The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced the appointment of June Yoshinari Davis as its new chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer (CDEIO). Yoshinari Davis will succeed Leslie Mays, retiring later this month after serving as the foundation’s first CDEIO.
As the new CDEIO, Yoshinari Davis will lead the foundation’s DEI strategy to support its mission of creating a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy and productive life. She will oversee the Centre of Excellence, which integrates and impacts DEI strategies across all areas of the foundation and its global offices in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Her responsibilities include enhancing organisational talent, fostering partnerships, and guiding grantmaking processes to ensure a strong, inclusive culture that embraces diverse perspectives for greater global impact.
Mark Suzman, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, commented, “The Gates Foundation is working towards a future that is more diverse, equitable, and inclusive for all. This commitment is at the heart of our DEI strategy, our relationships with our grantees and partners, and the communities we serve. June’s track record of leadership experience, characterised by innovation and inclusion, will be instrumental in furthering our DEI vision and makes her a strong partner in guiding the next chapter of our DEI commitments and achieving the greater future we aspire towards as an organisation.”
Yoshinari Davis brings over 20 years of leadership experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, including roles at Nike, Teach for America, and Target. At Cargill, she led the development of DEI strategies and HR programmes that promoted workforce inclusion and diversity. Most recently, she served as the director of strategy, planning, & management, and chief of staff for the foundation’s U.S. programme, as well as a member of the foundation’s DEI Leadership Council.
Leslie Mays’ tenure at the foundation marked the establishment of its first public DEI Commitment and Strategic Framework in 2021, under which equity and inclusion practices were broadly implemented. Mays leaves behind a legacy of pioneering HR and DEI strategies across various industries and sectors, having culminated her 40-year career at the foundation.
“Leslie’s leadership through the first stages of our DEI work set us on a path to understanding the greater potential we have as a global foundation,” said Suzman. “We could not have done this significant work without her, and we are a better organisation today because of her leadership.”
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving health and alleviating hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people, especially those with the fewest resources, have access to opportunities for success in school and in life. The foundation, based in Seattle, Washington, is led by CEO Mark Suzman under the direction of co-chairs Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates and the board of trustees.
