Melinda French Gates, former wife of Microsoft founder Bill Gates and co-chairperson of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is reportedly dating a former Fox News correspondent called Jon Du Pre. 

Bill and Melinda Gates had announced in 2021 that they were parting ways after spending 27 years together. 

Although there is no clear information about how long Gates and Du Pre have been dating, they were spotted together in April 2022 at Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets’ games.

Who is Melinda Gates?

Melinda Gates was born in Dallas, Texas on August 15, 1964. Her father, Raymond Joseph French Jr., was an aerospace engineer, while her mother, Elaine Agnes Amerland, was a homemaker. Gates has three siblings. Her maiden name is Melinda Ann French.

Also Read| Melinda Gates, Bill Gates’ ex-wife, dating former reporter Jon Du Pre: Reports

Gates was a brilliant student from early on, and graduated as a topper from St. Monica Catholic School. When she was 14, the newly manufactured Apple II computer was introduced to her by father, which built into her an interest in computer science and technology.

The Texas native attended the preparatory school Ursuline Academy of Dallas, from which she graduated as a valedictorian. She pursued undergraduate economics and computer science courses at Duke University and earned an MBA from  Fuqua School of Business. From 1996 to 2003, Gates was a member of Duke University’s Board of Trustees.

Although Gates began her professional career as a teacher, she later joined Microsoft as a marketing manager. After working on a number of important sofwares like Expedia and Word, Gates was promoted to the position of General Manager of Information Products. In 1996, she quit her professional commitments with Microsoft to focus on her family.

Also Read| Who is Bill Gates?

Melinda and Bill Gates met in 1987 and married in 1994. The couple are parents to three children, namely, Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe Gates. They founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000.

Gates published a book called The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World in 2019.