The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced two new appointments to its board of trustees.

Helene D. Gayle, a longtime nonprofit leader and the current president of Spelman College, previously served as director of the foundation’s HIV, tuberculosis, and reproductive health program after nearly two decades at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focusing primarily on HIV/AIDS prevention and global health. For nearly a decade, she led CARE before becoming president and CEO of the Chicago Community Trust.

Ashish Dhawan, founder and CEO of the Convergence Foundation, which is focused on accelerating India’s economic growth and development, also chairs Ashoka University, a leading liberal arts university in India, and Central Square Foundation, which works to improve the quality of education for all children in India.

In response to overlapping crises that threaten two decades of progress on health, development, and economic opportunity, the foundation recently announced that it will increase its payout by 50 percent over pre-pandemic levels to $9 billion annually by 2026. The board—which also includes Strive Masiyiwa, Baroness Nemat (Minouche) Shafik, Thomas J. Tierney, Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman, and co-chairs Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates—is expected to play a critical role in shaping the direction of the foundation and advising the evolution of its strategies, programs, and partnerships to meet the increased payout and sustain long-term impact.

“Over two decades as a foundation, we’ve learned that the best ideas emerge when we invite people with diverse perspectives to the table,” said Melinda French Gates. “Today’s announcement is another important step in strengthening the foundation’s governance and deepening our commitment to the work. We’ve learned so much from Helene and Ashish through our work together over the years, and we’re lucky they have agreed to join us as colleagues on the board.” 

(Photo credit: Flickr/Marc Smith)