As one of the most well-known and influential philanthropists in the world, Melinda Gates has a very strong reputation that has followed her across the globe.
Born in 1964 in Texas, USA, she joined tech company Microsoft shortly after graduating from college. Whilst at the company developing some of Microsofts many multimedia products she met CEO and Founder Bill Gates, eventually marrying him in 1994.
She left Microsoft to raise her family as her husband continued to oversee the company, as it became the largest tech company on the planet. She then went on to hold board positions at Duke University, the Washington Post and Drugstore.com before she left the positions to spend more time with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
One of the largest foundations in the world, Melinda and her husband have donated more than $28 billion to fund causes such as enhanced healthcare, reduction of extreme poverty and expansion of access to technology around the world, particularly in some of the most impoverished areas.
The Foundation has earned Melinda Gates many awards including her being named as Time’s Person of the Year alongside Bill Gates and Bono. She has also been listed as one of the world’s Most Powerful Women according to Forbes, ranking at third in 2013 and 2014. Gates has also received numerous awards and honours from countries in which her foundation has helped change the lives of millions and closer to home, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2016.
Follow Melinda Gates:
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/
https://www.facebook.com/melindagates/
https://twitter.com/melindagates
