Dr. Richard Carmona: Leadership, Service, and Truth Telling

Dr. Richard Carmona’s life is a blueprint for service: Vietnam combat medic, trauma surgeon, sheriff’s deputy, professor, and ultimately the 17th Surgeon General of the United States—the first Hispanic man to hold the role. In this episode of the SALA Series Podcast, Dr. Carmona reflects on the experiences that shaped his approach to leadership, public health, and service.Raised in poverty in the Bronx, he brings a deeply personal understanding of the barriers facing underserved communities. Throughout his career—from emergency rooms to the highest levels of government—he has championed health equity, preventive care, and the well-being of under-resourced populations.From advising presidents to confronting national health crises, Dr. Carmona shares hard-earned lessons on integrity, resilience, and the responsibility leaders carry when lives are at stake. It’s a remarkable conversation about leading with principle, speaking truth in difficult moments, and leaving institutions—and communities—stronger than you found them.