These 2 Washington residents represent ‘very best of leadership.’ Who are they?
Two Washington state residents are among the leaders who are making a difference across the United States, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The publication recently showcased 25 “extraordinary individuals” working in the fields of business, education, health care and public service “whose work is advancing critical sectors impacting our country and every American.”
“The 2025 honorees represent the very best of leadership today, demonstrating the vital traits and impactful work that define their preeminence in their respective fields,” said Eric Gertler, executive chairman and CEO of U.S. News, in a Nov. 17 news release.
Who are the Washington leaders who made the list? And why were they recognized?
Here’s what to know:
Washington philanthropist makes ‘Best Leaders’ list
A philanthropist and a CEO from Washington state made U.S. News & World Report’s list of the nation’s top 25 leaders.
MacKenzie Scott was represented in the public service category.
U.S. News called Scott, a writer and the former wife of Amazon co-founder Jeff Bezos, “one of the U.S.’s most generous philanthropists.”
Scott has given away more than $19 billion to groups working on a range of causes, from health care and education to social justice, according to the publication.
She often makes her donations “with no strings attached,” U.S. News said, meaning “there are no requirements or limitations on how nonprofits use the money.”
Although Scott has given away billions, the Seattle resident still the 28th richest person in the United States, according to Forbes, which put her net worth at $33.9 billion.
Costco CEO honored as top US business leader
Ron Vachris, president, CEO and director of Costco Wholesale Corp., made U.S. News’ Best Leaders list in the business category.
Vachris started working for the retail giant in college as a forklift driver, according to U.S. News.
Now, he’s “succeeding as corporate titan,” the publication said, adding that Vachris considered “a driving force” of the success of Costco, which saw a 5% increase in revenue in fiscal year 2024.
Vachris lives in Sammamish, South Sound Business previously reported.
Headquartered in Issaquah, Costco was recently named one of the best employers in the world by Forbes, coming in at No. 12.
Who are best education, health care leaders in the nation?
Here are the 25 best leaders in the categories of business, education, health care and public service, according to U.S. News & World Report:
Business
- Dario Amodei, Anthropic
- John Hope Bryant, Operation Hope
- Mark Cuban, Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company
- Judy Faulkner, Epic Systems
- Alison Moore, Chief
- Ron Vachris, Costco Wholesale Corp.
Education
- Josefina Castillo Baltodano, Executive Leadership Academy and University of California, Berkeley
- Walter B. Gonsoulin, Jr., Jefferson County Schools in Birmingham, Alabama
- Adam Grant, Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania
- Christine M. Keller, Association for Institutional Research
- Sal Khan, Khan Academy
- Dolly Parton, The Dollywood Foundation
Health care
- Allyson Felix, advocate and entrepreneur
- Michael J. Fox, Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
- Dr. Peter Jay Hotez, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital
- Dr. Carl H. June, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
- Dr. Vijay G. Sankaran, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center
- Dr. Eric Topol, Scripps Research Translational Institute
Public service
- José Andrés, José Andrés Group and World Central Kitchen
- Stephen Curry, philanthropist and athlete
- Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, Mercy Corps
- Michael Milken, Michael Milken Foundation, FasterCures and Michael Milken Institute
- John Palfrey, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
- Laura J. Richardson, National Security Advisory Council and U.S. Global Leadership Coalition
- MacKenzie Scott, philanthropist and writer
How did US News come up with its list?
U.S. News & World Report said the 25 leaders were picked “with input from a panel of 31 expert judges based on nominees brought forward by the general public and our subject matter experts.”
The honorees “were selected based on key leadership traits, including empathy, generosity, and humility,” the publication said.
U.S. News said it partnered with global market research firm The Harris Poll to “conduct a nationally representative survey identifying the leadership characteristics Americans value most.”
The poll results were used to help in the judging process, U.S. News said.
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