Dr. Vivek Murthy is a physician, best-selling author, and the 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States who has deepened our understanding of how to improve our health. He has advised Presidents, governors, legislators, corporate leaders, educators, and healthcare organizations on a wide range of public health issues.
Dr. Murthy has been recognized as one of the world’s leading authorities on health, and his landmark initiatives as Surgeon General have spurred public dialogue and new policy and program initiatives around the world, particularly with regard to mental health, technology and health, workplace well- being, loneliness and isolation, and tobacco. He served as co-chair of the White House COVID-19 Task Force under President Biden, and he has also written Surgeon General reports on the threat of health misinformation and the health worker burnout crisis. His 2022 Surgeon General’s Framework on Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being has been widely cited and increasingly adopted by large and small organizations seeking to improve the health, engagement, and performance of their workforce. And his 2023 Surgeon General’s Report on the Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation opened up a conversation in America about a new dimension of health - social health - and how it affects our physical and mental health, educational and workplace outcomes, and political polarization.
Dr. Murthy is the author of the New York Times bestselling book Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World, and he has authored perspective pieces in the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, and New England Journal of Medicine. He has also served as co-chair of the World Health Organization (WHO) Commission on Social Connection as well as co-chair of the National Academy of Medicine’s Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience.
From 2022-2025, Dr. Murthy hosted the podcast “House Calls with Dr. Vivek Murthy,” where he interviewed a wide range of people - humanitarians, artists, chefs, authors, researchers, faith leaders, and others - about how to compose a life of fulfillment and well-being in a busy and chaotic world. Given his strong belief in the power of the arts to promote health, Dr. Murthy also conceived of the 2023 musical production Songs for Hope, which featured artists and public health heroes together at the Kennedy Center for a night of healing and community. He is also the author of the Surgeon General’s Recipes for Connection, an innovative product which guides people on how to create gatherings around food that can build community and reduce loneliness.
Dr. Murthy has advised companies like Airbnb, Netflix, and Estée Lauder on pandemic preparedness and workplace well-being. He has also served on the boards of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the RAND Corporation, and the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Dr. Murthy earned his BA from Harvard University, magna cum laude, and his MD and MBA from Yale. He completed his residency training in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He has cared for thousands of patients and taught hundreds of medical trainees during his clinical year,s and has conducted research in vaccine development and the participation of women and minorities in clinical trials. Vivek has also built non-profit organizations focused on HIV/AIDS and improving the US healthcare system, as well as a health technology company to accelerate collaboration in clinical trials.
Dr. Vivek Murthy is married to Dr. Alice Chen, and they have two children in elementary school. A native of Miami, Dr. Murthy plays the mridangam, a percussion instrument used in classical South Indian music. He has appeared on Top Chef and has shared his childhood love of mangos - and his mango peeling skills - on a viral Bon Appetit video that received millions of views.
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