The Man Behind Our Mission

John W. Gardner was a renowned activist who promoted the common good and improved the lives of millions. As Lyndon Johnson’s Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, Gardner was instrumental in civil rights enforcement, led the creation of Medicare, and helped establish the public television network.

A Lifetime of Achievement

Gardner received his B.A. and M.A. in psychology from Stanford University, where he returned as a trustee and as a professor, and received his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. A prolific writer, Gardner authored several books on leadership and self-renewal, and wrote extensively on public service. He headed the Carnegie Corporation and the Urban Coalition, and went on to found Common Cause and co-found the Independent Sector. In 1964, Gardner received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civil honor. In September 2000, two years prior to his death, Gardner lent his name and support to the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities that incorporates his beliefs and values. When it opened, Gardner said the public had finally understood the importance of youth development broadly conceived.

Learn more about John W. Gardner: "John Gardner: Uncommon American"