Wilson was born in Phoenix, Arizona. As a teenager in February 1956, she acted in a professional production of A Room Full of Roses opposite Linda Darnell at the Sombrero Playhouse.^[2] Wilson competed in the 1960 National Science Talent Search.^[3] Wilson attended Stanford University, where she earned a degree in biology and a Phi Beta Kappa key.

First lady of California edit

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.^[4] Each summer this four-week residential program located on four University of California campuses serves over 600 high school aged students.^[1]

Later career edit

Wilson is a member of the board of directors of Gilead Sciences and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of California Institute of Technology and Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, and she is the chairperson of the Advisory Board and primary fundraiser for COSMOS. She is a former member of the board of ARCO as well as of the Center for Excellence in Education.^{[citation needed]}

Wilson is a past president of the Junior League of 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.

Wilson has two sons and one grandchild.^{[citation needed]}

• Forbes Profile of Gayle Wilson^{[permanent dead link]}
• Gilead Sciences Profile of Gayle Wilson^{[permanent dead link]}