Dr. David J. Skorton

Dr. David J. Skorton is a leader in medicine, higher education, government, and the arts. A board-certified cardiologist, Skorton's research has focused on congenital heart disease, cardiac imaging, and image processing. He co-founded the University of Iowa Adolescent and Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic, among the first of its kind in the United States. Skorton served on the faculty of the University of Iowa College of Medicine and College of Engineering for more than 20 years before becoming president of the University of Iowa and later president of Cornell University, where he was a professor in medicine, pediatrics, and engineering.

Skorton led two major research universities, serving as president of the University of Iowa and then Cornell University. At Cornell, he held professorships in the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College and in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the College of Engineering. His leadership at Cornell emphasized scientific advancement and the integration of the humanities.

Skorton served as the 13th Secretary of the Smithsonian, becoming the first physician in that role. He oversaw 19 museums and galleries, 20 libraries, the National Zoo, and multiple research centers, managing an annual budget exceeding $1 billion, thousands of employees, and volunteers. During his tenure, the National Museum of African American History and Culture opened, and the Institution launched the American Women's History Initiative. Skorton prioritized diversity in leadership, appointing the first women directors of both the National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of American History. He also led a successful capital campaign, raising nearly $2 billion.

As president and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges, Skorton leads an organization representing medical schools, academic health systems, teaching hospitals, and academic societies. He directed a strategic planning process that established a new mission and vision for the association, focusing on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in academic medicine. Skorton has advocated for addressing systemic racism and health disparities, emphasizing the importance of social determinants of health such as education, employment, community safety, and environmental conditions. He has been recognized among Modern Healthcare's 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives.

In addition to his professional roles, Skorton is a jazz musician and composer, performing as a flutist with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Skorton was the charter president of the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs Inc., the first organization to accredit human research protection programs. His career reflects a commitment to scientific rigor, institutional leadership, and the integration of the arts and humanities in addressing challenges in health, education, and public life.