Advisor. Inspirational Thought Partner. Champion of the Next Generation.
Leadership Now Project mourns the passing of David Gergen, an advisor to Leadership Now since 2019 and an inspirational thought partner whose belief in principled leadership helped shape our work. Over the years, David was an extraordinary source of wisdom and support as we worked to identify, cultivate, and mobilize the kind of leaders this moment demands—leaders who can rise to meet a time of deep uncertainty and help steer the nation forward with integrity and purpose.
David believed leadership is not born—it’s built. That belief defined his life’s work across four presidential administrations—both Republican and Democrat—as well as his commentary on CNN, decades of teaching at Harvard’s Kennedy School, and co-founding its Center for Public Leadership. In recent years, he turned his full attention to the future—calling on his peers to step aside and urging rising leaders to step up.
His 2022 book, Hearts Touched with Fire, was both a call to action and a roadmap: leadership begins with service, grows through adversity, and is guided by purpose. In it, he made a powerful case that we are living through a leadership moment—and the country’s future depends on a new generation answering the call.
We were honored to have David speak at our Annual Meetings in both 2019 and 2022. At the 2022 gathering in New York, he spoke with clarity and conviction about the leadership our country needs now. When we challenged him not to focus solely on millennials as the face of emerging leadership, he took the point with his signature wit and grace—conceding that Gen X, too, had a vital role to play in the renewal he championed. He pushed us to think big and act boldly, always encouraging rising leaders while modeling the humility it takes to make space for them.
David Gergen speaking at the 2022 Leadership Now Annual Meeting in New York City.
We found resonance in his perspective on centrism. He told The Boston Globe in 2020, “Centrism doesn’t mean splitting the difference. It’s about seeking solutions, and you bring people along.” David gave generously of his time—sharing insights, always asking hard questions, and helping shape our vision of what it means to lead with integrity, courage, and impact.
David’s influence extended across our national network. Building on years of working relationships with business and thought leaders, he helped launch our Ohio chapter.
We are deeply saddened by David’s passing. But we take his message forward: leadership is a choice, and now is the time to lead. May his memory inspire us to act with the clarity, generosity, and fire he embodied.
From left to right: Leadership Now CEO Daniella Ballou-Aares, David Gergen, Austin Hearst, and 2022 Leadership Now Award Winner and Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Al Schmidt.