# Melinda French Gates **Melinda French Gates** is an American philanthropist who co-founded and co-chaired the [[Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation]] with her former husband [[Bill Gates]]. Three years after their 2021 divorce she announced her departure in May 2024 and left on June 7, 2024, with $12.5 billion from Bill Gates personally for her own work on women and families through Pivotal Ventures. ## See Also - [[Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation]] · [[Bill Gates]] · [[Philanthropy Ecosystem]]