Helene D. Gayle

Gayle was born and raised in Buffalo, NY. She earned a B.A. in psychology at Barnard College of Columbia University, an M.D. at the University of Pennsylvania and an M.P.H. at Johns Hopkins University. She is board certified in pediatrics, completing a residency in pediatric medicine at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.[7]

An expert on health, global development and humanitarian issues, she spent 20 years with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), focused primarily on combating HIV/AIDS. She was appointed as the first director of the National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention, and achieved the rank of Rear Admiral and Assistant Surgeon General in the U.S. Public Health Service. Gayle also served as the AIDS coordinator and chief of the HIV/AIDS division for the U.S. Agency for International Development. Gayle then directed the HIV, TB and Reproductive Health Program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, directing programs on HIV/AIDS and other global health issues.[8]

In 2005, Gayle became president and CEO of CARE, a leading international humanitarian organization with approximately 10,000 staff whose poverty-fighting programs have reached 82 million people in 87 countries.[9] After joining CARE [10] in 2006, Gayle led efforts to reinforce CARE's commitment to empowering girls and women to bring lasting change to poor communities. Under her leadership, CARE strengthened its focus on long-term impact, increased policy and advocacy efforts and deepened connections between poverty and the environment. Gayle leveraged the power of CARE's corporate and NGO partners to significantly expand CARE's reach across the globe.

Under Gayle's leadership, CARE introduced three signature programs as part of its "Pathway to Empowerment." "Mothers Matter" focuses on child and maternal health, seeking to improve access to safe pregnancy and delivery services for 30 million women in Africa, Asia, and Latin America by 2015. "Power Within" focuses on girls' education, seeking to empower 10 million girls around the world to access quality primary education and gain leadership skills by 2015. And "Access Africa" focuses on microfinancing, seeking to ensure that 30 million people in 39 countries have access to a set of basic financial services by the next decade.[11]

In 2015, Gayle became inaugural CEO of McKinsey Social Initiative (now McKinsey.org), a nonprofit organization that implements programs that bring together varied stakeholders to address complex global and social challenges. As the inaugural CEO, Dr. Gayle set the direction for building the organization.[12][13] McKinsey Social Initiative's first program, Generation, addresses the problem of youth unemployment, with programs in five countries—India, Kenya, Mexico, Spain, and the United States—and a goal of connecting one million young people with skills and jobs in five years.[14]

Gayle serves on several boards, including the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Colgate-Palmolive Company, the ONE Campaign, Coca-Cola, Brookings Institutions, New America, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the Economic Club of Chicago. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the American Public Health Association, the National Academy of Medicine, the National Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Gayle also chaired the Obama Administration's Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, and served on the President's Commission on White House Fellowships.

Gayle has been named one of Foreign Policy magazine's "Top 100 Global Thinkers,",[15] Newsweek's Top 10 "Women in Leadership,"[16] and The Wall Street Journals "50 Women to Watch,"[17] as well as one of the "100 Most Influential Atlantans"[18] and the "100 Most Influential Georgians."[19] Additionally, she has been recognized as one of Forbes' "100 Most Powerful Women"[6] and one of NonProfit Times' "Power and Influence Top 50".[20]

Gayle has published numerous scientific articles and been featured by media outlets like The New York Times,[21] The Washington Post,[22] ForbesWoman,[23] Glamour,[24] O magazine,[25] National Public Radio,[26] and CNN.[27] Starting in June 2009, Gayle served as co-chair of the Center for Strategic & International Studies Commission on Smart Global Health Policy[28] alongside four star Admiral William J. Fallon.

Her contributions have been honored with awards from Columbia University, Spelman College, the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill, the U.S. Public Health Service and Bryn Mawr College among others. She has received 16 honorary degrees and holds faculty appointments at the University of Washington and Emory University.

