Chris Elias

About Chris Elias

I’ve dedicated my professional career to utilizing and advancing medicine and science to help more people around the globe live healthy lives and reach their full potential. As president of the Gates Foundation’s Global Development Program, I lead a fantastic team and work with outstanding partners who are finding creative ways to deliver life-saving solutions and products that help people in developing countries overcome hunger, poverty, and disease. Specifically, I oversee programs focused on eradicating polio, providing nutrition education and services, enhancing access to vaccines and family planning services, and developing and implementing critical interventions to help mothers and children survive and thrive. Before joining the foundation in 2012, I served as PATH’s President and CEO for more than a decade. I also spent 10 years with the Population Council where I oversaw activities in Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Yunnan, and the Lao PDR. I earned my undergraduate and medical degrees from Creighton University and my MPH from the University of Washington. Go Jays and Huskies!

Experience

1. President, Global Development

   Gates Foundation

   Feb 2012 — Present

   The Gates Foundation’s Global Development Division works to identify and fund high-impact solutions that can help hundreds of millions of people lift themselves out of poverty and build better lives. We work closely with our partners to support innovative approaches and to expand existing ones so they reach the people who are most in need.As president of the Global Development Division, I lead the foundation’s efforts to find creative new ways to ensure solutions and products get into the hands of people in poor countries. In particular, I oversee Global Development’s portfolio in Emergency Response; Family Planning; Maternal, Newborn, & Child Health; Nutrition; Polio Eradication; and Vaccine Delivery.

Education

• University of Washington

  MPH

  1988 — 1990

• Creighton University

  MD

  1975 — 1983