LinkedIn Top Voices 2019: U.S. Influencers

Today we’re unveiling our 5th annual Top Voices list, highlighting professionals in more than two dozen industries and regions who are building communities and starting thoughtful conversations through their articles, posts, videos and comments. These are people worth following to get inspired and stay informed. 

To find standout voices, we used a combination of quantitative and qualitative signals, starting with an algorithm developed by LinkedIn’s data scientists and layering on curation by our LinkedIn Editors. You can learn more about how we compiled the list at the bottom of this article and can check out Top Voices around the world and across industries — from finance to sales — here. 

Every year, we also highlight the Top Voices among our LinkedIn Influencers, a global collection of leaders, thinkers and innovators who are driving today’s business conversations. Among those who topped the list in the U.S., you’ll find a 2020 presidential candidate and numerous CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. Despite reaching the heights that they have, what stands out about this group is that they all understand the importance of engaging their audience and being a connected leader in the 21st century — whether that means hosting a live ‘Ask Me Anything’ session, responding to their followers in the comments or going deep on significant topics. 

Here are this year’s 20 top Influencers in the U.S.

What she talks about: The businesswoman and philanthropist shares posts, articles and videos on topics related to women’s empowerment. In 2019, she published a book on lifting up women, pledged $1 billion to accelerating gender equality in the United States, shared stories that inspire her and started tough conversations that resonated with thousands of people.

Trend she’s watching in 2020: “Paid family and medical leave,” Gates tells Linkedin. “The United States is the only developed country in the world that doesn’t guarantee working people the time they need to care for new babies, sick relatives or their own health...We're finally beginning to see momentum behind this policy as more and more people speak out and individual states begin to take action on their own.”

Follow Melinda Gates

What he talks about: The famous Wharton professor shares tidbits and sparks debates related to the psychology of work. “I’m passionate about how we can make our jobs more meaningful and motivating, our teams more productive and our cultures more creative and collaborative,” he tells LinkedIn. 

News story he found most interesting in 2019: “The story about a Nashville school that banned Harry Potter,” Grant says. “Along with inspiring hundreds of millions of kids to read, there's good evidence that reading about how wizards mistreat Muggles actually reduces prejudice.”

Follow Adam Grant

What she talks about: The SPANX founder is known for being authentic on her social media accounts, sharing her regular inspirational mug photos and all the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur. “When I decided to join LinkedIn, I created three filters for myself that I use before posting,” she says. “One, will it inspire? Two, will it make someone laugh or smile? Three, will it teach something or help someone on their journey?”

Where she gets her best ideas: In the car during her “fake commute.” Blakely lives close to the SPANX headquarters but leaves an hour early each day to drive around and think before starting her workday.

Follow Sara Blakely

What he talks about: The entrepreneur and investor “shares the strategies that continue to bring him financial success,” he writes. Whether it’s hosting a live ‘Ask Me Anything’ session or asking people to share their thoughts in the comments, he’s always keen to engage his audience in the process.

Best conversation starter: John started a conversation about whether going to college is necessary or not. Over 100 people weighed in, sharing how a college degree has benefited them or how they have been successful without one.

Follow Daymond John

What he talks about: The billionaire hedge fund manager regularly shares — and debates — his famed principles, but it’s his in-depth articles on the global economy that often generate significant press coverage (and thousands of comments). 

Favorite book he read in 2019: “The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers” by Paul Kennedy. “I have been researching the rises and declines of reserve currencies, which has led me to study the rises and declines of their empires in detail over the last 500 years,” Dalio says.

Follow Ray Dalio

What she talks about: Huffington, the founder of startup Thrive Global, is busting the myth that burnout is the price you must pay for success. She shares strategies for leading a fulfilling and successful life, including tips for embracing rejection and how to build in time to recharge as part of your regular work.

Trend she’s watching in 2020: "Technology is just a tool," Huffington tells LinkedIn. "One of the big stories of 2020 is going to be about the growth of human-focused technology that augments our humanity, instead of consuming it." 

Follow Arianna Huffington

What she talks about: After 12 years at the helm of PepsiCo, Nooyi joined Amazon's board of directors in 2019. The seasoned exec is well poised to comment on big issues facing businesses, like why diverse hiring is essential, women must rewrite the workplace rules, and unconscious bias needs to die.

