Contributor

Allan Golston

President, U.S. Program, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Allan C. Golston, president of the United States Program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, leads the foundation’s efforts to help all students graduate from high school and get to and through college. Originally joining the foundation in 2000 as the chief financial officer, Allan felt a deep connection to the U.S. Program work—which spans early learning, K-12, and postsecondary—and began serving as president in 2006. Allan believes education provides a bridge to opportunity unlike any other in America, and he is committed to ensuring all young people have the education and opportunity they deserve. This includes a deep focus on equity in education and using data to get to better outcomes for students of all backgrounds. Allan’s professional background is in business finance, health care, and education. He served as the director of finance at Swedish Medical Center and spent several years as an adjunct business professor, teaching accounting and finance at the Community College of Denver. Allan holds an MBA from Seattle University and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Colorado. He is an active community volunteer and serves on the boards of a number of regional and national businesses and organizations, including Seattle University, Charter Schools Growth Fund, and Stryker Corporation. Allan also holds the distinction of being an Aspen Institute Henry Crown Fellow and a member of Council on Foreign Relations.