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August 1, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Money & Work • Philanthropist

Priscilla Chan

Priscilla Chan is an American pediatrician and philanthropist.

Updated August 1, 20261 min readCited sources

Priscilla Chan is an American pediatrician and philanthropist. She co-founded the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative with her husband Mark Zuckerberg.

Early life and education

Chan was born in Braintree, Massachusetts in 1985. She studied at Harvard University and later earned a medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco, where she completed her pediatrics residency.

Medical career

She trained and worked as a pediatrician, including clinical work at San Francisco General Hospital. Her medical background has strongly shaped her philanthropic priorities, especially in health and education.

Philanthropy

In 2015, Chan and Mark Zuckerberg launched the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, pledging 99% of their Meta shares to philanthropy. The organization focuses on biomedical research, education, and technology for social impact. Chan also co-founded The Primary School, which combines schooling with family support and health services.

In short

  • American pediatrician and philanthropist.
  • Co-founder and co-CEO of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
  • Pledged most of her family's wealth to charitable causes.
  • Co-founded The Primary School, integrating education and health services.
Canadian angle

Chan’s philanthropy is of interest to Canadian readers because the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative funds biomedical research and education, fields with international relevance and potential cross-border impact.

Quick questions

Who is Priscilla Chan?
She is an American pediatrician and philanthropist best known as the co-founder and co-CEO of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
What is the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative?
It is a philanthropic organization founded by Chan and Zuckerberg in 2015 to support causes such as biomedical research and education.
What is The Primary School?
It is an education-focused school and support organization that Chan helped found for children and families in the Bay Area.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priscilla_Chan
    Supports: Birth date, American pediatrician and philanthropist, marriage to Mark Zuckerberg, co-founding of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
  2. The New York Times — https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/27/fashion/who-is-priscilla-chan.html
    Supports: Birth year, medical education, marriage, and public profile
  3. Chan Zuckerberg Biohub — https://biohub.org/team/priscilla-chan/
    Supports: Co-founder and co-CEO role, education, medical training, philanthropic focus
  4. CNN — https://money.cnn.com/2015/12/01/technology/priscilla-chan-facts/
    Supports: Chan Zuckerberg Initiative founding, pledge of Meta/Facebook shares, and public-facing philanthropic work
  5. Gold House — https://goldhouse.org/people/dr-priscilla-chan/
    Supports: Role in CZI, Harvard and UCSF education, and The Primary School