Priscilla Chan

Priscilla Chan is an American philanthropist, pediatrician, and co-founder of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. A graduate of Harvard University and the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, she initially pursued a career in pediatrics and public education before dedicating herself to large-scale philanthropic efforts. Through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, she and her husband, Mark Zuckerberg, have committed to funding scientific research, advancing criminal justice reform, and expanding access to technology and education.

Early life and education

Chan was born in Braintree, Massachusetts, to Chinese Vietnamese refugee parents who fled Vietnam in the 1970s. She was raised in Quincy, Massachusetts, and attended Quincy High School, where she excelled academically and was class valedictorian. Her early interest in biology and service led her to Harvard University, where she initially intended to study neuroscience. At Harvard University, she met Mark Zuckerberg in 2003 while both were undergraduates, famously waiting in line for the bathroom at a fraternity party. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in biology in 2007. Following her graduation, she taught science for a year at the private Harker School in San Jose, California, before entering medical school. Chan received her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in 2012, completing her residency in pediatrics at the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.

Career

After completing her medical training, Chan worked as a pediatrician at the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in San Francisco, primarily serving families from under-resourced communities. Her clinical work focused on child development and preventive care. In 2015, her professional path shifted significantly with the founding of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), a limited liability company structured for philanthropy. As co-founder and co-CEO, she has helped shape CZI's core mission areas, which include biomedical research, education, and community development. She has been particularly instrumental in guiding CZI's science initiatives, such as the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Science, which aim to cure, prevent, or manage all diseases by the end of the century. She also helped launch The Primary School in East Palo Alto, California, a novel institution integrating healthcare and education.

Philanthropy

Chan's philanthropic vision is central to the work of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, to which she and Mark Zuckerberg have pledged 99% of their Facebook shares. A major focus is the CZI Science program, which funds collaborative research networks like the Neurodegeneration Challenge Network and supports tools like the Cell Atlas. In education, CZI has invested in personalized learning platforms like the Summit Learning Program and supports efforts for criminal justice reform through organizations like the California Justice Leaders program. In 2022, CZI announced a major new biomedical science hub, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Chicago, in partnership with the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. Her approach emphasizes long-term, foundational bets and cross-sector collaboration between scientists, educators, and technologists.

Personal life

Chan married Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg on May 19, 2012, in a ceremony at their home in Palo Alto, California. The couple has three daughters: Maxima, August, and Aurelia. They reside primarily in Palo Alto, California, and also own properties in Lake Tahoe and Kauai. Chan is known for maintaining a relatively private life despite her public philanthropic role. She has cited her grandmother's resilience and her parents' hard work as major influences on her values. Her experiences as a pediatrician directly inform her philanthropic priorities in child health and education.

Awards and recognition

Chan has received numerous honors for her philanthropic and professional work. In 2016, she and Mark Zuckerberg were named to the Time 100 list of the world's most influential people. She has received the American Academy of Pediatrics Award for Excellence in Public Service and an honorary doctorate from the University of Bologna. The University of California, San Francisco named its new hospital and research building, the UCSF Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, in recognition of their $75 million gift. In 2023, she was awarded the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy alongside her husband for their transformative giving.

Category:American philanthropists Category:American pediatricians Category:Harvard University alumni Category:University of California, San Francisco alumni Category:Chan Zuckerberg Initiative