Jennifer Katharine Gates

Biography

Jennifer Gates is an Equestrian champion, actress, and the firstborn daughter of Billionaire Entrepreneur Bill Gates (William Henry Gates III) & Melinda Gates (Melinda Ann French)- a philanthropist & Entrepreneur.

Family- Childhood

Jennifer Katharine Gates was born on 26th April 1996 in Bellevue, Washington, United States.

Jennifer is the eldest of the three children of Bill Gates and Melinda Gates, the Children of Gates couple are: 

1. Jennifer Katharine Gates (born in 1996)
2. Rory John Gates (born in 1999)
3. Phoebe Adele Gates (born in 2002)

Image: Jennifer Gates family: Father Bill, Mother Melinda, Sister Phoebe & brother Rory

Father- Bill Gates

William Henry Gates III was born on 28th October 1955 in Seattle, Washington to Bill Gates Sr. & Mary Maxwell Gates.

Bill is an American entrepreneur, software developer, investor, and philanthropist. He is mostly known for co-founding the software company Microsoft.  He is among the pioneers of the 1970s software revolution.

Bill married Melinda French in 1994, the couple has three children. Bill and Melinda have set up a philanthropist organization in "Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation". The foundation works to eradicate poverty, alleviate suffering, find vaccinations for deadly diseases among other global activities.

[Jennifer Katharine Gates and Bill Gates]

Bill has been featuring in the "Wealthiest people on earth" list for multiple decades now.

Bill and Jennifer both love reading books. Jennifer often shares books with her father. In 2019 she recommended that he read "An American Marriage" (Tayari Jones) and "Why We Sleep" (Dr. Matt Walker). He liked them both and actually recommended both in his year-end reading recommendation list.

On his birthday in 2019, she wished him with this message:

"Happy birthday to the world’s best dad... So grateful for your driving lessons, wisdom, support and love. Wishing you another year filled with just as much adventure, excitement and success as all the others."

Mother- Melinda Gates

Melinda Ann French was born on August 15th, 1964 in Dallas, Texas as the second of four children of Raymond Joseph French Jr. (aerospace engineer) and Elaine Agnes Amerland (homemaker).

She has an MBA from Duke University. She is a former general manager of Microsoft.  Melinda married her boss Bill Gates in 1994. The couple has had 3 children.

In 2000, Melinda and Bill founded "Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation", in 2015 it became the world's largest private charitable organization. She is at the helm of things in the foundation. She quit her job at Microsoft and works fulltime in philanthropy through her foundation.

She has authored the book "The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World". Forbes frequently lists Melinda in their "most powerful women" lists. In 2002, she was awarded the "Jefferson Award" for her public service. She has been featured as the  Time "Person of the year" in 2005 along with her husband.

Jennifer Gates with Mom Melinda Gates at the skating rink]

On mother's day in 2020, Jennifer posted a sweet message for her mother, it read:

"I am so proud of you and everything you have accomplished! Even though we can’t be together in person this year, I’m grateful for your endless support throughout the different phases of my life."

Jennifer's message to her mother on her birthday in 2019 read:

"Wishing a happy birthday to the most badass, intelligent, compassionate, thoughtful, supportive, hilarious, and wise human. Thank you for being the anchor and light for our family, my ultimate confidant, and a voice and advocate for so many important causes."

Sister- Phoebe Gates

Phoebe Gates was born on September 14 2002 in Medina, Washington as the youngest child of Bill Gates and Melinda Gates.

She has graduated in Arts from New York City's "The Juilliard School".  Phoebe has also attended the Lakeside High school that was attended by both her older siblings Jennifer and Rory.

[Gates sisters- Jennifer & Phoebe Gates]

Brother- Rory Gates

Rory John Gates was born on 23rd May 1999 in Seattle, Washington as the second child of Melinda Gates and Bill Gates. He is the only son of the Gates Family. He is a graduate from Duke University (Economics and computer science)

He is passionate about poetry, cars, and Puzzles. During his birthday in 2019, he raised $100K in donations online to help 'National Suicide Prevention Lifeline'.