Where she gets her inspiration: Nooyi credits Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech, “What is Your Life’s Blueprint?”, as a guide for her own life. "He reminds us that whatever we choose to do with our lives, we must set out to do it as well as we possibly can," she tells LinkedIn.

Follow Indra Nooyi

What he talks about: The billionaire businessman, who recently announced that he’s running for the U.S. presidency, has a guiding philosophy that drives him: "It’s the doers who achieve the most." For him that means amping up awareness for the business imperatives of sustainability and confronting climate change as well as sharing the work of Bloomberg Philanthropies, including its campaigns for no new coal plants after 2020 and protecting the world's coral reefs and fisheries.

Kudos: Bloomberg frequently posts his approval of leaders, like Disney's Robert Iger, and companies, like CVS (for its tobacco policies) and Dick's Sporting Goods (for addressing gun violence), that he believes are focused on long-term success, sometimes seemingly at a short-term expense. 

Follow Mike Bloomberg

What he talks about: Digital renaissance man GaryVee amasses millions of followers on every social platform he touches with his signature mix of tips, tricks and strategies delivered at a frenetic pace. From calling out micromanagement to suggesting texting as a sales tactic and sharing the role of empathy in his life to why he's bullish on entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia, Vaynerchuck's passion for teaching is strong. 

Surprise party: To celebrate his own birthday in November of this year, Vaynerchuck gifted his followers with a 270-page presentation on how to create 64 pieces of content in a day.

Follow Gary Vaynerchuk

What she talks about: The broadcast legend has stepped from behind the news anchor desk to the front of her own company. Amidst regular dispatches from her newsletter “Wake-Up Call!” and her advocacy for cancer awareness, Couric shares series such as #SeeHerStory, which profiles women like Major League Baseball announcer Jessica Mendoza and actress Julie Andrews, and her podcast "Next Question," with guests like Ronan Farrow. 

#MondayMotivation: Couric posts regular inspirations on the hashtag topic, like what a high-level government employee learned after she left her job to launch a food delivery startup.

Follow Katie Couric

What he talks about: The Marriott CEO spends 225 nights per year on the road, often sharing insights gained from meeting employees as well as company news and personal lessons like living deliberately. This year, Sorenson announced Marriott would expand its initiative to eliminate single-use toiletry bottles in its hotels, a measure it says will reduce 1.7 million pounds of plastic when fully rolled out. The announcement drew hundreds of comments on LinkedIn. 

Not on his LinkedIn profile: Sorenson was born in Tokyo, where his father was a Lutheran missionary and who later in life gave him the best career advice he's ever received: to get out of his comfort zone and explore the world. "The farther away you get from what is familiar to you, the more you will learn," Sorensen says his father shared.

Follow Arne Sorenson

What he talks about: “The goal for every post is simple,” says McMillon. “Share what I know with our team of associates from around the world. We’re in a business that is quickly changing, so it’s important we’re all on the same page." McMillon does this with insights learned from light-hearted sales challenges to sharing changes in company policy around the sale of firearms and ammunition in the wake of store shootings in Texas and Mississippi. 

What’s inspired him this year: “This year we’ve had ongoing and meaningful conversations about how we can be more inclusive both at work and in the community,” says McMillon. “The film, ‘The Hate U Give’ and book ‘The New Jim Crow’ have been inspirational and incredibly impactful.” “Hate U Give” director George Tillman, Jr. and co-star Russell Hornsby joined McMillon at a company gathering earlier this year.

Follow Doug McMillon

What she talks about: A 30-year veteran of investment management firm Ariel Investments, Hobson became its co-CEO this year. She posts about a range of issues like the critical skill of being financially literate, tips for saving (just start!), and — in line with her popular 2014 TED Talk — the importance of having "proactive conversations about race with honesty and understanding and courage."

What books she's reading: Hobson has recommended "When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing" by Daniel Pink and shared that ”Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist” by Roger Lowenstein is required reading for all new Ariel hires.

Follow Mellody Hobson

What he talks about: Laguarta worked his way through PepsiCo for more than two decades before taking the reins from Indra Nooyi in 2018. He frequently shares about PepsiCo's environmental efforts like helping to build "a more sustainable food system" and what he calls one of his top priorities, "tackling the growing plastic waste crisis.” He shares that the company aims to reduce its use of virgin plastics across its beverage brands by 35% in the coming decade. 

