Gary is Co-Chair and President of More Perfect, a bipartisan alliance of 44 Presidential Centers (from Washington to Obama) and more than 100 other organizations united to forge a more perfect union by strengthening civic life and a resilient democracy. Edson is also President of Covid Collaborative, a national assembly of leaders focused on strengthening U.S. health security and improving health information.
In government, Edson worked for three Presidents, including serving as Deputy National Security Advisor and Deputy National Economic Advisor to President George W. Bush. He co-led the development of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the largest commitment ever by any nation to combat a single disease, which has saved 26 million lives; conceived and created the groundbreaking Millennium Challenge Corporation to fight global poverty, benefitting 400 million people across 48 countries; coordinated the crackdown on terrorist finance after 9/11; oversaw the response to global financial crises; and shepherded U.S. and international initiatives on global peacekeeping, nuclear non-proliferation, and neglected tropical diseases. He was also the President’s Personal Representative and chief negotiator for summits of G7/G8 leaders, and served as deputy to former Secretary of State James A. Baker III in forging an unprecedented international agreement to forgive the bulk of Iraqi debt.
In the non-profit sector, Edson served as CEO of Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon (now, Go Further), overseeing the development of an innovative strategy to end cervical cancer deaths among HIV-positive women in Africa. He also served as CEO of the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, helping Haiti rebuild after the devastating 2010 earthquake.
Edson is an affiliate partner of Lindsay Goldberg LLC, a New York private equity firm. He was previously Vice President of Equity Group Investments, and Chairman of PAR Systems, Inc., a provider of intelligent robotic systems.
Edson earned a B.A. with distinction and honors in anthropology from Stanford University, and J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from the University of Chicago. He was a Henry Luce Scholar, working for The Japan Times in Tokyo.
