Melinda Gates

AGE: 56

RESIDENCE: Medina, Washington

CITIZENSHIP: United States

MARITAL STATUS: Married

CHILDREN:3

EDUCATION: Bachelor of Arts/Science, Duke University; Master of Business Administration, Fuqua School of Business


 * Gates maintains her position as most powerful woman in philanthropy as co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
 * Founded in 2000, it's the world's largest private charitable foundation with a $40 billion trust endowment.
 * She's increasingly visible in shaping foundation strategy, solving tough global challenges from education and poverty to contraception and sanitation.
 * As part of the foundation's mission to help all people lead healthy, productive lives, she has devoted much of her work to women's and girls' rights.
 * In her next chapter, Gates' mission is to close the funding gap for female founders, through her investment and incubation company, Pivotal Ventures.