I learned in my four decades in Washington that one person can make a difference.

Following Johnson's succession to the presidency Carpenter became the first professional newswoman to be press secretary to a first lady for Lady Bird Johnson (1963–1969) for whom Liz Carpenter also served as staff director. In 1971 Liz Carpenter was one of the founders of the National Women's Political Caucus and co-chair of ERAmerica traveling the country to push for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Carpenter was born in historic Salado in southern Bell County Texas. Mary Elizabeth "Liz" Sutherland Carpenter (September 1 1920 – March 20 2010) was a writer feminist former reporter media advisor speechwriter political humorist and public relations expert.