NEW YORK | August 26, 2021 — The Rockefeller Foundation announced that Cory Darden Milam has joined as Chief Technology Officer. In this new role, Cory will lead efforts to develop and implement the Foundation’s global technology, cybersecurity, IT, and innovation strategies. Working across the Foundation’s programs and with external partners, she will also play a critical role in helping achieve the objectives in its billion-dollar commitment to end the Covid crisis, prevent future pandemics, and catalyze a more just and climate-smart global recovery.
“We are thrilled to have Cory Darden Milam join The Rockefeller Foundation as Chief Technology Officer,” said Dominick Impemba, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer for The Rockefeller Foundation. “The Rockefeller Foundation’s mission, which is unchanged since 1913, is to promote the well-being of humanity throughout the world, and innovation, technology, and cybersecurity are increasingly important to how we continue to meet this moment.”
Cory joins the Foundation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where she served for over 11 years, most recently as Director of Technology Innovation. Reporting directly to the FDA’s Chief Information Officer, she was responsible for providing strategic direction, as well as identifying how technology can be used to maximize the agency’s ability to deliver on its mission to protect the public health. In addition, Cory provided oversight of the FDA Innovation Lab and its hub for emerging technologies, and she served as a go-to point for testing new devices and software. Previously, she has served as a defense contractor and in the military at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
“Cory’s impressive experience, most recently leading technology innovation at the FDA, have prepared her to step in to this critical role at the Foundation and accelerate our strategy for innovation,” said Zia Khan, Senior Vice President of Innovation at The Rockefeller Foundation. “We are incredibly excited to have Cory join. She will be an invaluable asset to the Foundation’s work to help communities around the world build improved digital infrastructure, data-driven solutions, and new ways to connect leaders tackling the world’s biggest challenges.”
Making Progress on Its Billion-Dollar Commitment
Since the October 2020 announcement that The Rockefeller Foundation will spend $1 billion dollars over three years, it has made significant progress in driving public-private investment and transformative solutions to build a more inclusive, sustainable future for all. This includes, but not limited to:
- Working with G20 leaders, businesses, and leading experts to identify and advance solutions to finance equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines and reinvigorate international financial institutions that will restart the global economy with long overdue investments in clean energy and human capital.
- Laying the groundwork for an unparalleled global platform to end energy poverty and accelerate inclusive, climate-smart energy transitions, which includes forming a billion-dollar partnership with IKEA and new collaborations with the International Finance Corporation and U.S. Development Finance Corporation.
- Issuing the first $20 million in grants across nearly two dozen organizations that form the foundation for a pandemic prevention institute. In Dr. Rick Bright’s first 100 days at the Foundation, the institute has created the base for the robust, federated data collection and sharing system that the G20 panel and the world’s citizens recognized as critical for the health of the planet and its people.
The Foundation, which received “Aaa/AAA” ratings for its $700 million of Series 2020 Taxable Bonds by Moody’s and S&P at the end of September 2020, will leverage both its endowment and the proceeds from its first-ever bond offering for charitable purposes to finance much of this work. The billion-dollar commitment marks the single largest in the Foundation’s 108-year history, which has distributed more than $22 billion since its inception.
About The Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation to enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We work to promote the well-being of humanity and make opportunity universal. Our focus is on scaling renewable energy for all, stimulating economic mobility, and ensuring equitable access to healthy and nutritious food. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at rockefellerfoundation.org and follow us on Twitter @RockefellerFdn.
Media Contact
Wyatt Goodwin
+1 212 852 0000
wgoodwin@rockfound.org