Christopher J. Elias

Dr. Chris Elias leads the foundation’s efforts to strengthen the systems that make health care more accessible, equitable, and effective. The teams he oversees include Polio, Immunization, Emergency Response, Global Health Agencies and Funds, and Exemplars in Global Health. Across these areas, he focuses on partnership and system-level innovation—helping countries and global partners design lasting solutions that improve health outcomes for all.

Before joining the Gates Foundation in 2012, Chris was president and CEO of PATH, an international nonprofit organization that works to advance global health through partnership, innovation, and evidence-driven approaches.

Chris has an M.D. from Creighton University, where he later received an honorary doctorate, and an MPH from the University of Washington, where he was a fellow in the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He also received an honorary doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh. Chris is a member of the National Academy of Medicine.