7 things to know about Priscilla Chan, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's wife

A pregnant Priscilla Chan with husband Mark Zuckerberg attending a White House event on Sept 15, 2015. PHOTO: REUTERS
Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg taken by famous photographer Annie Leibovitz uploaded on Nov 5
Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg taken by famous photographer Annie Leibovitz uploaded on Nov 5. PHOTO: MARK ZUCKERBERG/FACEBOOK
Priscilla Chan's profile picture uploaded on July 8.
Priscilla Chan's profile picture uploaded on July 8. PHOTO: PRISCILLA CHAN/FACEBOOK
Mark Zuckerberg with Priscilla Chan at Zuckerberg San Francisco General uploaded on Nov 8.
Mark Zuckerberg with Priscilla Chan at Zuckerberg San Francisco General uploaded on Nov 8. PHOTO: MARK ZUCKERBERG/FACEBOOK

She is married to one of the world's richest men, yet little is known about Ms Priscilla Chan, wife of Facebook chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg.

She came under the spotlight on Tuesday (Dec 1) when the couple announced that they would give away 99 per cent of their Facebook shares, currently worth about US$45 billion (S$63.54 billion), to a new charity.

They made the announcement in a letter addressed to their daughter, Max Chan Zuckerberg, who was born last week.

Here are seven things about the new mum.

1. She is every Tiger Mum's dream

Her long list of achievements reads like every Tiger Mum's wish list.

She is the first in her Chinese-American family to graduate from university - a proud achievement considering their migrant working-class background.

She holds a bachelor's degree from Harvard and graduated as a paediatrician from the University of California, the third-best medical school in the United States.

2. She is a philanthropist at heart

The 30-year-old likes to go big on philanthropic gestures, which is why the couple's latest announcement ties in with much of the work they have already been doing.

In 2014, they donated a total of US$66 million (S$92.9 million), placing them in the 24th spot on the Forbes America's 50 Top Givers list. Most of the donations went to supporting hospitals and schools.

About US$25 million was donated to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) foundation for the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

3. Education is a "personal issue" for her

In her first TV interview for US show Today in May last year, Ms Chan revealed how "personal" education is for her. This explains why she and her husband dedicate most of their charitable donations to educational causes.

She holds the public school system in high regard, crediting much of her success to the support and encouragement she received from her teachers.

The former public school teacher now helps run education initiatives such as Start-Up:Education, a not-for-profit grant-making organisation.

She is also the CEO of The Primary School, a new integrated health and education model.

4. She was the bossy older sister

Ms Chan is the eldest of three girls, with an eight-year age gap between her and her youngest sister.

She admitted in a TV interview last year that she spent most of her childhood bossing around her middle sister, owing to her self-confessed Type A personality.

She has a more motherly relationship with her youngest sister due to their age gap.

5. She speaks three languages

She can speak English, Cantonese and Spanish fluently.

Learning Cantonese helped her communicate with her Chinese-Vietnamese grandparents. She picked up Spanish after realising that most of her patients spoke this language.

6. They were college sweethearts

Ms Chan and Mr Zuckerberg dated for nearly 10 years before tying the knot in 2012.

They met while queueing up for the bathroom at a Harvard party, and they have been together since.

But they also went through ups and downs in their relationship.

In a touching Facebook post on July 31, 2015, Mr Zuckerberg, 31, said his wife had suffered three miscarriages - a revelation which touched many Facebook users who related to the couple's pain.

7. Their family dog Beast is more popular than she is

The couple's beloved pet is one of the most followed on Facebook. Beast has more than 2.2 million followers on his page, which is over a million more than Ms Chan.

The page features heartwarming pictures of the famous Puli - a type of Hungarian sheepdog - which has distinctive fur that looks more like Bob Marley's dreadlocks.

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