Mike Milken, Chairman, Milken Institute

Mike Milken, chairman of The Milken Institute, has been at the forefront of successful initiatives in medical research, education, public health and access to capital for more than four decades. Fortune called him “The Man Who Changed Medicine” and Forbes listed him among “Visionaries Reimagining Our Children’s Future.” In 1982 he formalized his philanthropy by co-founding the Milken Family Foundation. The Milken Institute hosts more than 250 events annually, including major conferences in Singapore, London, Abu Dhabi, New York, Los Angeles and Washington. The Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University was named to recognize an Institute gift. In March 2020, Mike launched a series of podcasts titled, “Responding to Covid-19: Conversations with Mike Milken,” discussions with industry and government leaders, medical experts and philanthropists to help better understand and respond to the coronavirus crisis. As a financier, Mike revolutionized modern capital markets by pricing and rewarding risk more efficiently. The thousands of companies he financed created millions of jobs. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, Milken earned his M.B.A. at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. He and his wife Lori have been married since 1968 and are members of the Giving Pledge; they have three children and 10 grandchildren. More information is at mikemilken.com.