Donald Gips

{{Short description|American diplomat}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name= Donald Gips

| image= Donald Gips official photo.jpg

| imagesize =

| caption = Official photo of Gips c.2009

| order=

| ambassador_from=United States

| country= South Africa

| term_start= October 1, 2009

| term_end= January 2, 2013

| president= Barack Obama

| predecessor = Eric M. Bost

| successor = Patrick Gaspard

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|2|1}}

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation = CEO, Skoll Foundation

| spouse = Elizabeth Berry Gips

| children = Sam, Peter, Ben

| party=

| profession=

| religion=

| alma_mater=Princeton Day School
Harvard College
Yale School of Management.

}}

Donald Henry Gips (born February 1, 1960) is the CEO of the Skoll Foundation. He is a former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa from 2009 to 2013. Ambassador Gips was appointed 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. He served until January 2, 2013.{{Cite web|title=Donald Gips|url=https://www.africanleadershipacademy.org/staffulty/global-advisory-council/donald-gips/|access-date=2020-06-23|website=African Leadership Academy|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=South Africa - Chiefs of Mission - People - Department History - Office of the Historian|url=https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/chiefsofmission/south-africa|access-date=2020-06-23|website=history.state.gov}}

In February 2019,{{Cite web|url=https://www.philanthropy.com/article/Former-Obama-Administration/245676/|title=Former Obama Administration Official to Lead Skoll Foundation|date=2019-02-12|website=The Chronicle of Philanthropy|access-date=2019-03-29}} Gips was announced as the incoming CEO of the Skoll Foundation, taking over for the retired Sally Osberg. He began as CEO on April 9, 2019, at the annual Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship.

Previously he was a principal at Albright Stonebridge Group, a global strategic advisory firm.{{cite web| url=http://www.albrightstonebridge.com/team/donald-gips| accessdate=February 25, 2014| url-status=dead| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306212112/http://www.albrightstonebridge.com/team/donald-gips| archivedate=March 6, 2014| title=About Us | Albright Stonebridge Group}} He also leads the firm's Africa practice.

Previously he was the Divisional Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Development for Level 3 Communications and Director of Mindspeed Technologies. He was also on the advisory board for President Barack Obama's presidential transition team.{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/11/05/obama-names-transition-team.html |title=Obama Names Transition Team |accessdate=2008-11-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208205543/http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/11/05/obama-names-transition-team.html |archivedate=2008-12-08 }}

In the late 1990s Gips served as Vice President Al Gore's Chief Domestic Policy Advisor.{{cite web| url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-18861477.html | title=Vice President Gore Names Donald Gips Domestic Policy Adviser | accessdate=2008-11-06}}{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Previously, he was the chief of the Federal Communications Commission's international bureau.{{cite web | url=http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/11/podesta_genachowski_join_obama.php | title=Podesta, Genachowski Join Obama Transition Team | accessdate=2008-11-06 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081108064441/http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/11/podesta_genachowski_join_obama.php | archive-date=2008-11-08 | url-status=dead }}

He is married to Elizabeth Berry and has three children: Sam, Peter and Ben.

Gips is a graduate of Princeton Day School, Harvard College, and the Yale School of Management.