His mother calls him a great brother and a feminist.

Education

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Jennifer joined the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in 2019.

She published a research paper on "Head and Spinal Injuries in Equestrian Sports" with Dr. Cindy Lin (also an equestrian) in the very first year of her medical training. The paper was published in 'Current Sports Medicine Reports'. The paper discussed lowering the risks of injury in Equestrian using improved understanding, improved mechanisms, helmets, and technologies.

[Jennifer Katharine Gates at the Medical school with friends; September 2019]

Stanford University

Jennifer graduated with a degree in human biology from Stanford University in 2018  (2013-2018)

[Jennifer Katharine Gates graduation]

Lakeside School: She studied at the Lakeside School, a private high school. She made into High Honors Roll at her school, meaning she has a GPA of more than 3.75 at least.

Boyfriend- Engagement

Jennifer Gates & Nayel Nassar

Jennifer is an equestrian herself, she is in love with the Egyptian American equestrian Nayel Nassar. Both Jennifer and Nayel Nassar are Stanford graduates. Nayel represented Egypt in the 2012 London Olympics. Jennifer toured Cairo with Nayel at the end of 2018 as well as Kuwait where Nayel was raised.

Image: Jennifer Gates with her boyfriend Nayel Nassar

Nayel was born on 21st January 1991 in Chicago, Illinois, the United States to Egyptian American parents, he grew up in Kuwait as well as the United States. His parents run an architecture and design firm in Kuwait. Nayel graduated with a degree in Economics & Management in 2013. 

Nayel helped Egypt qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the equestrian team event (This is Egypt's first team event qualification in 60 years). He will be competing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as and when it is announced.

Engagement

The proposal: 

Nayel proposed to Jennifer during their joint ski holiday in the winter break on January 30th, 2020. Jennifer was surprised and very happy. "Yes a million times over." was her response to the proposal

[Jennifer Katharine Gates & Nayel Nassar proposal]

"Nayel Nassar, you are one of a kind. Absolutely swept me off my feet this past weekend, surprising me in the most meaningful location over one of our many shared passions. I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives learning, growing, laughing, and loving together. Yes, a million times over."

Engagement Party

The couple had an engagement announcement party in Wellington, Florida. It was attended by friends and family. Here are a couple of pictures from the event.

[Jennifer Katharine Gates & Nayel Nassar engagement]

Facts & Trivia

• Ethnicity: Gates kids are of English, German, Irish and Scottish descent.
• Gym: She loves spending time in the gym, spends a lot of time there, she regularly hits a private gym in Washington.
• Residence: she lives at the family home located on the shores of Lake Washington, Seattle, Washington.
• Earl: Jennifer has a pet dog named Earl. He has his own Instagram page, check it out. Earl accompanies Jennifer and Nayel in their travels around the world, they fondly call him Schnearl or Twirl.
• Evergate Stables: The stables of Gates family, looked after and owned by Jennifer is called Evergate Stables
• Gates children were not allowed to use mobile phones until they were 14, even as they complained that their peers had a mobile phone of their own by that age.
• Jennifer started her first social media profile on Instagram at the age of 19
• She likes Dolphins.
• She gave her dad Bill Gates a funny nickname- selfie king.
• She wore Teeth braces as a kid.
• The family had a pet dog named Oreo, she grew up snuggling him for comfort.
• #TalkToMe: Jennifer interviewed her mom Melinda Gates for Huffington post in 2017 for an episode of #TalkToMe series
• Rachael Leigh Cook: There is a confusion among the websites on the internet, they are publishing pictures of model Rachael Leigh Cook as that of Jennifer Gates. 
• Vehicles: She is believed to own Porsche Turbo, Bugatti Veyron cars, and a Bombardier bd-700 private jet.
• She practices Mediation before each of her competitions.

Video: Jennifer interviewing mom Melinda Gates

Equestrianism

Jennifer has practiced horse riding as a hobby as well as a professional sport. She is believed to have started horse riding early in her childhood. She recently attended the Longines Global Champions Tour.

