Operation Smile Co-founders Dr. William and Kathleen Magee Are Named Among the “2009 America’s Best Leaders” by U.S. News Media Group and Harvard’s Center for Public Leadership

U.S. News Media Group, in association with the Center for Public Leadership (CPL) at Harvard Kennedy's School of Government, released the 2009 edition of America's Best Leaders today, available online at www.usnews.com/leaders and featured in the November, 2009, issue of U.S. News & World Report magazine. Included on this year’s list are Dr. William P. Magee Jr. and Kathleen Magee, co-founders of Operation Smile, for their achievements in founding and advancing a global organization dedicated to providing safe and effective reconstructive surgery for children born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities.

Featuring 22 of the country's most exemplary individuals, the fifth annual Best Leaders issue honors a select group of men and women from a variety of fields including business, public service, education and arts. These inspiring professionals have contributed to industry advancements with their innovation and achievements, and through their advocacy, service, activism, and philanthropy, have dedicated their careers to improving the lives of people across the globe.

Dr. William and Kathleen Magee are being recognized for their achievements in treating and transforming the lives of children around the globe born with facial deformities. Since 1982, Operation Smile has helped over 135,000 children and has a presence in over 50 countries. This award acknowledges their tireless efforts in raising awareness, building international support, establishing public and private partnerships, conducting ongoing education, and leading research efforts to help identify the causes of clefts. The Magee’s vision for Operation Smile is realized through a network of international medical volunteers who are dedicated to patient safety and quality of care. These volunteers are the foundation for creating a model of long-term self-sufficiency and sustainability, ultimately allowing patients around the world to have access to year round care.

A perfect example of how Operation Smile is able to help build a sustainable model of care globally is the success of Operation Smile Vietnam. This November marks the 20th anniversary of Operation Smile’s work in Vietnam, and will be commemorated with the launch of “20 Years of Smiles – A Journey of Miracles.” This will be the largest free medical program in Operation Smile Vietnam’s 20 year history. More than 315 international medical volunteers will work at 15 sites to provide free treatment for thousands of Vietnamese children suffering from cleft lips, cleft palates, dental problems and other facial deformities. Operation Smile hopes to change the lives of nearly 3,000 children and young adults during this 10-day period. For more information, visit www.operationsmile.org/vietnam.

"America's Best Leaders are constantly working to solve society's biggest problems," said Brian Kelly of U.S. News & World Report. “Whether they are developing ways to be more environmentally sustainable, reviving a city, building schools in war zones, or bringing the economy back from the brink, these leaders are making a positive impact with creativity and innovation."

U.S. News Media Group’s nomination of America’s Best Leaders features 22 of the country’s foremost professionals including:

• Ben Bernanke, Chairman, The Federal Reserve Board (Washington, D.C.)
• Cory Booker, Mayor, City of Newark (Newark, NJ)
• John Chambers, President and Chief Executive Officer, Cisco Systems, Inc. (San Jose, CA)
• Yvon Chouinard, Founder, Patagonia Inc. (Ventura, CA)
• John Doerr, Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (Menlo Park, CA)
• Cheryl Dorsey, President, Echoing Green (New York, NY)
• Eve Ensler, Founder and Artistic Director, President, Board of Directors, V-DAY (New York, NY)
• Norman Francis, President, Xavier University of Louisiana (New Orleans, LA)
• Orrin G. Hatch, United States Senate (Washington, D.C.)
• Susan Hockfield, President, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
• Edward Kennedy (1932-2009), Former United States Senator
• Dr. William P. Magee Jr., D.D.S., M.D., Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Operation Smile (Norfolk, VA)
• Kathleen Magee, Co-Founder and President, Operation Smile (Norfolk, VA)
• Greg Mortenson, Executive Director, Central Asia Institute (Bozeman, MT)
• Ray Odierno, Commanding General, Multi-National Force, Iraq, United States Army (The Pentagon, Washington, DC))
• Senior Enlisted Officers, United States Military (The Pentagon, Washington, D.C.)
• Eboo Patel, Founder and Executive Director, Interfaith Youth Core (Chicago, IL)
• Sally Ride, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sally Ride Science (San Diego, CA)
• David Robinson, Founder, The Carver Academy (San Antonio, TX)
• Judith Rodin, President, The Rockefeller Foundation (New York, NY)
• James Sinegal, President and Chief Executive Officer, Costco Wholesale Corporation (Issaquah, WA)
• Twyla Tharp, Founder and Artistic Director, Twyla Tharp Productions (New York, NY)

"Both Kathy and I are honored to included in this year’s distinguished group of America’s Best Leaders," said Dr. Magee. “Our driving force is to continue the work of Operation Smile to help the children of the world move from despair to joy and have the opportunity to lead a normal and productive life.”

In a collaborative effort between U.S. News and Harvard’s CPL, the leaders were selected by a nonpartisan and independent committee, convened and organized by the Center, without the participation of U.S. News editors. The selection criteria used by the committee in choosing the honorees included the ability to set direction, achieve results and cultivate a culture of growth.

About Operation Smile (www.operationsmile.org)
Our Mission: Operation Smile mobilizes a world of generous hearts to heal children’s smiles and transform lives across the globe. Founded in 1982, Operation Smile, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is a worldwide children’s medical charity whose network of global volunteers are dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children and young adults. Since its founding, Operation Smile volunteers have treated more than 135,000 children born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities and the organization has a presence in over 50 countries. In addition to contributing free medical treatment, Operation Smile trains local medical professionals in its partner countries and leaves behind crucial equipment to lay the groundwork for long-term self-sufficiency.

About the Center for Public Leadership
Established in 2000 through a generous gift from the Wexner Foundation, the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School provides cutting-edge teaching and research as well as hands-on training in the skills of leadership for people in government, nonprofits, and business. For more information, go to: www.hks.harvard.edu/leadership

About the U.S. News Media Group
The U.S. News Media Group is a multi-platform digital publisher of news and analysis, which includes the monthly U.S. News & World Report magazine, the digital-only U.S. News Weekly magazine, http://www.usnews.com/, and http://www.rankingsandreviews.com/. Focusing on Health, Money & Business, Education, and Public Service/Opinion, the U.S. News Media Group has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers. The U.S. News Media Group’s signature franchises include its News You Can Use® brand of journalism and its “America’s Best” series of consumer guides that include rankings of colleges, graduate schools, hospitals, health plans and more.