Life Lessons from Libby Moore, Oprah's Former Chief of Staff

Libby Moore, Oprah Winfrey's former Chief of Staff, took the stage at the 2024 Administrative Professionals Conference with a powerful message about the transformative power of authentic intelligence.

Landing "THE" Job

At the heart of Moore's message was the idea that "being yourself is the number one most powerful thing you can do." Joking that she grew up as an ordinary person in the small town of Berlin, Maryland, Moore always dreamed of going to New York to pursue stand-up comedy. However, after spending three years as the personal assistant to Maury Povich and working at Rolling Stone magazine (all while trying to chase her comedy-writing dreams), Moore recounted the fateful moment when she landed the job with Oprah, not through a polished resume or rehearsed answers, but by simply being her authentic self. 

Rather than an extraordinary process or a crazy story, Moore's path to becoming Oprah's Chief of Staff began with a recruiter in Chicago reaching out to her via email. Seeing the opportunity, Moore immediately sent in her resume and went through a series of interviews, including a meeting with Oprah herself. It was during this conversation that Moore's authenticity and passion shone through. "We held eye contact, and she thought, 'I see you,' and I thought, 'I just got that job,'" Moore explained. This connection of heart to heart, energy to energy, was the key that opened the door to Moore's life-changing opportunity. 

Embracing the Unexpected

Moore's own journey is a testament to the power of embracing one's true self. From her childhood dreams of being a cowboy and a truck driver to her eventual role as Oprah's right-hand, Moore's path was paved by her willingness to follow her authentic passions and trust the universe's guidance. "Everything you do in your life is an apprenticeship to the next thing," Moore said, reflecting on her varied experiences, from assistant to present-day life coach and speaker. "In hindsight, when I got the job with Maury as his personal assistant, I was like, 'I failed typing in college.' Little did I know that that was giving me the training for what was waiting for me with Oprah Winfrey." 

Tapping into Authentic Intelligence

Throughout her keynote, Moore encouraged the audience to embrace their own unique gifts and to trust the signs and synchronicities that the universe provides. She emphasized the importance of gratitude, mindfulness, and a willingness to step into the unknown. "There's something else going on in our life that is beyond just our material world," Moore shared. "It's energy. It's energy. And I just want you to know that you have this capability by opening up, even if you don't believe in it."

The Next Chapter 

After 11 successful years as Oprah's Chief of Staff, Libby began to feel a shift within herself. She recounted the challenges of the "mammoth job" and the times when she would think, "I can't do this." However, Moore recognized that these moments of self-doubt were actually the universe's way of telling her it was time to move on. As she explained, "It's the universe going, 'Oh honey, you're in the wrong job, or you've been here long enough. It's time for you to move on.'" Rather than ignoring these signs, Moore made the decision to leave her role with Oprah and trust that there was something new in store for her. 

Afterwards, Moore embarked on what she called her "Living More Gypsy Tour" — a year-long break to travel, reflect, and reconnect with herself. During this time, she explored  personal growth opportunities, all while remaining open to the next chapter of her life. It was during this period of exploration that Moore came up with the name "Super Soul Sunday" through meditation for Oprah's daytime series on OWN, which focuses on spirituality, the afterlife, and personal fulfillment.

Connecting with the Right People

To close out her keynote, Libby emphasized the importance of intention and trust when it comes to connecting with the right people, whether for personal or professional reasons. "Whoever I'm meant to talk with, draw me to them. And whoever is meant to talk with me, draw them to me. It works every time," Moore shared, offering a simple yet powerful self-affirmation practice for connecting with the right people and opportunities. Moore explained that this approach goes beyond just networking or making connections; it's about trusting in an energy beyond oneself to guide you to the people and experiences that are meant for you. 

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