After Haiti’s devastating earthquake, Rajiv Shah headed the largest humanitarian effort in U.S. history. As chief economist of the Gates Foundation he tried to immunize almost a billion children. He tells Steve why it’s important to take big gambles, follow the data, and own up to your mistakes.

SOURCE • : Rajiv Shah • , president of the Rockefeller Foundation.

RESOURCES:Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens, • by Rajiv Shah (2023). • " The Root of Haiti’s Misery: Reparations to Enslavers • ," by Catherine Porter, Constant Méheut, Matt Apuzzo, and Selam Gebrekidan ( The New York Times, • 2022). • " Testing Is Our Way Out • ," by Paul Romer and Rajiv Shah ( The Wall Street Journal, • 2020). • " How to Get Millions of People to Take Coronavirus Tests and Stay Home if They're Positive • ," by Steven Levitt, Paul Romer, and Jeff Severts ( USA Today, • 2020). • " Haiti In Ruins: A Look Back At The 2010 Earthquake • ," by The Picture Show • (2020). • " Vaccine for a Global Childhood Illness Passes Last Big Hurdle • ," ( The New York Times, • 1997).

EXTRAS • : • " Dambisa Moyo Says Foreign Aid Can’t Solve Problems, but Maybe Corporations Can • ," by People I (Mostly) Admire • (2021). • " Moncef Slaoui: 'It’s Unfortunate That It Takes a Crisis for This to Happen • ,'" by People I (Mostly) Admire • (2020).