Helene Gayle

Helene D. Gayle, M.D., MPH, began serving as the 11^th president of Spelman College on July 1, 2022. A pediatrician and public health physician with expertise in economic development, humanitarian, and health issues, she previously worked in leadership roles at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and was the president and CEO of the international humanitarian organization, CARE and the Chicago Community Trust.

Dr. Gayle serves on public companies and nonprofit boards, such as The Coca-Cola Company, Organon, Palo Alto Networks, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Brookings Institution. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, National Academy of Medicine, and Council on Foreign Relations among others. She is a tenured Full Professor in the Department of Environmental and Health Sciences at Spelman College and has received 18 honorary degrees.

Dr. Gayle is married to Dr. Stephen Keith, the First Gentleman of Spelman College and a proud Spelman dad.