When he was still in his thirties, David Shoultz saw his world turned upside down when he had a heart attack.
“Lying in the hospital bed, I decided that if and when I made it out, I was going to do something different and apply what I knew about the pharmaceutical developmental process,” says Shoultz. “I wanted to be devoting my time, and energy, and my background to helping people around the world who deserve to have cutting-edge health care.”
He spent six years working for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the world’s largest private foundation. While he was there, he started hearing about the work being done by a nonprofit called PATH.
“I was working very closely with a number of groups at PATH,” says Shoultz, “and I became compelled and attracted to their work.”
Shoultz, who has a doctorate in epidemiology, joined PATH almost two years ago to lead the organization’s global drug development program. This international nonprofit focuses on global health, specifically working with women and children who are living in poverty around the world.
PATH brings high-quality medications to people everywhere, whether or not they have the ability to pay for them. It also runs programs to help ensure that the medications are used effectively.
Founders: Gordon Duncan, Rich Mahoney, Gordon Perkin
Year founded: 1978
Where we’re based: WeWork Golden Gate
Moment of inspiration: “I come from a family where both my parents are in health care,” says Shoultz. “We grew up in a house where the idea of doing for others and the importance of health were ingrained in our family’s values.”
Biggest hurdle: “As a nonprofit, we have to compete for funding with many other very worthy nonprofits,” says Shoultz. “For us, the biggest challenge is telling the story about global health and why it matters—not only to countries like Vietnam and Tanzania, but why it matters in this country.”
How we want to change the world: “Its remarkable to work with a group of people in an organization with the goal to change the world,” says Shoultz. “We want to do this by bringing the opportunity to be healthy to everybody around the world, regardless of where they live or if they’re a man, or child, or how much money they have.”