White House posts during the presidencies of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama—yet never intended to have a government career.
She credits William P. Marshall, JD, (no relation) a former Case Western Reserve University law professor, with taking her "by the arm" after graduation to work on Clinton's presidential campaign. "Both of us had a little itch to get involved in politics," she said, "and off we went."
She served as special assistant to Hillary Clinton, first on the campaign trail and later in the White House when Clinton was first lady. At 32, Marshall became the second-youngest White House social secretary, leading various social events.
In 2009, she became Obama's chief of protocol when he was president, advising officials on diplomatic procedure. She also created a Diplomatic Partnerships division within her office.
Today, Marshall is a partner in FGS Global, a communications consulting company in Washington, D.C., and ambassador-in-residence at the Atlantic Council think tank, working on Latin American issues.
This piece, written by Lauren Dangel, originally appeared in the Fall/Winter 2024 issue of Think Magazine.