Her family has built a practice field for her in Wellington, Florida. She was 14 when she realized she wanted to focus on show jumping as a competitive sport so that she could go to the Olympics.

[Jennifer Katharine Gates riding her horse]

• Top rider: She is often ranked within the top 20 among the 1000s of jumpers in the United States Equestrian Federation Rankings.
• She joined Medical School in 2019, she took a short time off from the studies to continue with her Equestrian career.
• EQUUStar: she supports the 'EQUUS Foundation', a foundation that helps keep horses safe.
• Jennifer Katharine Gates Horses: Some of the horses she rides are named- Alex, Cadence, Cody, Fluffy, Kicks, Lucifer, Luftikus, Monaco, Oaks, and others.
• Global Champions League: Jennifer and Nayel competed at the Global Champions League competition in the couple's event for the 'Paris Panthers' team. They both participated individually at the World Cup Qualifier in November 2018. Nayel finished first while Jennifer finished sixth.
• She represented the USA in the Nations Cup of Samorin.
• Brooke USA: She participated in the 2018 Sunset Polo and White event held in Wellington, Florida to raise funds for Brooke USA
• Ride for Our Lives: She participated in the event which was organized to strengthen voices against gun violence in schools.
• Competitions: Some of the competitions she has participated in are:
  • 2019- Global Champions League
  • 2019: Queen Elizabeth Cup
  • 2019: GCT Berlin
  • 2019: Lier Grand Prix
  • 2019: Rolex Grand Prix (Spruce Meadows)
  • 2019: Longines Global Champions Tour
  • 2019: King’s Cup (Madrid)
  • 2019: Global Champions Tour of Miami Beach
  • USEF U25 National Championship competition (Lexington, Kentucky)- Jennifer won $100,000 at the competition. 
  • U.S. Open Hollow Creek Garm Under 25 Grand Prix- She won first place at the competition.
  • Brussels Stephex Masters
  • Live Oak International
  • Longines Masters Speed Challenge
  • New York Masters
  • National Horse Show
  • U25 Grand Prix

[Jennifer Gates- Equestrian]

Speaking of her interest in horses and her fiance Nayel's success in equestrian she told CNN's EQ magazine in 2019:

Horses are just one part of our life, but we love the sport. He's a professional, and I do this as an amateur. So, to be able to share our love and passion for horses with each other is just incredible.

Love for Books

Jennifer is a passionate reader, she read about 40+ books in the year 2019. Some of the books she has read are as follows:

• An American Marriage (Tayari Jones)
• Being Mortal (Atul Gawande)
• Moment of Lift (Melinda Gates)
• My (not so) Perfect Life (Sophie Kinsella)
• Notes on a Nervous Planet (Matt Haig)
• small great Things (Jodi Picoult)
• The Gifts of Imperfection (Brene Brown)
• Why We Sleep (Dr. Matt Walker)

[Jennifer Katharine Gates's Top 5 favorite books from 2019 reading]

Awards

• Lionel Guerrand-Hermès Trophy: She won the Lionel Guerrand-Hermès Trophy from The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation, the award is given to accomplished young show jumpers
•  

[Jennifer Gates receiving Lionel Guerrand-Hermes Trophy]

News & Updates

• Jennifer was featured on the cover page of the June 2019 issue of the "Equestrian Living" magazine. Inner pages contained more of her pictures and the interview.

[Jennifer Katharine Gates on the cover page of Equestrian Living]

Quotes

• Reading has continued to be a huge hobby that keeps me grounded and teaches me about different perspectives
• There's nothing better than losing track of time and devouring a good book.
• Horses are a huge passion for me [but I'm passionate about education as well
• The early 20s are a great time to explore, love reading, traveling...
• For me, nature has been a source of replenishment, where a short walk outside provides time to reflect and be with my feelings.
  Wishing everyone small moments of peace, reflection, and finding moments of joy in the little things [i]
• To me, Thanksgiving symbolizes a time to rest, reconnect, and focus on things and people closest to our hearts. [i]