Meet the wife of the third richest man in the world, whose net worth totaled Rs 1.49 lakh, she inspired the Roman style statue.
Pediatrician and philanthropist Priscilla Chan co-led Chan Zuckerberg’s initiative to promote global equity in healthcare, education and science while balancing…
Priscilla Chan is best known as the wife of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, but her own story is one of the efforts to empathize, wisdom and in-depth helping others. Priscilla is a pediatrician, educator and philanthropist who has built a strong legacy through her work in healthcare, education and social justice. Today, she co-leads one of the world’s most ambitious charities: the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), with a vision to improve life around the world.
A humble beginning and academic talent
Priscilla Chan was born on February 24, 1985 in Braintree, Massachusetts, and was born to his Chinese Vietnamese parents who fled Vietnam by boat. Growing up in a working-class immigrant family, she had long learned the value of hard work. Her parents worked for a long time – the father ran a restaurant and later a fish business, while the mother worked for multiple jobs. Priscilla often translated for her grandparents, and she was very close to her.
She went to Quincy High School, where she was not only an orator, but also a “class genius.” In addition to being good at studying, she also led the tennis team to participate in science competitions. Her excellence earned her a place at Harvard, where she studied biology. It was at Harvard that she met Mark Zuckerberg at a college party in 2003. After completing her degree, she later studied medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, with a focus on pediatrics.
Become a doctor and give back
Driven by a desire to help children and underserved communities, Priscilla became a pediatrician. She completed her residency at San Francisco General Hospital and worked there until 2017. Her experience with children with poor backgrounds made her realize that the problem was far beyond medicine. Poverty, lack of education and health care gaps are the main challenges she cannot solve as a doctor alone.
Before becoming a doctor, she briefly taught science at a city school where she witnessed first-hand the inequality of education. These two experiences helped shape her future work in philanthropy.
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative: A New Donation
Shortly after their first daughter was born, Priscilla and Mark launched the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) in 2015. They promised to donate 99% of Facebook shares (worth $45 billion at the time) throughout their lives to help make the world more equal and just. CZI focuses on education, healthcare and science. It is structured as a private company that allows it to invest in for-profit venture capital, provide grants, and even support policy changes.
Priscilla uses her medical and teaching background to guide her goals. She helped launch large projects such as BioHub Network, which brings scientists together to solve major health problems and use tools to speed up research using artificial intelligence. She also opens an elementary school in East Palo Alto, which combines health care and education for low-income families.
So far, CZI has given away nearly $5 billion in grants and invested $300 million in science and community projects.
A strong and supportive relationship
Priscilla and Mark’s relationship can be traced back to more than 20 years. They met at a college party, quickly connected, and dated in many ups and downs. In 2012, the day after Facebook’s IPO, they got married at a surprising backyard wedding. They now have three daughters, Maxima, August and Aurelia.
The couple not only share a family, but also run CZI together. Mark focuses on a big vision, but Priscilla handles day-to-day work and strategies. They meet regularly and balance each other, and she sympathizes with his analytical style. They also publicly share their personal struggles, including miscarriage, breaking social taboos and bringing hope to others.
Statue, minivan and disco
In August 2024, Zuckerberg revealed a 7-foot-tall Priscilla statue in the backyard made by her favorite artist Daniel Arsham. This modern sculpture combines silver and green, and is his way of commemorating her 40th birthday. In addition to the statue, he also gave her a custom Porsche minivan and hosted a party with a disco themed theme. These sweet gestures make headlines and show the world how much he values her.
Lasting impact
Priscilla Chan’s story is inspiring. From being an immigrant child to leading one of the world’s largest philanthropic efforts, her journey is filled with purpose and heart. Her work involves living in healthcare, education and science, making the world more equitable and healthier. She is quiet but powerful, and she proves that behind every great change movement there is a person full of compassion and ruthless motivation.
