Faculty Spotlight: Leading with Heart and Soul – A Conversation with Tom Gordon

As the EMPH Class of 2026 prepares for graduation on June 12, they are completing their final journey in the Leadership Capstone Seminar—a course that is less about textbooks and more about the “heart and soul” of human interaction. At the helm is Thomas D. Gordon, a man whose career at the heights of healthcare management is matched only by his profound dedication to the students he mentors. 

Tom’s perspective on leadership is rooted in a deep sense of gratitude. The son of Russian-German Jewish Holocaust survivors, Tom was born in Berlin after WWII before his family immigrated to Los Angeles. “I’ve always felt gratitude for my life,” he shares. “This is my way of giving back—mentoring people, helping them in their careers, and supporting them in their education.” 

This commitment is tangible. Seven years ago, he founded the Levin-Gordon Scholarship, which awards $2,500 to a promising second-year EMPH student. This year’s recipient, Maite Medina, RN (EMPH ’26), joins an illustrious group of past scholars, including CRI-Help CEO Brandon Fernandez-Comer (EMPH ’20), UC San Diego Health Director of Clinical Operations, Patient Access, and Supportive Care for Cancer Services Danielle McLaughlin (EMPH ’21), and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Manager of Sustainability Kyle Horne (EMPH ’22). 

Tom and his wife, Edna, also personally mentor and sponsor EMPH students, including Monique Araya, MD (EMPH ’26), Alvin Wong (EMPH ’25), Eunice Ninet (EMPH ’25), and incoming student Raquel Vasquez. 

Tom’s classroom is a masterclass in scaling excellence. During his 22-year tenure as Executive Vice President of Cedars-Sinai Health System, he grew the physician network from just 27 doctors to over 1,000, overseeing a staff of 3,000 and serving 200,000 patients. 

He created a culture of family throughout his career at Cedar-Sinai. “My definition of family is ‘we all have each other’s back,’” said Tom. He hired 25 graduates from UCLA’s MPH program; and to this day, since he retired at the end of 2015, Tom Gordon has had dinner with 10 of the UCLA grads each quarter to stay connected. “I’m a diehard Bruin,” said Gordon. 

Tom’s leadership capstone seminar is known for its high-level guest speakers. Drawing from his network, this quarter’s students have learned directly from Dr. Arthur Southam, Former EVP, Kaiser Permanente; Lisa Maqueira, VP of Finance/Chief Revenue Cycle Officer, Cedars-Sinai; Thomas Priselac, Former President & CEO, Cedars-Sinai Health System; and Aniko Kim, Area Director, Sutter Health. 

The leadership capstone seminar pushes students to master six pillars of business: Leading, Communication, Planning, Confrontation, Staffing, and Organization. 

“Professor Gordon poured his heart and soul into redefining what leadership truly means,” said a former EMPH student. “This class has forever changed me; it inspires me to strive to be a better human being every single day. It taught me to lead with both heart and soul in every human interaction.” 

Tom encourages his students to engage in “crucial conversations” and, above all, to build self-awareness. “Know your strengths and your weaknesses,” he advises. “And surround yourself with people who are smarter than you.” 

As the Spring Quarter progresses, Tom remains optimistic about the future of the industry. “We have to fix healthcare,” he says. “At the end of the day, we are capable of fixing what’s broken.” 

His parting words for the Class of 2026? “Do something you’re passionate about. Trust your gut and shoot for the moon.”