John Simpkins

John Simpkins

President and CEO, MDC

John leads strategic initiatives at MDC, shaping the organization’s portfolio and engaging partners to address disparities in the South. He joined MDC in 2020 after holding leadership roles at the state, national, and international levels, including Vice President of the Aspen Global Leadership Network at the Aspen Institute, where he mobilized over 3,000 Fellows in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A constitutional scholar and practicing attorney, John served as deputy general counsel for the White House Office of Management and Budget and general counsel for the U.S. Agency for International Development during the Obama Administration. He later joined Prisma Health, where he led efforts to promote health equity and innovation in South Carolina, facilitating community conversations on racial equity in healthcare, housing, and education. John grew up in Lexington, S.C., and has held academic roles at Furman University and the Charleston School of Law, focusing on leadership, education policy, and diversity initiatives. He earned an AB in government from Harvard College and a JD and LLM in international law from Duke University.

He is a Senior Lecturer at Duke Law and a member of the Liberty Fellowship, part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. John is deeply committed to advancing equity in the South, believing the region can serve as a model for the nation and the world.