Kathleen S. Magee, B.S.N., M.S.W., M.Ed.

As co-founder, president and CEO, and a lifetime member of the Board of Directors, Kathy Magee has dedicated her career to Operation Smile and is half of the driving force behind its 40+ year success story. Ever since Kathy and her husband, Dr. Bill Magee, stepped foot in the Philippines in 1982, Kathy’s foot was on the gas pedal. She starts every day by looking at a photo of a child as her inspiration and north star.

In her role as CEO, Kathy sets the vision and leads all aspects of the organization, having launched the Next Decade of Love and Leadership in 2022, with a goal to drive increased access to care for 1 million patients with cleft and other essential and emergency surgical situations. With 2025 set as a landmark year for Operation Smile, Kathy is a key driver of many of Operation Smile’s signature initiatives — her passions include scaling education and training globally, health equity for women and youth empowerment.

A Dramatic Need Leads to Enduring Commitment

This lifelong mission began in 1982, when Kathy traveled with her husband, Dr. Bill Magee, a pediatric plastic surgeon, to the Philippines on a surgical program to help children with cleft conditions. The need for reconstructive surgery was so great that doctors could only help a fraction of the children who came. Kathy, a pediatric nurse, social worker and mother of five small children at the time, embraced the challenge and vowed to return.

The couple did just that, co-founding Operation Smile. Bill and Kathy often hosted patients and families from other countries in their home and encouraged their children to get involved and learn about other cultures. Four decades later, Operation Smile has provided life-changing cleft surgeries for hundreds of thousands of children free of charge.

Forging Partnerships for Maximum Effect

Over the years Kathy has traveled the world extensively, arranging meetings with key government officials and Ministries of Health asking for their support to take care of children with cleft conditions in their country. A believer that partnerships are the cornerstone of success, Kathy has helped broker partnerships with academic institutions over the years. Recently, she advocated signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the University of Maryland and the University of Rwanda to begin a program on oral health education in Rwanda. (Read about more of our partnerships.) [add link to other page]

Kathy also advocates partnerships with leading global corporations including Johnson & Johnson, Stryker, Align Technology and Mediterranean Shipping Company, to name a few, whose expertise and support help drive maximum impact for global programs. (Learn more about our corporate partners.)

Kathy’s leadership was instrumental in creating the Operation Smile Global Headquarters in Virginia Beach, VA in 2013, which includes the immersive Interactive Learning Center.

Involving Young People from the Beginning

Kathy has spent a good part of her career helping students get involved, inspired by having her 13-year-old daughter accompany them on the inaugural Philippines trip in 1982. After seeing how impactful the experience was for her daughter and how much she was able to contribute, Kathy focused on making student involvement a top priority.

Each summer, Kathy and Bill attend the International Student Leadership Conference (ISLC), which annually brings together more than 400 high school and university students from more than 20 countries. Operation Smile Student Programs empowers students to make a direct impact on the lives of our patients through fundraisers, service projects, donation drives, awareness campaigns and more. Currently,  there are more than 13,500 students registered in 400+ Operation Smile clubs in more than 40 countries worldwide.  

Recognized for Remarkable Leadership

For their pioneering work improving the lives of children, Kathy and Bill received the first $1 million Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize in 1996. Since then, they have received numerous awards: In 2004, they received The Humanitarian Rose Award from The People’s Princess Charitable Foundation, Inc. in London. In 2007 USAID presented the couple with the President’s Call to Service Award from President George W. Bush. Two years later, U.S. News and World Report named Kathy and Bill among “America’s Best Leaders.” Recently, Kathy was selected for the Worth Media Group 2023 Worthy 100 list, a prestigious recognition that celebrates individuals making a positive impact on the world and was included as a leader on Virginia’s Business Insider’s Top 25 Power List 2024. (See more recent media appearances.) [Add link to media page]

A New Jersey native, Kathy received her B.S.N. from Misericordia University in Pennsylvania, her M.Ed. from the University of Maryland and her M.S.W. from Norfolk State University in Virginia. She completed graduate work at the University of Virginia and at the Jung Institute in Switzerland. She also was recognized with honorary degrees from Fordham University, Mt. St. Mary’s University in Maryland, Loyola University in Maryland, Old Dominion University and Dennison University.

A Legacy for the Future

Kathy’s humanitarian roots and culture of service have inspired the next generation of Magees to give back. All five of the Magee children and their 14 grandchildren learned early about the values of a life of giving back and they all participate in Operation Smile, at either the professional or volunteer level. By mentoring the next two generations, the Magees are ensuring the values and mission of Operation Smile live on.