Melinda Gates
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| Melinda Gates | |
 Melinda French Gates
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| Born | August 15, 1964 Dallas, Texas, USA |
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| Occupation | Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |
| Spouse | Bill Gates |
| Children | 3 |
| Website www.gatesfoundation.org |
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Melinda French Gates (born Melinda Ann French on August 15, 1964)[1] is a former unit manager for several Microsoft products: Publisher, Microsoft Bob, Encarta, and Expedia. In 1994, she married Bill Gates, founder, chairman, and former chief software architect of Microsoft. They have three children: Jennifer Katharine Gates (b. April 26, 1996), Rory John Gates (b. May 23, 1999) and Phoebe Adele Gates (b. September 14, 2002).
Gates was born and raised in Dallas, Texas to Raymond Joseph French, Jr., an engineer, and Elaine Agnes Amerland, a stay-at-home mom. She was valedictorian of her class at Ursuline Academy of Dallas in 1982. She earned bachelor degrees in computer science and economics from Duke University in 1986 and an MBA from Duke's Fuqua School of Business in 1987, and served as a member of Duke University's board of trustees from 1996 to 2003.[2] She met Bill Gates in 1987 at a Microsoft press event in Manhattan.[3] She is an alumna of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.
Today Gates also attends Bilderberg Group conferences and holds a seat on the board of directors of the Washington Post company.[4] She retired from the board of Drugstore.com in August 2006 to spend more time working for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.[5] The Gateses have donated more than US$24 billion to the Foundation.[6]
In December 2005, she and her husband, along with musician Bono, were named by Time as Persons of the Year. The Gates couple received the "Spanish Medal of Freedom" prize — the Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation — on May 4, 2006, in recognition of their world impact through charity giving.[7]
She was ranked #24 in Forbes magazine list of the 100 Most Powerful Women in 2007[8] and #12 in 2006.[9]
[edit] External links
- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- Melinda Gates Charlie Rose, 26 June 2006
- Melinda Gates Goes Public, Fortune magazine
- Melinda Gates at the Internet Movie Database
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