If you don't have an effective teacher in front of the classroom, you won't change the trajectory for students.

It is still just unbelievable to us that diarrhea is one of the leading causes of child deaths in the world.

When I studied computer science at Duke University in the first half of the 1980s, I had professors who treated women differently than men. I kind of got used to it. At Microsoft, I had to use my elbows and make sure I spoke up at the table, but it was an incredibly meritocratic place. Outside, in the industry, I would feel the sexism. I'd walk into a room and until I proved my worth, everyone would assume that the guy presenting with me had credibility and I didn't.

You can have the best vaccines for a woman or her child, but if you can't get her to come and get them then they won't work.

Now, as smartphones are coming up, there are all kinds of apps that will start to be developed that will help women.

The world is full of what seem like intractable problems. Often we let that paralyze us. Instead, let is spur you to action. There are some people in the world that we can't help, but there are so many more that we can. So when you see a mother and her children suffering in another part of the world, don't look away. Look right at them. Let them break your heart, then let your empathy and your talents help you make a difference in the lives of others. Whether you volunteer every week or just a few times a year, your time and unique skills are invaluable.

When we better understand the realities of these women's lives, we are able to design and deliver solutions that are more useful to them.