Rank: 91
Dr. James E.K. Hildreth
President and CEO, Meharry Medical College
As a widely regarded infectious disease expert, Hildreth gained a prominent role during the COVID-19 outbreak and was named to President Joe Biden’s health equity task force. For seven years as the head of Meharry, one of the country’s oldest historically Black medical colleges, he has fostered innovation and formed strategic partnerships to help promote diversity in the industry and address disparities in health outcomes. In early 2022, Meharry joined other industry leaders to invest $55 million in Black founder-led healthcare companies, with Hildreth noting the potential to enact change through such bold approaches. Hildreth aims to start a school of public health in 2025, with the help of a $20 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.