Priscilla Chan Explained

Priscilla Chan
Birth Date:24 February 1985[1]
Birth Place:Braintree, Massachusetts, U.S.
Alma Mater:Harvard University (BS)
University of California, San Francisco (MD)
Children:3

Priscilla Chan (born February 24, 1985) is an American philanthropist and a former pediatrician.[3] She and her husband, Mark Zuckerberg, a co-founder and CEO of Meta Platforms, established the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative in December 2015 with a pledge to transfer 99 percent of their Facebook shares, then valued at $45 billion. She attended Harvard University and received her medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco.

Life and career

Chan was born in Braintree, Massachusetts,[4] and grew up in Quincy, Massachusetts. Her parents were Sino-Vietnamese immigrants who fled the country in refugee boats.[5] [6] Chan grew up speaking Cantonese and interpreted for her grandparents. She has two younger sisters, Michelle and Elaine.[7] Chan's father owned a restaurant in Massachusetts, which he later sold to run a wholesale fish company in 2006. Chan graduated valedictorian of her class from Quincy High School.[7] She was involved with FIRST Robotics Competition team #69 HYPER.[8] [9] She was also the captain of the tennis team.

Chan first met Mark Zuckerberg during her freshman year at Harvard University in 2003. During her time at Harvard, she participated in the Franklin Afterschool Enrichment program.[10] After graduating in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in biology, she taught 4th and 5th grade science at the private Harker School for a year before entering medical school at the University of California, San Francisco in 2008,[11] [12] where she finished her pediatrics residency in 2015.[13] [7] She is the first college graduate in her family and has said that "education is an incredibly personal issue" for her, noting that "[i]f you're the first generation to go to college...sometimes you don't realize your potential until others point it out."[7] [14] She credits her public school teachers with recognizing hers and for "getting me excited about learning." She was a pediatrician at San Francisco General Hospital.[15]

In 2016, she co-founded "The Primary School", a nonprofit organization that would provide K–12 education as well as prenatal care, in East Palo Alto, California. She is the emeritus board chair of the school.[16]

Personal life

Chan married Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg on May 19, 2012, the day following Facebook's IPO.[7] They have three daughters: Maxima[17] (born December 2015),[18] [19] [20] August (born August 2017),[21] and Aurelia (born March 2023).[22] According to a Facebook post by Zuckerberg, Chan is a Buddhist.[23]

In 2024, a 7ft-tall green and silver statue of Chan commissioned by her husband Mark Zuckerberg was unveiled on Zuckerberg's Instagram account. The statue attracted considerable media attention and a debate as to whether it was a strange gesture.[24]

Philanthropy

See main article: Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Zuckerberg and Chan have pledged about $4.6 billion to charities, including a donation of $75 million to San Francisco General Hospital, where Chan worked.[7] [25] [26] In 2013, they gave 18 million Facebook shares (valued at more than $970 million) to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. The Chronicle of Philanthropy placed the couple at the top of its list of 50 most generous American philanthropists for that year.[27] They also pledged $120 million to public schools in the San Francisco Bay Area.[6]

On December 1, 2015, Chan and Zuckerberg posted an open Facebook letter to their newborn daughter. They pledged to transfer 99 percent of their Facebook shares, then valued at $45 billion, to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which is their new limited liability company that focuses on health and education.[6] [28]

Chan handles the day-to-day operations at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.[25] Her charitable goals focus on education, healthcare, and science, which are closely tied to her personal background.[7] She is considered to have had a strong influence on the philanthropy of her husband.[6] She was one of six nominated for The San Francisco Chronicles third annual Visionary of the Year award in March 2017. The award honors leaders who strive to make the world a better place and also drive change by employing new, innovative business practices.[29]

