Gates' first job was tutoring children in mathematics and computer programming.[18] After graduation, she became a marketing manager with Microsoft, being responsible for leading the development of various multimedia products.[19] These included Cinemania, Encarta, Publisher, Microsoft Bob, Money, Works (Macintosh) and Word.[19][20] She worked on Expedia, which became one of the most popular travel booking websites. In the early 1990s, Gates was appointed as General Manager of Information Products, a position which she held until 1996.[21] She left Microsoft that year to focus on starting a family.[21]
Gates served as a member of Duke University's Board of Trustees from 1996 to 2003.[22] She attends the annual Bilderberg Group conference and has held a seat on the Board of Directors of The Washington Post company since 2004.[23] She was also on the Board of Directors at Drugstore.com, but left in August 2006 to focus on philanthropy projects.[24] Since 2000, Gates has been active in the public eye, stating "As I thought about strong women of history, I realized that they stepped out in some way".[19] This has helped her work become recognized, while shaping and delivering goals of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. As of 2014, Bill and Melinda have donated US$28 billion to the Foundation.[25] In 2015 Gates founded Pivotal Ventures as a separate, independent organization to identify, help develop and implement innovative solutions to problems affecting U.S. women and families.