In 2015 she signed an open letter which the ONE Campaign had been collecting signatures for; the letter was addressed to Angela Merkel and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, urging them to focus on women as they serve as the head of the G7 in Germany and the AU in South Africa respectively, which will start to set the priorities in development funding before a main UN summit in September 2015 that will establish new development goals for the generation.[29]

• Center for Strategic and International Studies Board of Trustees, 2007 – present[30]
• Colgate-Palmolive Board, 2010 – present[31]
• ONE Board, 2006 – present[32]
• Rockefeller Foundation Board of Trustees, 2009 – present[33]
• Coca-Cola, 2013 – present[34]
• Brookings Institution, 2015–present[35]
• New America, 2013 – present[36]
• Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, 2019 – [37]
• Economic Club of Chicago, 2019 –

• Council on Foreign Relations[38]
• Institute of Medicine[39]
• Delta Omega Society[40]
• American Public Health Association[41]
• National Medical Association
• American Medical Women's Association
• Society for Public Health Education

• American University, Doctor of Science, 2018
• Xavier University of Louisiana, Doctor of Science, 2016
• University of Buffalo, Doctor of Science, 2016[42]
• University of Miami, Doctor of Science, 2013[43]
• Oberlin College, Doctor of Science, 2011[44]
• Colby College, Doctor of Humane Letters, 2010[45]
• Columbia University, Doctor of Laws, 2009[46]
• Agnes Scott College, Doctor of Science, 2009[47]
• Brandeis University, Doctor of Humane Letters, 2008[48]
• Morehouse School of Medicine, Doctor of Science, 2008
• Mount Sinai School of Medicine of New York University, Doctor of Humane Letters, 2008
• Duke University, Doctor of Science, 2008[49]
• Meharry Medical College, Doctor of Science 2007[50]
• Smith College, Doctor of Science, 2007[51]
• Pennsylvania State University, Doctor of Science, 2004[52]
• Jackson State University, Doctor of Humane Letters, 2004

• Teachers College, Columbia University, Medal for Distinguished Service, 2018[53]
• Johns Hopkins University Society of Scholars, inducted 2017[54]
• American Public Health Association Presidential Citation Award, 2015[55]
• WNBA Inspiration Award, 2015[56]
• Jimmy and Rosslyn Carter Humanitarian Award, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, 2012[57]
• Forbes Magazine 100 Most Powerful Women, 2014[58]
• The NonProfit Times Power and Influence Top 50, 2010[59]
• Bryn Mawr College, Katharine Hepburn Award, 2011[60]
• AARP Inspire Award, 2010
• Bennett High Alumni Honor Roll, 2010
• Georgia State University, Ethics Advocate Award, 2009[61]
• Business to Business Magazine, Women of Excellence Award, 2009[62]
• 100 Most Influential Atlantans Award, 2009[63]
• Ivan Allen College, Georgia Institute of Technology, Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage, 2009
• South African Partners, Desmond Tutu Award, 2009[64]
• Morehouse College, Coca-Cola Leadership Award, 2008[65]
• Americans for Informed Democracy, Innovator in International Development Award, 2008[66]
• Cable Positive, Humanitarian of the Year Award, 2008[67]
• Wall Street Journal, "50 Women to Watch", 2006[17]
• Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal, 2006[68]
• Helen H. Jackson, Woman of Valor Award, 2006
• Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, Leadership in Global Medicine Award, 2005
• Women of Color, Health Science & Technology Awards: Medical Leadership in Industry, 2002[69]
• National Medical Association, Scroll of Merit Award, 2000
• Women Looking Ahead, Inc., The Women Looking Ahead (WLA) 100s List Award, 1999
• 100 Black Men of America, Inc., Woman of the Year Award, 1999
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Secretary's Award for Distinguished Service, 1999, 2001
• Atlanta Business League, Women of Influence Award, 1998
• U.S. Public Service Foreign Duty Service Award, 1997
• U.S. Public Health Meritorious Service Medal, 1996
• Columbia University Medal of Excellence, 1996[70]
• National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Service Award, 1999
• Who's Who Among Black Americans, 1990, 1993 and 1994

• Official website
• Appearances on C-SPAN