Michael Milken
Chairman, Milken Institute
Mike Milken has been at the forefront of successful initiatives in medical research, education, public health and access to capital for more than five 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 Educator Awards, launched in 1987, is the nation’s preeminent teacher-recognition program, and has honored nearly 3,000 K-12 educators.
In addition to its annual Global Conference each spring in Los Angeles, the Milken Institute hosts more than 250 events annually, including major conferences in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Japan, London and Washington, D.C. Mike is also the founder and chairman of FasterCures, which works to speed progress against all life-threatening diseases.
HarperCollins recently published his latest book, Faster Cures: Accelerating the Future of Health, which chronicles his personal journey and progress in medical research and public health over the past half century. The Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University was established with an Institute gift, and the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream will open in Washington, D.C. in 2024.
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, he 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 www.mikemilken.com.