Americans are losing trust in their leaders. In a 2025 U.S. News & World Report survey, 73% of respondents said they were disappointed in healthcare leaders, 72% don’t have faith in business leaders, and two-thirds are frustrated with those in education.
But there are still leaders worth believing in. And on this podcast, we will introduce you to a few of them.
Eric Gertler, Executive Chairman and CEO of U.S. News & World Report, hosts the Best Leaders podcast, sponsored by the NobleReach Foundation.
New episodes every Wednesday. Learn more at www.usnews.com/leaders
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on Polarization in Politics and How to Disagree Better
Fifteen years ago, about 5% of Americans said they had lost a family member or a close friend over politics. Today, that number has more than quadrupled as roughly a quarter of us have lost someone we were close to — and most of those disagreements happen at dinner tables, not in Washington.
In this episode of the Best Leaders Podcast from U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News Executive Chairman and CEO Eric Gertler sits down with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, the state ranked No. 1 in the U.S. News Best States rankings for four consecutive years.
Cox discusses his new book, “Off Ramp: How to Be a Peacemaker in an Age of Contempt,” and some ways he thinks we can all help take the temperature down in political discourse, including the technique he says can defuse almost any political argument. In the spirit of cross-partisan compromise, he walks listeners through how Utah passed LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections in a deeply red state, how a coalition came together to help protect the Great Salt Lake and why housing affordability is his top priority. He also shares the leadership principle he credits for everything else: hire people better than you, then let them do their jobs.
Learn more:
U.S. News Best Leaders: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-leaders
More from U.S. News & World Report: https://www.usnews.com/
12 Aug 2026
What AI Can and Can't Do in the Classroom, with Sal Khan
Not that long ago, the best education was often done one-on-one — a tutor who could guide a student at their own pace and respond to their individual needs. When we introduced mass public education, we often traded that personalization for scale: classes of 30 students with one teacher moving at a set pace whether or not the last concept landed. Can technology give back what we gave up?
In this episode of the Best Leaders Podcast from U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News Executive Chairman and CEO Eric Gertler sits down with Sal Khan, founder and CEO of Khan Academy.
What began as Khan tutoring his cousin over an online instant messaging platform is now a nonprofit with more than 200 million registered users across the world and working with more than 600 school districts. Khan explains why he turned down venture capital to build the organization as a nonprofit, what the results actually look like in schools like those in Newark, New Jersey — where students are posting three times the growth compared to the rest of the state — and why he believes college is becoming unaffordable for too many people. He also shares the career advice he gives young people: pay your dues, but carve out space to “fiddle” — and if you find something that matters, make it “unkillable.”
Learn more:
U.S. News Best Leaders: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-leaders
Sal Khan’s U.S. News Best Leaders profile: https://www.usnews.com/news/leaders/articles/best-leaders-2025-sal-khan
More from U.S. News & World Report: https://www.usnews.com/
17 Jun 2026
Combating the Maternal Health Crisis, with to Allyson Felix
Allyson Felix is a champion on the track and off of it. As the most decorated athlete in track and field history, she's won 31 medals at the Olympics and world championships. But in 2018, during the emergency birth of her daughter, she suffered from severe preeclampsia that nearly cost both her and her daughter their lives. That experience led her to become a fierce advocate for maternal health, spotlighting the disparities that put too many women – especially women of color – at risk.
In this episode of the Best Leaders Podcast from U.S. News & World Report, Eric Gertler, Executive Chairman and CEO of U.S. News, sits down with Allyson Felix to discuss her advocacy, her entrepreneurship and her next chapter.
Felix launched the women's athletic shoe company Saysh in 2021, and she co-founded Always Alpha, a management firm focused on women's sports. She retired from competition in 2022 – but shortly after this conversation was recorded, she announced that she's returning to running with her sights set on the 2028 Olympics in her hometown of Los Angeles.
Learn more:
U.S. News Best Leaders: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-leaders
Allyson Felix’s U.S. News Best Leaders profile: https://www.usnews.com/news/leaders/articles/best-leaders-2025-allyson-felix
More from U.S. News & World Report: https://www.usnews.com/
10 Jun 2026
The Fight to Save Science, with Dr. Peter Hotez
At a moment when science is under pressure from so many different directions and bad actors, what does real leadership in medicine look like?
In this episode of the Best Leaders Podcast from U.S. News & World Report, Eric Gertler, Executive Chairman and CEO of U.S. News, and Arun Gupta, CEO of the NobleReach Foundation, sit down with Dr. Peter J. Hotez, Co-Director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children's Hospital and Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
In his most recent book, "Science Under Siege," co-written with Michael Mann, Dr. Hotez takes on the forces that threaten science and our world. As a result of his work and advocacy, half a billion people across the world have received treatment for diseases, many of which are debilitating and deadly but don't get as much attention or funding. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he became a fixture on TV and on social media, sharing clear-eyed perspectives about his work and the importance of vaccines. In 2022, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on a COVID-19 vaccine.
Together, they discuss the rise of anti-science movements, how to lead during a public health crisis, the future of vaccine development, and what young people need to know about building a career in science today.
Learn more:
U.S. News Best Leaders: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-leaders
Peter Hotez's U.S. News Best Leaders profile: https://www.usnews.com/news/leaders/articles/best-leaders-2025-peter-jay-hotez
Peter Hotez's book, "Science Under Siege: How to Fight the Five Most Powerful Forces that Threaten Our World": https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/michael-e-mann/science-under-siege/9781541705517/
More from U.S. News & World Report: https://www.usnews.com/
3 Jun 2026
Tjada D'Oyen McKenna on Leading Mercy Corps Through Global Crisis
When someone around the world needs help, there's a strong possibility that Mercy Corps is there to answer the call. For more than four decades, the humanitarian organization has helped hundreds of millions of people across the world grapple with economic, political, social and environmental challenges and catastrophes.
