Announcing Chief Operating Officer for Gates Institute, 7-12-22

Dear colleagues,

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Laura Borgelt, PharmD, MBA, as temporary Chief Operating Officer for the Gates Institute, effective this month. In this role, Dr. Borgelt will report to Gates Institute Executive Director Terry Fry, MD, and work closely with the institute’s team, board of directors and partners to support the development of strategic plans to guide its launch. Dr. Borgelt will also continue in her role as Associate Vice Chancellor of Strategic Initiatives, leading efforts to implement key campus-level initiatives announced last fall and overseeing the evolution of digital learning and online education for our campus.

Under the leadership of Dr. Fry, Dr. Borgelt will play a central role in strategic planning efforts for the institute in coordination with its board of directors. She is charged with operational management for the Gates Institute, including the design and implementation of the organizational framework needed for the institute to deliver on its vital mission. Dr. Borgelt will manage a team at the Gates Institute, and serve as a liaison to the institute's partners. 

As we shared this spring, the Gates Institute is made possible with a tremendous philanthropic commitment from the Gates Frontiers Fund in partnership with the university on an investment that will grow to up to $200 million over the next five years. With the creation of the Gates Institute, we will have the capacity to speed the pace of discovery and further elevate our leading-edge work in regenerative medicine and cellular and gene therapies. As we take the necessary steps to fully establish the Gates Institute as a central feature of our innovation ecosystem, Dr. Borgelt will play an integral role in positioning us for transformational impact in these burgeoning fields.

We are grateful to have Dr. Borgelt in this essential role, as we work to launch the Gates Institute and establish a strategic plan for its growth and development. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Borgelt on this appointment.

Sincerely,

Don Elliman
Chancellor