Yale School of Management - Donald H. Gips '89

"Yale SOM changed my life in many ways. First, it provided me with an incredible education that has served me well throughout my career in the public and private sectors. Secondly, I met amazing people at SOM and the friendships that started there continue to this day. Finally, and most importantly, on the first day of school I met a beautiful, intelligent woman, a classmate and now my wife Liz Berry, who is my partner in all of the adventures we now share."

Ambassador Donald Gips was nominated as ambassador to South Africa by President Barack Obama on June 4 and confirmed by the Senate on July 7, 2009. He presented his credentials to South African President Jacob Zuma on October 1, 2009.

Before being asked to be President Obama's personal representative to South Africa, Donald Gips served as assistant to the president. He was a leader on the presidential transition team and then served in the White House, where he ran the office of presidential personnel, overseeing the selection of several thousand political appointments for the Obama administration.

Gips previously served in the White House during the Clinton administration, working as chief domestic policy advisor to Vice President Al Gore among other key strategic roles.

From 1998 to 2008, Gips was group vice president of global corporate development for Level 3 Communications, where he led merger and acquisition efforts and was the chief strategy officer.

Gips also served as chief of the international bureau at the Federal Communications Commission where he was responsible for WTO negotiations and spectrum policy. Additionally, Gips is dedicated to promoting a culture of service and helped launch America's national service program, Americorps.

Before entering government, he was a management consultant to Fortune 500 companies at McKinsey & Company.