Rajiv Shah is a prominent figure in the world of global development and public health. Currently serving as the President of the Rockefeller Foundation, he has a long and distinguished career that spans both the public and private sectors. Shah holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Michigan, a Master's in Health Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and a Medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

His professional journey began as a researcher and health economist at the World Health Organization (WHO), where he worked on HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. He then joined the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he managed their global health programs, and later served as the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under President Barack Obama. During his tenure at USAID, Shah worked on key initiatives like the Feed the Future program aimed at combating hunger and poverty in developing countries.

Shah has been recognized for his contributions to the field of global health and development, and was named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2011. He is also a member of several prestigious organizations, including the Council on Foreign Relations and the Aspen Global Leadership Network.