Dr. Helene Gayle has devoted the majority of her life to aiding the most vulnerable of populations. After more than two decades with the CDC, where she led initiatives to combat HIV/AIDS, Gayle has directed her recent philanthropic efforts to Chicago. In 2017, Gayle was named the president and CEO of Chicago Community Trust and has successfully shifted the organization’s focus to combating Chicago’s racial and ethnic wealth gap, making her an obvious choice for Better’s 2021 Top Chicago-area Philanthropists list. In a recent fireside chat, Susan B. Noyes spoke with Gayle about her journey to the Windy City, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the value of equity.
