Her longest relationship thus far has been with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She served as executive vice president from 2001 to 2002, as chief operating officer from 2002 to 2006, and as president of the Global Development Program from 2006 to the end of 2011. Burwell was considered to replace Gates Foundation chief Patty Stonesifer upon her retirement in 2008, but was passed over for Microsoft executive Jeff Raikes. In late 2011, she was picked to lead the Walmart Foundation. See a complete timeline of Burwell’s career here.