In a world that is rapidly changing, what are the challenges for which leaders in public health in the future need to be prepared, what are the qualities and skills they will need for success, and where will they get the training they require? Addressing each of these questions in succession, this article contends that success in a flatter, more distributed and collaborative world will require a new generation of leaders in public health with new mindsets, an appetite for innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration and a strong dose of political savvy. Faculty, curricula and competencies in academic centers play an important role in this equation.