Not on his LinkedIn profile: Laguarta grew up in Catalonia amongst beautiful beaches and mountains that helped inspire his passion for "protecting nature's bounty."

Follow Ramon Laguarta

What she talks about: Former Wall Street executive Krawcheck is the founder of women's investment platform Ellevest, so it's no surprise when she tells LinkedIn she writes about "any-and-all-things women and money." That includes educational material around investing, power dynamics between genders and calling out industry shortcomings. 

What she's reading: Krawcheck says Daniel Markovits' "The Meritocracy Trap" is "really eye opening" and calls it "an important read."

Follow Sallie Krawcheck

What he talks about: The airline executive strikes that hard-to-attain balance of content that is both professional and authentic to him, whether he’s sharing a selfie from his travels or engaging loyal Delta customers in a video. You’ll mostly find him highlighting the work of his employees and sharing about the airline’s initiatives that are important to him, such as the fight against human trafficking and sustainable air travel.  

His advice for up-and-coming creators: “It sounds obvious, but share what you know and what's most important to you,” Bastian says. “People can tell when you're not being yourself.”

Follow Ed Bastian

What she talks about: “I share articles that highlight critical issues for gender equality and tell the stories of women and girls all over the world, in conflict and in peace, who have inspired me,” says Mlambo-Ngcuka. That ranges from the importance of repealing discriminatory laws to the effects of empowering women through sport.

Most inspiring story of 2019: The story of the young women leading change in Sudan. “We saw strong and visible women taking to the streets to protest against the declining economic state of their country, along with thousands of other students and young people,” she says.

Follow Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka

What she talks about: Hewson, a Kansas-native who joined Lockheed Martin as an industrial engineer over 35 years ago, shares about the work the defense & space company is doing to invest in breakthrough technologies and prepare American workers for jobs in the 21st century, especially by advancing STEM education.

Her best career advice: “Have the confidence — based on your track record, based on what you know you bring to the table, and based on your unique set of experiences — to take on new opportunities even when they feel like a risk,” says Hewson.

Follow Marillyn Hewson

What he talks about: A technology junkie, Thompson posts about the latest industry advancements and news, often as part of his daily video series #MostInterestingThinginTech. You’ll also catch the occasional playful cartoon poking fun at tech industry tropes. He recently brought his popular newsletter to the platform where he shares a collection of interesting journalism worth reading.

Not on his LinkedIn profile: “I used to be an acoustic guitarist, playing in the New York City subways,” Thompson says. “I only gave it up when journalism started to pay more, which, to be honest, took quite a while.”

Follow Nicholas Thompson

What she talks about: Susman shares about topics both important and personal to her, always striving for “candor and vulnerability,” she says. “Only by posting did I realize what resonates with my followers: humor, humility, lists and great photos.” Some other standouts from 2019 include her #YouDo series, which honored inspirational women, and a live conversation with Pfizer interns.

Her productivity hack: “Avoid the gym; organized exercise is overrated,” Susman says. “Instead, walk outdoors where you can breathe deeply, catch up on podcasts and occasionally daydream.”

Follow Sally Susman

You’ve caught up on the top U.S. Influencers in 2019. Now, check out the top Influencers in the UK, Brazil, France and D-A-CH. 

Reporting by Ashley Peterson and Susy Jackson.

Photo credits: Andrew Eccles / Contributor (Daymond John), Prince Williams / Contributor (Gary Vaynerchuk), Jim Spellman / Stringer (Katie Couric)

How we compiled the Top Voices list

First, our editors partnered with the LinkedIn Data Science team to measure the actions a member is able to generate when they engage on the platform. Specifically, we looked at the volume of responses a person’s contributions sparked and the secondary spread of those responses. These signals are proxies for conversation and community development. That said, engagement metrics aren’t enough. Our next filter was qualitative. Editors refined the list by looking at the member’s body of work: Are the contributions insightful, conversational and timely? Do they seek to give and get help vs being self-promotional? Finally, does this list reflect the world we work in today? 

All sharing activity measured took place over a 12-month period, from September 2018 to September 2019. As with all LinkedIn Lists, we exclude LinkedIn and Microsoft employees from consideration.