Keynote Speaker
Wednesday General Session

Michael O. Leavitt
Former Governor of Utah and chairman of Leavitt Partners

Mike Leavitt is the founder and chairman of Leavitt Partners, a health-care intelligence business, where he advises clients in the health care and food safety sectors. In previous roles, Leavitt was elected three times as governor of Utah (1993-2003). He also served in President George W. Bush’s Cabinet as head of the Environmental Protection Agency and as Secretary of Health and Human Services where he led the implementation of the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program.

Gov. Leavitt was also responsible for the redesign of the nation’s system of quality and safety standards for imported goods. In the spring of 2006, President George Bush assigned him to lead a government-wide response. Within months, Leavitt recommended a major strategic shift in U.S. policy on import regulation and trade.

As governor, Leavitt organized a group of his colleagues to form Western Governors University (WGU). At WGU, degrees are earned based on competency rather than credit hours. In November 2008, TIME magazine named WGU “the best relatively cheap university you’ve never heard of.”

Leavitt is a seasoned diplomat, leading U.S. delegations to more than 50 countries. He has conducted negotiations on matters related to health, the environment and trade. At the conclusion of his service, the Chinese government awarded him the China Public Health Award—the first time this award has ever been given to a government official.