Notes and References

  1. News: Facebook's Royal Wedding . May 25, 2012 . The New York Times . February 28, 2017 . August 13, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170813032932/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/27/fashion/who-is-priscilla-chan.html . live .
  2. Web site: Our Leadership. Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. January 14, 2020. May 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210522133247/https://chanzuckerberg.com/about/leaders/. live.
  3. Web site: 'You can't do a good job as a mom unless you have a tribe': Dr. Priscilla Chan, of Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, talks being mom, doctor amid COVID-19 abc7news.com . 2024-06-15 . abc7news.com.
  4. Web site: Shanahan, Mark . Mark Zuckerberg's lady friend is local . The Boston Globe . July 30, 2010 . January 21, 2016 . March 6, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160306015243/http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/more_names/blog/2010/07/mark_zuckerbergs_lady_friend_i.html . live .
  5. Book: Womack, Brantly. 2006. China and Vietnam: Politics of Asymmetry. Cambridge University Press. 0-521-85320-6. 26–28.
  6. News: Christina Cauterucci. Priscilla Chan's Formidable Influence on Mark Zuckerberg's Philanthropy. Slate. December 1, 2015. January 21, 2016. December 2, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151202142457/http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2015/12/01/priscilla_chan_s_formidable_influence_on_mark_zuckerberg_s_philanthropy.html. live.
  7. News: Hope King . Who is Priscilla Chan? . CNN . December 1, 2015 . August 3, 2020 . June 24, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180624094928/http://money.cnn.com/2015/12/01/technology/priscilla-chan-facts/ . live .
  8. Web site: 2017-05-23 . Mark Zuckerberg, Wife Visit Quincy High School - CBS Boston . 2024-04-16 . . en-US.
  9. Web site: Wagner . Kurt . 2017-07-10 . Priscilla Chan is running one of the most ambitious philanthropies in the world . 2024-04-16 . . en.
  10. Web site: Cambridge. Phillips Brooks House Association Harvard Yard. Priscilla Chan, in rare interview, tells how her goals with Mark Zuckerberg are shaped by personal story. 2021-02-10. en-US. April 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210425040918/http://pbha.org/news/priscilla-chan-in-rare-interview-tells-how-her-goals-with-mark-zuckerberg-are-shaped-by-personal-story/. live.
  11. Web site: King. Hope. 2015-12-01. Who is Priscilla Chan?. 2021-02-10. CNNMoney. March 3, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210303161853/https://money.cnn.com/2015/12/01/technology/priscilla-chan-facts/index.html. live.
  12. Web site: 2016-04-01 . Priscilla Chan: a doctor's drive to improve education . 2024-04-16 . . en-US.
  13. Web site: 10 February 2021. Dr. Priscilla Chan MD Pediatrics General Pediatrics. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210425033909/https://health.usnews.com/doctors/priscilla-chan-895447#experience. April 25, 2021. U.S. News.
  14. Web site: 2014-05-30 . Meet Priscilla Chan: 10 things to know about Mark Zuckerberg's wife . 2023-11-06 . TODAY.com . en.
  15. https://money.cnn.com/2015/12/01/technology/priscilla-chan-facts/
  16. Web site: 2022-03-08 . Priscilla Chan . 2024-04-16 . The Primary School . en-US.
  17. Web site: Kell. John. Mark Zuckerberg Reveals Daughter's Chinese Name. Fortune. February 29, 2016. February 8, 2016. In a pretty adorable video shared by the tech executive over the weekend, Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan said their daughter Max's Chinese name is Chen Mingyu.. March 6, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210306071741/https://fortune.com/2016/02/08/facebook-zuckerberg-daughter/. live.
  18. News: Lamagna. Maria. How Kim Kardashian and Priscilla Chan differ when it comes to 'push presents'. December 3, 2015. Market Watch. December 3, 2015. August 4, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170804142903/http://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-kim-kardashian-and-priscilla-chan-differ-when-it-comes-to-push-presents-2015-12-03. live.
  19. News: Chandler. Adam. A $45 Billion Birth Announcement. December 3, 2015. The Atlantic. December 1, 2015. August 4, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170804114032/https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2015/12/mark-zuckerberg-priscilla-chan-birth-facebook/418305/. live.
  20. News: Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan to give away 99 percent of their Facebook stock, worth $45 billion. December 4, 2015. Washington Post. January 21, 2016. August 16, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180816152434/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/12/01/mark-zuckerberg-will-give-away-99-percent-of-his-facebook-stock/. live.
  21. News: Mark Zuckerberg and family welcome new baby. August 29, 2017. CBC News. April 14, 2018. January 22, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180122123105/http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/zuckerbergs-august-baby-1.4266404. live.
  22. Web site: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, are expecting baby No. 3. Hartmans. Avery. September 21, 2022. Insider. September 25, 2022.
  23. News: Sam Littlefair . Mark Zuckerberg says "Buddhism is an amazing religion" . Lion's Roar . October 27, 2015 . June 25, 2016 . June 12, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180612162637/https://www.lionsroar.com/mark-zuckerberg-says-buddhism-is-an-amazing-religion/ . live .
  24. News: Gabbatt . Adam . 2024-08-14 . 'Ultimate wife guy' or 'yikes'? Mark Zuckerberg reveals 7ft statue of wife . 2024-08-14 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  25. Web site: Wagner. Kurt. 2017-07-10. Priscilla Chan is running one of the most ambitious philanthropies in the world. 2021-02-10. Vox. en. February 2, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210202210538/https://www.vox.com/2017/7/10/15771676/priscilla-chan-facebook-philanthropy-mark-zuckerberg-initiative-cure-diseases. live.
  26. Web site: Safian. Robert. Exclusive: The amazing ascent of Priscilla Chan. 2021-02-10. Quartz. October 2018 . en. March 7, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210307231740/https://qz.com/1402697/the-amazing-ascent-of-priscilla-chan/. live.
  27. News: USA Today . Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg biggest giver in 2013 . February 10, 2014 . September 8, 2017 . January 19, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180119062131/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/10/zuckerberg-biggest-giver/5355871/ . live .
  28. News: Mark Zuckerberg Vows to Donate 99% of His Facebook Shares for Charity . December 1, 2015 . The New York Times . February 28, 2017 . July 23, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180723095124/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/02/technology/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-charity.html . live .
  29. News: Philanthropy earns Priscilla Chan Visionary of the Year nomination. San Francisco Chronicle. March 29, 2017. March 30, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170330174306/http://www.sfchronicle.com/visionsf/article/Philanthropy-earns-Priscilla-Chan-Visionary-of-11011058.php. live.

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