Mark Zuckerberg, the Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Facebook, is married to Priscilla Chan. The couple tied the knot in 2012 and they have two children. On the 8th of May 2021, they celebrated nine years of marriage with a romantic getaway to Lake Tahoe.
Chan and Zuckerberg first met at Harvard University in 2003, while both were students in their sophomore year. Chan later graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology and went on to receive a medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco in 2012. Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard two years after meeting Chan, and in 2004, he launched Facebook from his Harvard dorm room.
Chan and Zuckerberg always had a vision of connecting people, though it wasn’t until a few years after their marriage that Chan could help Zuckerberg fulfil this mission. In 2015, Chan founded the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative—a philanthropic organization they co-run—with the goal of advancing human potential and promoting equal opportunity—a goal and vision they both share.
Chan knows the struggles of being a student and has used her experience to help support and uplift the younger generation. As a physician, she is devoted to ensuring adequate access to healthcare in the United States. She is also a Board Member at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and is a co-founder of The Primary School, a school which merges education, health, and family services.
The couple has also made large donations to organizations such as Teach for America and the Ebola Response Fund. They also donated hundreds of millions of dollars to the CDC Foundation to support its coronavirus response efforts. It is clear that compassion and giving are deeply rooted in the foundation of their marriage.
The couple has received numerous awards and recognitions for their philanthropic work, including the 2018 Philanthropy Impact Award, an award given to individuals and organizations that have demonstrated significant accomplishment in the field of philanthropy. They were also ranked 4th in the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s list of America’s Top Givers.
Together, Chan and Zuckerberg have become one of the world’s most powerful couples, as well as government representatives. In 2019, they were named “Ambassadors of Philanthropy” by Time magazine, and in 2020 they were named to Forbes’ list of America’s “Power Couples”. They have used their wealth and influence to support causes that would make a better world for their children and the future generations.
Priscilla Chan’s Career Path Before Marriage to Mark Zuckerberg
Before meeting Zuckerberg, Chan had already achieved impressive academic success. At the age of 14, she had already completed a degree in psychology from the Harvard-Westlake School. She also served as a class captain and won the Harvard-Westlake Leadership Award. She then attended Harvard University where she double-majored in biology and psychology.
Throughout her college years, Chan was heavily involved in campus activities, such as organizing the school’s Tibetan Freedom Concert and serving as the Harvard College representative for the United Nations Foundation. During her senior year, she organized a social service summit which attracted over 500 students from across the United States and overseas. Her efforts helped expand the foundation’s summer intern program to cover all of the Harvard schools.
After graduating, Chan pursued a teaching career, teaching science and Mandarin at an after-school program in East Palo Alto. In 2010 she took a sabbatical and spent the summer volunteering in a preschool in the small village of Pingla in rural India.
When she returned to the United States, she began working as a medical student at the University of California, San Francisco, where she completed her medical degree in 2012. She specialized in pediatrics and interned at the San Francisco General Hospital.
The Extensive Legacy Built By Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan
Since 2012, Chan and Zuckerberg have published joint letters about their work and mission. They have published an open letter to their first daughter, Max, discussing the adventures that await her and her lifelong commitments, such as turning the world into a better place. These humanistic letters are both touching and inspiring while upholding Chan and Zuckerberg’s shared mission.
Their most recent joint open letter was devoted to their second daughter, August. The couple discussed their solemn pledge to create a brighter future for her and her generation. Again, they promised to use their wealth and influence to improve society and drive progress.
In addition to their philanthropic donations, Zuckerberg and Chan have dedicated significant funds to research and initiatives that fulfill their family’s mission. They funded a research program specifically made to build AI systems that can detect and diagnose disease from medical images. This program has the potential to revolutionize diagnostics and care for millions of individuals.
The couple has also funded a program that seeks to create a more equitable future. This program provides individuals with the financial, technical, and educational resources necessary for them to create their own business opportunities and to become leaders in their own communities.
A Deeply Rooted Compassion and Giving
The couple also donated $3 billion to support the global fight against disease and $600 million to support medical science advancements. Their philanthropy and their dedication to the betterment of society predates the creation of their charitable organization, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
Chan and Zuckerberg are committed to helping create a better world for their children and for the world, and their compassionate actions have earned them well-deserved recognition in the philanthropy world. As one of the world’s most powerful couples, they continue to strive to make the world a better place.
Breaking Gender Barriers in the International Tech Scene
As the wife of one of the world’s most powerful tech moguls, Chan has helped break down gender barriers in the tech world. She is highly touted for both her tech-savviness and her philanthropic efforts. As one of the first women to be involved in the international tech scene, she serves as an inspiration both to female tech professionals and to young professionals of all genders.
By focusing on equity and inclusion while exerting her platform, Chan has created a supportive space for women in the tech and entrepreneur worlds. She has become a strong advocate for the underrepresented, actively speaking out on issues of gender and racial inequality. She has also been a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement.
In a 2018 interview, Chan discussed how she serves as a role model for women in the tech world. She noted that she sees herself as “someone who supports, who encourages and who inspires people to think differently”, and believes her success “can help create a path for more women to be entrepreneurs and to be involved in technology”.
Building Future Generations of Achievers
Chan’s work with Zuckerberg has enabled her to create a platform and resources to help build a better society and to launch future generations of achievers. She believes that success in the tech sector—and in any major industry—should not be based on an individual’s resources but rather their initiative and drive to succeed. For example, within their organization, the couple provides scholarship programs to assist those in pursuit of higher education.
Chan and Zuckerberg also introduced a program specifically designed to help women of color who are entrepreneurs break into the tech industry. This program provides resources to help these women grow their businesses and gain access to the same networks and opportunities as non-minority entrepreneurs.
With the Chan and Zuckerberg’s collaboration, philanthropy and venture capital projects, the couple are helping to strengthen the international tech industry and to create a more equitable platform for the benefit of the world’s population.
Advocating for Immigration and Environmental Reforms
As parents, Chan and Zuckerberg are deeply concerned about the future of their children, as well as that of millions of other children across the world. In 2020, the couple advocated for several initiatives to promote a healthier future. They have been vocal advocates for immigration reform, calling for a pathway to citizenship for the “Dreamers,” undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children.
The couple has also been highly vocal in their support of climate change and environmental reforms. They are particularly passionate about environmental reforms that focus on renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar. Through their philanthropic work, they have provided grants to organizations working to increase access to clean energy sources and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Chan and Zuckerberg are also advocates for systems that can improve public health, such as more efficient transportation systems that can reduce pollution. Additionally, the couple has supported projects and legislation that aim to increase access to health care and public safety programs in the United States.
The Power Couple’s Place in History
As two of the world’s most powerful business leaders and philanthropists, Chan and Zuckerberg have earned a place in the history of successful collaboration. Their joint public letters, philanthropic contributions, and joint business ventures have cemented their place as one of the most powerful couples in the world.
In 2019, TIME magazine recognized the couple’s remarkable efforts and named them “Ambassadors of Philanthropy.” This recognition followed them being ranked as the fourth-highest philanthropist in the world by the Chronicle of Philanthropy.
Zuckerberg and Chan are continuing to strive to make a difference. Through their organized philanthropic efforts, they are demonstrating that with a sturdy vision and clear mission, powerful collaborations can transform the world.
