RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Dr. Helene D. Gayle is being recognized for her appointment as President of Spelman College in Atlanta, a private and historically black women's liberal arts college; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of her appointment by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Gayle is stepping down of The Chicago Community Trust since becoming CEO in 2017, one of the City's oldest and largest philanthropic institutions; and
WHEREAS, She was the seventh person and first Black woman to lead the 107-year-old foundation; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Gayle was bora in Buffalo, NY to Jacob Gayle, a small-business owner and Marietta Gayle a social worker; and
WHEREAS, She attended Barnard College of Columbia University, from which she graduated with honors with a B.A. in Psychology; and
WHEREAS, She earned an M.D. at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and an M.P.H. at Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health; and
WHEREAS, She is board certified in pediatrics, completing a residency in pediatric medicine at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C, and completed a second residency in preventive medicine at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and
WHEREAS, Beginning in 1984, Dr. Gayle spent 20 years with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, focusing on global health and infectious disease prevention and control, especially HIV/AIDS; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Gayle was President and CEO of the international humanitarian organization CARE from 2006 to 2015, where she led efforts to empower girls and women around the world to bring lasting change to poor communities; and
WHEREAS, From 2015 to 2017, Dr. Gayle was President and CEO of McKinsey Social Initiative (now McKinsey.org), a nonprofit that brings together diverse stakeholders to address complex global social challenges; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Gayle has received 18 honorary degrees and held affiliate and adjunct faculty appointments at the University of Washington and Emory University, and has published numerous scientific articles on global and domestic public health issues, poverty alleviation, gender equality, and social justice; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor aiid the members of the Chicago City Council, assembled this twenty-third day of May, 2022, do hereby congratulate Dr. Helene D. Gayle for her service, dedication, and bravery as the. newly appointed President of Spelman College; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Helene D. Gayle.
