America's Best Leaders 2007 - US News and World Report

Features

The Spirit of Teamwork

David Gergen writes that the best leaders are often willing to form unlikely alliances.

A Crisis of Confidence

Today a majority of Americans believe the country is facing a leadership crisis.

Flexing Their Muscles

Followers have always mattered more than we generally believe.

 

Nicholas Kristof

Columnist, the New York Times In his columns, Kristof shows a new generation that journalists can advocate for change.

Yo-Yo Ma

Founder and Artistic Director, “Silk Road Project” The cellist brought together the sounds from a historic trade route between Italy and Japan.

Nancy Pelosi

Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives As the first female speaker, she says her election “broke the marble ceiling” of Congress.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Governor of California The former bodybuilder and actor works with the state Legislature in a nonpartisan way.

Ruth J. Simmons

President, Brown University Her successful fundraising and introduction of need-blind admissions have made her popular.

Pat Summitt

Women’s Basketball Coach, Univ. of Tennessee She’s had more wins to her name than any other college basketball coach in history.

Shirley Tilghman

President, Princeton Sitting on the board to pick the president, she impressed her colleagues--and they chose her.

Harold Varmus

CEO, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center He believes scientists' work should immediately be available online to everyone in the world.

 

Nicholas Kristof

Columnist, the New York Times In his columns, Kristof shows a new generation that journalists can advocate for change.

Yo-Yo Ma

Founder and Artistic Director, “Silk Road Project” The cellist brought together the sounds from a historic trade route between Italy and Japan.

Nancy Pelosi

Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives As the first female speaker, she says her election “broke the marble ceiling” of Congress.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Governor of California The former bodybuilder and actor works with the state Legislature in a nonpartisan way.

Ruth J. Simmons

President, Brown University Her successful fundraising and introduction of need-blind admissions have made her popular.

Pat Summitt

Women’s Basketball Coach, Univ. of Tennessee She’s had more wins to her name than any other college basketball coach in history.

Shirley Tilghman

President, Princeton Sitting on the board to pick the president, she impressed her colleagues--and they chose her.

Harold Varmus

CEO, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center He believes scientists' work should immediately be available online to everyone in the world.

Profiles 2007

Lee Hamilton and James Baker

Cochairs, Iraq Study Group Their report made it hard for even the war’s firmest backers to argue for staying the course.

Kenneth Chenault

CEO, American Express Co. He revived Am Ex after September 11 created financial headaches and personal heartaches.

Kenneth Fisher

Chairman and CEO, Fisher House Foundation His foundation builds housing near military hospitals to accommodate soldiers’ families.

William H. Foege

Senior Fellow, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation His work with immunizations for the Gates Foundation has saved millions of lives.

Michael J. Fox

Founder, Michael J. Fox Foundation He has become the spokesman for Parkinson's disease and raised $90 million for research.

Mary Houghton and Ron Grzywinski

Cofounders, ShoreBank Corp. Since 1973, their bank has invested dollars and hands in Chicago’s grittiest neighborhoods.

Andrea Jung

Chairman and CEO, Avon Products Inc. She transformed the 120-year-old cosmetics company into 'the Company for Women.'

Fred Krupp

President, Environmental Defense He proved that teaming up with businesses was an effective way to solve pollution problems.

Profiles 2007

Lee Hamilton and James Baker

Cochairs, Iraq Study Group Their report made it hard for even the war’s firmest backers to argue for staying the course.

Kenneth Chenault

CEO, American Express Co. He revived Am Ex after September 11 created financial headaches and personal heartaches.

Kenneth Fisher

Chairman and CEO, Fisher House Foundation His foundation builds housing near military hospitals to accommodate soldiers’ families.

William H. Foege

Senior Fellow, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation His work with immunizations for the Gates Foundation has saved millions of lives.

Michael J. Fox

Founder, Michael J. Fox Foundation He has become the spokesman for Parkinson's disease and raised $90 million for research.

Mary Houghton and Ron Grzywinski

Cofounders, ShoreBank Corp. Since 1973, their bank has invested dollars and hands in Chicago’s grittiest neighborhoods.

Andrea Jung

Chairman and CEO, Avon Products Inc. She transformed the 120-year-old cosmetics company into 'the Company for Women.'

Fred Krupp

President, Environmental Defense He proved that teaming up with businesses was an effective way to solve pollution problems.

More Special Reports

PHOTO CREDITS: Arnold Schwarzenegger: BEN BAKER—REDUX ; Lee Hamilton and James Baker: CHARLIE ARCHAMBAULT FOR USN≀ Nancy Pelosi: JIM LO SCALZO FOR USN≀ Kenneth Fisher: Jeffrey MacMillan for USN≀ Fred Krupp: JEFFREY MACMILLAN FOR USN≀ Ruth J. Simmons: SCOTT GOLDSMITH—AURORA FOR USN≀ Shirley Tilghman: SCOTT GOLDSMITH—AURORA FOR USN≀ Pat Summit: SCOTT GOLDSMITH—AURORA FOR USN≀ Dr. William H. Foege: BRIAN SMALE; Dr. Harold Varmus: COURTESY MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER; Kenneth Chenault: EVAN KAFKA; Andrea Jung: BEN BAKER—REDUX; Ron Grzywinski and Mary Houghton: JEFFREY MACMILLAN FOR USN≀ Nicholas Kristof: FRED CONRAD—THE NEW YORK TIMES/REDUX; Michael J. Fox: BEN BAKER—REDUX; Yo-yo Ma: FRANK MICELOTTA—GETTY IMAGES

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Choosing America's Best Leaders 2007

America's Best Leaders is a collaboration between U.S.News & World Report and the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.