In this episode of the Best Leaders Podcast from U.S. News & World Report, Eric Gertler, Executive Chairman and CEO of U.S. News, and Arun Gupta, CEO of the NobleReach Foundation, sit down with Tjada D'Oyen McKenna, CEO of Mercy Corps, which works in more than 35 countries and impacts tens of millions of people annually.
Before joining Mercy Corps in 2020, McKenna spent time at McKinsey, American Express and General Electric – private-sector experience that has shaped her decision-making and management of the global nonprofit. When the U.S. government shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development in 2025, a significant portion of Mercy Corps' funding disappeared virtually overnight, and McKenna had to lead the organization through extreme uncertainty. Together, they discuss crisis leadership, the value of multi-sector fluency, the future of humanitarian aid and what real leadership looks like when the world is in flux.
Learn more:
U.S. News Best Leaders: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-leaders
Tjada D'Oyen McKenna’s U.S. News Best Leaders profile: https://www.usnews.com/news/leaders/articles/best-leaders-2025-tjada-doyen-mckenna
More from MercyCorps: https://www.mercycorps.org/
More from U.S. News & World Report: https://www.usnews.com/
27 May 2026
John Hope Bryant on the American Dream, Inclusive Capitalism and Building Hope
As America celebrates 250 years, one of the things that defines this great but imperfect nation is the American dream. Today, that dream is still a very real thing, and you can find countless examples of people living theirs – including today's guest.
In this episode of the Best Leaders Podcast from U.S. News & World Report, Eric Gertler, Executive Chairman and CEO of U.S. News, and Arun Gupta, CEO of the NobleReach Foundation, sit down with John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Operation Hope and Bryant Group Ventures.
Bryant started his first business at age 10 with a small bit of cash from his mother. He recounts how he grew up in one of the toughest ZIP codes in Los Angeles and endured homelessness earlier in life before going on to direct more than $5 billion in economic activity to underserved communities. He has advised presidents, Fortune 500 CEOs and many others following their own American dreams. His new book, "Capitalism for All," lays out his vision for inclusive economics and future-proofing America.
Learn more:
U.S. News Best Leaders: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-leaders
John Hope Bryant’s U.S. News Best Leaders profile: https://www.usnews.com/news/leaders/articles/best-leaders-2025-john-hope-bryant
John Hope Bryant’s book, “Capitalism For All: Inclusive Economics and the Future-Proofing of America”: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/capitalism-for-all-john-hope-bryant/1148436216
More from U.S. News & World Report: https://www.usnews.com/
20 May 2026
Dr. Eric Topol on Longevity, Health and the Future of Medicine
We all want to live longer, healthier lives. But right now, there’s more noise than ever about how to do it. That’s where trusted voices matter, especially those working at the intersection of research, innovation and clinical practice.
In this episode of the Best Leaders Podcast from U.S. News & World Report, Eric Gertler, Executive Chairman and CEO of U.S. News, and Arun Gupta, CEO of the NobleReach Foundation, speak with Eric Topol, M.D., Professor and Executive Vice President at Scripps Research and Founder and Director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute.
Topol is a practicing cardiologist and one of the top 10 most cited researchers in medicine, with more than 1,300 peer-reviewed papers and clinical trials in more than 40 countries. His 2025 book, “Super Agers,” makes the evidence-based case for extending not just lifespan, but health span – the years we are actually healthy.
But what earned Topol a place on the U.S. News Best Leaders list is not just his scientific achievements. It is his commitment to living by his motto: “Think big. Act bigger.”
Learn more:
U.S. News Best Leaders: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-leaders
Eric Topol’s U.S. News Best Leaders profile: https://www.usnews.com/news/leaders/articles/best-leaders-2025-eric-topol
Eric Topol’s book, “Super Agers”: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Super-Agers/Eric-Topol/9781668067666
More from U.S. News & World Report: https://www.usnews.com/
20 May 2026
What Americans Can Learn From the U.S. News Best Leaders
Americans are losing trust in their leaders. Across public service, healthcare, business and education, many people say they are disappointed in the institutions and individuals meant to guide them through a period of rapid change.
In the first episode of the Best Leaders Podcast from U.S. News & World Report, Eric Gertler, Executive Chairman and CEO of U.S. News, sits down with Arun Gupta, CEO of the NobleReach Foundation, to introduce the series and the question at its center: Who is actually getting leadership right?
Together, they discuss why trust, honesty, humility, empathy and collaboration matter in leadership today, how the U.S. News Best Leaders list was developed, and why this series will go deeper into the stories, challenges and lessons of leaders across health, education, business and public service.
Learn more:
U.S. News Best Leaders: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-leaders
NobleReach Foundation: https://noblereach.org/
Arun Gupta’s book, “The Mission Generation”: https://www.themissiongeneration.com/
More from U.S. News & World Report: https://www.usnews.com/
18 May 2026
Trailer: U.S. News Best Leaders
From the state house to the courthouse, in the emergency room and the classroom, Americans are losing trust in their leaders.
In a 2025 U.S. News & World Report survey, 85% of Americans said government leaders care more about their own power than the people they serve. 73% of respondents are disappointed in healthcare leaders, 72% don’t have faith in business leaders, and two-thirds are frustrated with those in education.
But there are still leaders worth believing in. And on this podcast, we will introduce you to a few of them.
Eric Gertler, Executive Chairman and CEO of U.S. News & World Report, hosts the Best Leaders podcast, sponsored by the NobleReach Foundation.
Each year, U.S. News recognizes extraordinary individuals across public service, business, healthcare and education whose work is making a real difference. On this show, we're going deeper into their stories, their challenges, and their lessons in leadership.
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