Michael Dell Wife: Susan Dell, Family, Career & Life

When people search for Michael Dell wife, they are usually looking for information about Susan Dell, the philanthropist, entrepreneur, and former fashion executive who has been married to Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell since 1989. The couple met on a blind date in 1988 and married the following year.

Susan Dell has built a public identity of her own. While she is widely known as Michael Dell’s wife, her career has included fashion entrepreneurship, competitive endurance sports, and extensive philanthropic work. She is also the co-founder and chair of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, which focuses on expanding opportunities for families and children.

This article explains who Susan Dell is, her relationship with Michael Dell, their family, career, philanthropy, and some of the most common questions people ask about the couple.

Who Is Michael Dell’s Wife?

Michael Dell’s wife is Susan Dell. She is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist who has worked extensively in fashion, health, education, and charitable initiatives.

Susan is best known for her role at the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, which she co-founded with her husband in 1999. The foundation works internationally on issues involving education, health, family economic stability, and opportunities for young people.

Unlike many spouses of high-profile technology executives, Susan Dell has maintained her own professional and philanthropic career. Her work has included:

• Fashion entrepreneurship
• Philanthropy
• Children’s health initiatives
• Education programs
• Family economic stability
• Community development
• Endurance sports

Her public profile therefore extends well beyond being known simply as Michael Dell’s wife.

Michael Dell and Susan Dell’s Relationship

Michael and Susan Dell’s relationship began in the late 1980s. According to Forbes, the couple met on a blind date in 1988 and married one year later, in 1989.

At the time, Michael Dell was building the company that would eventually become one of the world’s major technology businesses. He had founded the company in 1984 at the age of 19 with $1,000.

Michael Dell and Susan Dell Timeline

The relationship has therefore spanned several major stages of Michael Dell’s business career and the couple’s philanthropic development.

Who Is Susan Dell?

Susan Dell is more than the spouse of a technology billionaire. She has developed a career around entrepreneurship, philanthropy, health, education, and family-focused initiatives.

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation describes her as its co-founder and chair. The organization says she has guided its strategic priorities and growth for more than 25 years.

Her background also includes fashion. Susan founded multiple fashion labels, including the luxury brand Phi. She was active in the fashion industry before concentrating more heavily on philanthropic work.

Susan Dell’s Career at a Glance

Her career demonstrates why searches for “Michael Dell wife” often lead to a much broader story about Susan Dell herself.

Does Michael Dell Have Children?

Yes. Michael and Susan Dell have four children. A Forbes profile from 2012 identified their children as Kira, Alexa, Zachary, and Juliette. The article reported that the family had four children by that time.

Because the Dell children are private individuals compared with their parents, reliable public information about their current personal lives is comparatively limited.

The family has also influenced the couple’s philanthropic priorities. Susan Dell has previously spoken about the importance of children and families in shaping the foundation’s mission.

Michael and Susan Dell’s Family

Susan Dell’s Work With the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation

One of the most important parts of Susan Dell’s public career is her work with the family’s foundation.

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation was established in 1999. Its mission has developed around creating opportunities for children, families, and communities.

Today, the foundation operates across several regions, including the United States, India, Africa, and Israel. Its work covers areas such as education, health, employment, financial services, and family stability.

The foundation says it manages hundreds of active projects around the world each year and works through partnerships with organizations and communities.

Major Areas of Focus

The foundation’s work includes:

1. Education – Supporting students, schools, and pathways to higher education.
2. Health – Improving access to healthcare and supporting healthier families.
3. Jobs and livelihoods – Creating opportunities for young adults and families.
4. Financial services – Supporting entrepreneurs and families through access to financial tools.
5. Community development – Strengthening opportunity and resilience.

This philanthropic work is a major reason Susan Dell has developed an independent public profile.

Susan Dell and Children’s Health

Children’s health has been an important theme in the Dell family’s philanthropy.

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation has supported the development of pediatric healthcare in Texas. One major example is Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin.

According to the foundation, it has invested more than $61 million since 2007 to help expand specialty pediatric care through Dell Children’s Medical Center. The hospital serves families across Central Texas and is described by the foundation as the region’s only pediatric Level 1 Trauma Center.

Susan’s interest in children’s health has also been connected to her broader focus on families and healthy lifestyles.

