Melinda French Gates is an American philanthropist, businesswoman, and author. She is the founder of Pivotal and co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which she co-chaired from 2000 to 2024. Her work focuses on global health, development, and education, with a particular emphasis on women and girls. She is also the author of "The Moment of Lift" and "The Next Day: Transition, Change and Moving Forward" (2025).