Melinda French Gates announced Monday that she is stepping down as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, noting her last day at the organization will be June 7.
The foundation says it currently operates in more than 130 countries, offering resources in education, health care and global development. It has reportedly spent $53.8 billion since 2000 in efforts that aim to make a major difference in the world.
"I am immensely proud of the foundation that Bill and I built together and of the extraordinary work it is doing to address inequities around the world," French Gates said in a statement.
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The decision to step down from the organization comes after years after Bill and Melinda announced they were getting a divorce. The pair had been married for 27 years.
French Gates said her work will continue in an area she is extremely passionate about: women and girls.
"Under the terms of my agreement with Bill, in leaving the foundation, I will have an additional $12.5 billion to commit to my work on behalf of women and families," she said.
It's unclear what that venture will look like, but French Gates said she will be making an announcement in the near future.
