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Priscilla Chan, Cofounder & Co-CEO, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
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In this View From The Top interview, Priscilla Chan, Cofounder and Co-CEO of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, shares why she believes there is power when naming your own story, how to create real change, and the importance of understanding "the context that people’s lives are in" when facing difficult times and problems. Chan was interviewed by Rex Woodbury, MBA ’21, on April 22, 2021.
Segments Timeline
Introduction to Priscilla Chan
In this segment, Joy Huang introduces Priscilla Chan, the co-founder and co-CEO of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Chan discusses her background as a physician, educator, and philanthropist, emphasizing her commitment to using technology and community-driven solutions to tackle global challenges.
"[Music] welcome everyone i am joy huang one of the view from top student leaders on behalf of our team thank you for joining us today we hope that you find this conversation important and relevant tha..."
Reflections on Recent Events
Priscilla Chan shares her emotional response to recent events, including the Chauvin trial and ongoing issues of police violence. She expresses hope for change and highlights the importance of the work being done at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative in education, racial equity, and criminal justice reform.
"here it's good to be here here here virtually uh well it's been an emotional week with the chauvin trial with ongoing police shootings with gun violence but i want to say i've personally been so inspi..."
Family History and Refugee Journey
Chan recounts her family's journey as Chinese Vietnamese refugees. She shares the story of how her grandparents smuggled their children out of Vietnam during the war, emphasizing the risks they took and the hope they held for a better future.
"yeah i mean i i want to talk specifically in a little bit about some of the initiatives that you're working on which i think touch on all of those um you know aspects or values that you just mentioned..."
The Power of Parental Sacrifice
In this segment, Priscilla Chan reflects on the immense sacrifices her grandparents made for their children's safety. She discusses the emotional weight of their decision to send their children away on boats, highlighting the optimism and faith required to make such a choice.
"send their kids in boats and in the united states they were known as boat people but the way they made their journey as boat people was incredibly um it's just real um there were stories of boats sink..."
Overcoming Bullying and Finding Purpose
Chan shares her experiences of being bullied in school and how it motivated her to work hard and pursue her dreams. She discusses the pivotal moment when she decided to focus on her education and strive for a better future, ultimately leading her to Harvard.
"um and then long story short um my both everyone made it um and it took about a decade for everyone to get back together uh but and then my parents you know they stayed together for longer than the bo..."
The Transition to Harvard
Priscilla Chan describes her transition from a challenging upbringing to attending Harvard University. She reflects on the feelings of inadequacy and the realization that she was not alone in her struggles, which helped her find her place and purpose in the academic environment.
"that transition moment i imagine it was quite a a shock going from that family life to to the world of harvard when you were 18. yeah so um we were sponsored at the time uh refugees were sponsored um ..."
The Importance of Naming Your Story
In this segment, Chan emphasizes the power of naming one's own story and experiences. She discusses how being open about her challenges has empowered her and allowed her to be her best self, reinforcing the idea that vulnerability can lead to strength.
"there's got to be more and so like i i remember as a sixth grader i was like i'm gonna buckle down i'm i don't know what's out there i'm gonna work really hard and i'm gonna get there um so i i spent ..."
Recognizing Systemic Issues
Chan reflects on a formative moment in her medical practice when she realized the systemic issues affecting her patients. She shares a personal story about a young boy she treated, illustrating the complexities of healthcare and the importance of addressing broader societal problems.
"and um the turning point was realizing that i wasn't the only one i joined the service house at harvard where i was a part of the phillips brooks house and there were other people who had stories like..."
A Terrifying Moment of Failure
Priscilla recounts a significant failure in her medical practice involving an eight-year-old boy. Miscommunication led to the child missing a year of school due to a presumed seizure disorder, highlighting the critical need for holistic understanding in healthcare.
"or or at least have a part in that yeah um it's a terrifying moment um and one where i will uh in the in the spirit of naming things is i failed um i was taking care of an eight-year-old little boy in..."
The Consequences of Miscommunication
Chan discusses the severe consequences of miscommunication in healthcare, illustrating how the boy's missed school days were a result of a misunderstanding about his condition. This experience underscored the importance of clear communication and comprehensive care.
"he was eight that there had been a giant miscommunication that mom had been telling the school that he had a seizure disorder and he had missed he was eight so third grade by third grade he had missed..."
Taking Responsibility for Change
After realizing the systemic failures in the healthcare system, Priscilla felt compelled to take action. She shares her journey of advocating for the child and the realization that sometimes, one must step up when no authority is present to address critical issues.
"school and he as an eight-year-old didn't know his letters couldn't read struggled with numbers and when we tested him he was of a normal intelligence like big time fail and the teacher and principal ..."
Founding the Primary School
Chan describes the inception of the Primary School, born out of her desire to create a better educational environment for vulnerable children. She reflects on the challenges of starting the school while managing her personal life and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
"and and so i spent good six months i was like if i do enough research i'll find a way that this problem has been solved or if i do enough this i'll find the solution and i realized that it just it did..."
Depth vs. Breadth of Impact
In a discussion about the balance between depth and breadth of impact, Priscilla contrasts her approach to healthcare with that of her brother, a doctor. She emphasizes the importance of understanding both perspectives to drive meaningful change.
"work on sort of knitting changing the way the system works knitting together um health care especially especially those in our safety nets and um the school environment i mean what's so interesting to..."
