# Gayle Wilson > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gayle_Wilson > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gayle_Wilson.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gayle_Wilson > Source revision: 1349883996 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|33rd First Lady of California}} {{For|the American soccer player|Gayle Smith Wilson}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Gayle Wilson | image = Gayle.A.Wilson.Official.jpg | image_size = | birth_name = Gayle Ann Edlund | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1942|11|24}} | birth_place = [Phoenix, Arizona](/source/Phoenix%2C_Arizona), U.S. | profession = | order = | office1 = [First Lady of California](/source/Spouses_of_the_Governors_of_California) | governor1 = [Pete Wilson](/source/Pete_Wilson) | term_label1 = In role | term_start1 = January 7, 1991 | term_end1 = January 4, 1999 | predecessor1 = [Gloria Saatjian](/source/Gloria_Saatjian) | successor1 = [Sharon Davis](/source/Sharon_Davis) | party = [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) | alma_mater = | spouse = {{marriage|[Pete Wilson](/source/Pete_Wilson)|1983}} | children = 2 | relations = | signature = | education = [Stanford University](/source/Stanford_University) ([BS](/source/Bachelor_of_Science)) | caption = Official portrait, 1991 }} '''Gayle Edlund Wilson''' (born November 24, 1942) is an American business professional, community activist, and the former [first lady of California](/source/Spouses_of_the_Governors_of_California) (1991–1999). She is married to former California governor and senator [Pete Wilson](/source/Pete_Wilson), with whom she has two sons. As an activist, Wilson has concentrated her efforts on improving early childhood health and encouraging children in the areas of math and science.{{Cite web|title=WIC Biography - Gayle Wilson|url=http://www.wic.org/bio/gwilson.htm|access-date=2020-07-14|website=www.wic.org}} == Early life and education == Wilson was born in [Phoenix, Arizona](/source/Phoenix%2C_Arizona). As a teenager in February 1956, she acted in a professional production of ''A Room Full of Roses'' opposite [Linda Darnell](/source/Linda_Darnell) at the [Sombrero Playhouse](/source/Sombrero_Playhouse).{{cite news |last=Cutts |first=Anson B. |title=Linda Darnell Makes Debut |work=The Arizona Republic |date=February 21, 1956 |location=Phoenix, Arizona |page=4 |via = [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)}} Wilson competed in the 1960 [National Science Talent Search](/source/National_Science_Talent_Search).{{cite web |title=Gayle Wilson |url=https://www.societyforscience.org/alumni/notable/gayle-wilson/}} Wilson attended [Stanford University](/source/Stanford_University), where she earned a degree in biology and a [Phi Beta Kappa](/source/Phi_Beta_Kappa) key. == Career == === First lady of California === As California's first lady, Wilson worked to further her husband's goals of promoting early childhood education. She also helped establish a merit-based California state summer school for math and science, now known as COSMOS.{{cite web|url=https://cosmos-ucop.ucdavis.edu/app/main|title=Welcome to COSMOS| access-date=2023-10-12}} Each summer this four-week residential program located on four [University of California](/source/University_of_California) campuses serves over 600 high school aged students. === Later career === Wilson is a member of the [board of directors](/source/board_of_directors) of [Gilead Sciences](/source/Gilead_Sciences) and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of [California Institute of Technology](/source/California_Institute_of_Technology) and [Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute](/source/Sanford_Burnham_Prebys_Medical_Discovery_Institute), and she is the chairperson of the Advisory Board and primary fundraiser for [COSMOS](/source/California_State_Summer_School_for_Mathematics_and_Science). She is a former member of the board of [ARCO](/source/ARCO) as well as of the [Center for Excellence in Education](/source/Center_for_Excellence_in_Education).{{citation needed|date=September 2013}} Wilson is a past president of the [Junior League](/source/Junior_League) of [San Diego](/source/San_Diego) as well as a founding member of the San Diego chapter of ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists). Since 2011, Wilson has been on the selection committee for the GE Reagan Scholarships. == Personal life == Wilson has two sons and one grandchild.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[https://www.forbes.com/finance/mktguideapps/personinfo/FromPersonIdPersonTearsheet.jhtml?passedPersonId=905892 Forbes Profile of Gayle Wilson]{{Dead link|date=February 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} *[http://www.gilead.ca/wt/tert/gayle_edlund_wilson Gilead Sciences Profile of Gayle Wilson]{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} {{S-start}} {{s-hon}} {{succession box|title=First Lady of California|before=[Gloria Saatjian](/source/Gloria_Saatjian)|after=[Sharon Davis](/source/Sharon_Davis) |years=January 7, 1991 – January 4, 1999}} {{S-end}} {{Spouses of California Governors}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Gayle}} Category:1942 births Category:Living people Category:People from Phoenix, Arizona Category:First ladies and gentlemen of California Category:Stanford University alumni Category:American health activists Category:Activists from California Category:California Republicans --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gayle Wilson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gayle_Wilson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gayle_Wilson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.