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Melinda Gates

Melinda Gates, also known as Melinda French Gates, is an American philanthropist, businesswoman, and author.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Melinda Gates, also known as Melinda French Gates, is an American philanthropist, businesswoman, and author. She co-founded and co-chaired the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the world’s largest private charitable foundations, and later founded Pivotal Ventures to advance women’s rights and social progress.

Early life and education

Melinda Gates was born in Dallas, Texas, and attended Duke University, where she earned degrees in computer science and economics and later an MBA.

Career at Microsoft

She worked at Microsoft in product development and management before leaving the company to focus more fully on family and philanthropy.

Philanthropy

In 2000, she and Bill Gates launched the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which became one of the world’s largest private charitable foundations.

Pivotal Ventures and writing

After leaving the Gates Foundation in 2024, Gates continued her work through Pivotal Ventures, an organization she founded in 2015, and through books including The Moment of Lift and The Next Day.

Key facts

  • Melinda Gates co-founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the world’s largest private charitable foundations.
  • She left the Gates Foundation in June 2024 after more than two decades in leadership.
  • She founded Pivotal Ventures in 2015 to support women and girls and advance women’s influence.
  • She authored The Moment of Lift and The Next Day.
  • She worked at Microsoft in product development and management before focusing on philanthropy.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Melinda Gates?
Melinda Gates is an American philanthropist, businesswoman, and author best known for co-founding the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
What is Melinda Gates’s full name?
Her full name is Melinda Ann French Gates.
When was Melinda Gates born?
She was born on August 15, 1964.
What did Melinda Gates do at Microsoft?
She worked in product development and management at Microsoft before leaving to focus on philanthropy.
What is Pivotal Ventures?
Pivotal Ventures is an organization Melinda Gates founded in 2015 to advance women’s power and influence and support social progress.
What books has Melinda Gates written?
She has written The Moment of Lift and The Next Day.

References

  1. National Women's History Museum — https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/melinda-gates
    Supports: Birth name, birth date, philanthropy, co-founding the Gates Foundation, and Pivotal Ventures.
  2. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/money/Melinda-Gates
    Supports: Birth date and place, American businesswoman and philanthropist, and Gates Foundation founding.
  3. Gates Foundation — https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/leadership/melinda-french-gates
    Supports: Role in founding and co-chairing the foundation, departure in June 2024, Pivotal, children, and residence.
  4. Biography.com — https://www.biography.com/business-leaders/melinda-gates
    Supports: Microsoft career, education, family details, and leadership of the Gates Foundation.
  5. Melinda French Gates — https://www.melindafrenchgates.com/
    Supports: Current work, books, Pivotal, education, career, and residence.