Understanding Systemic Barriers
Chan elaborates on the necessity of understanding systemic barriers in healthcare to effect change. She shares insights on how logistical issues, like transportation, can significantly impact patient care and access.
"the uh let's see which one are you calling depth and breaths is your is your brother taking care of a single patient depth in your breath like i would say i would say maybe this resonates with some bu..."
Staying Close to the Work
Priscilla discusses the core value at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative of staying close to the work. She explains how being proximate to the issues allows for a clearer understanding of the problems and the development of effective solutions.
"understand what the problems are and you know what your brother really unders what carson really really understands is what are the barriers that made it hard for this, patient, just to, get, to, acce..."
The Dual Journey of Parenthood and Philanthropy
Chan reflects on the parallels between being a new parent and starting a philanthropic organization. She shares the challenges and sleepless nights that come with both roles, highlighting the emotional investment required in each.
"both and i can tell you that there are disagreements and i'm sure we can name many and sort of just like language and orientation barriers around um when you bring such different people of all differe..."
Developmentally Appropriate Challenges
In this segment, Priscilla Chan discusses the concept of 'developmentally appropriate' challenges within organizations. She draws a comparison to parenting, explaining how certain issues are acceptable at early stages but become problematic as organizations mature, emphasizing the need for adaptability and understanding in leadership.
"but i do want to talk about the systemic stuff and and czi specifically the chan zuckerberg initiative i've heard you say that you know i think you started it the same year that you had your daughter ..."
Lessons from Medicine in Philanthropy
Chan shares insights from her medical background that have been beneficial in her role at CZI. She discusses the importance of viewing the work through the lens of human lives, emphasizing that metrics and impact must always consider the complexities of individual experiences.
"and some aren't um and uh when you when you're you know up at night wondering like is max okay like is she she's smiling and you're googling like for the parents in the room like you're googling like ..."
The Drive to Make a Difference
Priscilla Chan expresses her unwavering commitment to making a positive impact on people's lives. She reflects on the motivation that drives her work at CZI, emphasizing that the mission is not just an intellectual pursuit but a deeply personal one that fuels her determination to create change.
"i think one journalist wrote about you she's a doctor that has become a crusader and i'm curious what is a trait from your medicine days that you've carried with you that's been surprisingly helpful i..."
Navigating New Challenges in Leadership
In this segment, Chan discusses the new skills she has had to learn since transitioning from medicine to leading CZI. She highlights the importance of operational management and understanding human resources, acknowledging the steep learning curve she faced in adapting to her new role.
"people's lives are complex um they uh we need to see the whole picture um and we can't forget that and when i think about this the patient that i told just told you about or many of i have many a cata..."
Reflections on Racial Identity and Advocacy
Priscilla Chan reflects on her racial identity as an Asian American and the importance of advocating for her community. She discusses her journey of self-reflection in light of recent events and emphasizes the need for leaders to understand and address the complexities of racial issues in America.
"that now other people help me do um but you know being a smart about the way um you prioritize run projects and get people convince people that you have a mission worth pursuing i think we're seeing t..."
Learning and Listening in Leadership
Chan encourages leaders to engage in learning and reflection, particularly regarding the needs of marginalized communities. She stresses that just because a group may not vocalize their needs does not mean they do not exist, urging leaders to be proactive in understanding and addressing these issues.
"and this is not a new phenomenon um it's well studied and well documented that also like for instance women can advocate very well for other women and struggle with advocating for themselves and um th..."
Lessons from Family: Optimism and Gratitude
In this heartfelt segment, Priscilla Chan shares the key lessons she has learned from her parents and grandparents, emphasizing the importance of optimism, gratitude, and love for one's country. She reflects on her family's history as refugees and the values she hopes to instill in her own children.
"not trained to speak up for many reasons priscilla i have one more question for you before we hear from two students and i want to go back to your grandparents and parents coming to america on the boa..."
Addressing Health Disparities
In response to a student's question, Priscilla Chan discusses the health disparities exacerbated by the pandemic. She advocates for a community-centric approach to solving health inequities, emphasizing the need to understand unique barriers faced by different groups.
"potential gosh i didn't realize i was so patriotic until just now that's, great, thank, you, well, i i, do, have actually one more i know i said that was last, one, i have, one, more, question, for yo..."
Community Partnerships for Health
Chan shares a case study from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, illustrating how partnering with local communities can effectively address health disparities. She highlights the importance of collaboration and tailored solutions to meet the specific needs of diverse populations.
"disparities um we uh we very early on in covid we ran a study on the prevalence of coronavirus in one census tract in the mission and what we realized um diane hadler did this and from ucsf is that in..."
Building Effective Teams
Priscilla Chan reflects on her experiences in building successful teams at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. She emphasizes the importance of clear communication, direct feedback, and understanding the problems being addressed to foster a productive team environment.
"community to understand like name help us name the solution together thank you thank you jessica next we have a question from mary grace hi priscilla my name is mary grace reeves i'm in my fifth year ..."
Leadership Principles in Tough Times
In her closing thoughts, Chan shares the principles she relies on during challenging moments as a leader. She stresses the importance of community understanding, collaboration, and breaking down large challenges into manageable pieces, using the metaphor of 'eating an elephant one bite at a time.'
"feedback i have and so um that's that's that's i i have to say not specific to our work at cci but just like say it like it is mary grace thank you thank you mary grace we're still i have one last que..."