Susan Dell’s Fashion Career

Before becoming widely associated with philanthropy, Susan Dell had a career in fashion.

She founded fashion labels and was particularly associated with Phi, a luxury fashion brand. The brand became part of her entrepreneurial career before she eventually moved away from the fashion business.

This part of her career is sometimes overlooked because Michael Dell is primarily associated with technology and business.

Susan’s career shows that she has pursued business interests independently rather than simply functioning as a supporting figure behind her husband.

Is Susan Dell an Athlete?

Yes. Susan Dell has a notable background in endurance sports.

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation describes her as an accomplished athlete who has competed in:

• Elite marathons
• Triathlons
• The Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii

Her athletic interests have also connected with her broader interest in health and wellness.

Michael Dell Wife and Philanthropy

The phrase “Michael Dell wife” may suggest that Susan Dell is primarily known through her husband. However, their philanthropic partnership has become a significant part of both of their public profiles.

In 1999, the couple created their foundation to focus their giving more strategically. Their philanthropic efforts have since expanded internationally.

The foundation has supported projects involving:

• Children and families
• Schools and education
• Healthcare
• University access
• Employment
• Entrepreneurship
• Financial inclusion

In 2025, Michael and Susan Dell also announced a $6.25 billion commitment intended to help fund investment accounts for millions of American children through a national initiative. Dell Technologies separately described the gift as distinct from its own employee-related commitment.

This illustrates the scale of the couple’s more recent philanthropic activities.

Michael Dell and Susan Dell’s Public Life

Michael Dell is generally much more visible in business media because of his leadership of Dell Technologies.

The company grew from the business Michael Dell founded in 1984 into a major technology corporation. He currently serves as chairman and chief executive officer of Dell Technologies.

Susan’s public work is more strongly connected to philanthropy, fashion, health, and family-focused initiatives.

Their professional interests are therefore different but often overlap through charitable projects.

Michael Dell vs. Susan Dell

What Does Susan Dell Do Today?

Susan Dell continues to serve as co-founder and chair of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. The foundation says she has helped guide its strategic priorities for more than two decades.

Her current public activities are primarily associated with philanthropy, community initiatives, and the foundation’s work across different countries.

She has also received recognition for her contributions. The foundation reports that she was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame and that she and Michael Dell received the History-Making Texan Award in 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions About Michael Dell’s Wife

Who is Michael Dell’s wife?

Michael Dell’s wife is Susan Dell. She is an entrepreneur and philanthropist and serves as co-founder and chair of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.

When did Michael Dell and Susan Dell get married?

Michael and Susan Dell married in 1989. They met on a blind date in 1988.

How many children do Michael and Susan Dell have?

Michael and Susan Dell have four children. A 2012 Forbes profile identified them as Kira, Alexa, Zachary, and Juliette.

What does Susan Dell do?

Susan Dell is a philanthropist and entrepreneur. She is the co-founder and chair of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and has also worked in the fashion industry.

Did Susan Dell work in fashion?

Yes. Susan Dell founded several fashion labels, including the luxury brand Phi.

Is Susan Dell involved in charity work?

Yes. Philanthropy is a major part of Susan Dell’s public career. Through the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, she works on initiatives related to education, health, economic opportunity, and families.

What is the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation?

It is the Dell family’s philanthropic foundation, established in 1999. It supports programs designed to expand opportunities for children, families, and communities in several regions around the world.

Is Susan Dell an athlete?

Yes. She has competed in elite marathons, triathlons, and the Ironman World Championships in Kona, according to the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.

Key Takeaways About Michael Dell’s Wife

For readers searching for Michael Dell wife, the most important facts are straightforward:

• Michael Dell is married to Susan Dell.
• They met in 1988 and married in 1989.
• They have four children.
• Susan has her own background in entrepreneurship and fashion.
• She is the co-founder and chair of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.
• Her philanthropic interests include education, health, families, and economic opportunity.
• She has also competed in major endurance sporting events.
• Michael and Susan Dell have continued to make large-scale philanthropic commitments in recent years.

Susan Dell’s story is therefore not limited to her connection with the founder of Dell Technologies. Her own career, philanthropy, entrepreneurship, and community work have made her a notable figure in her own right.

Conclusion

The answer to the search query “Michael Dell wife” is Susan Dell, but there is considerably more to her story than her marriage to the technology entrepreneur.

The couple married in 1989 after meeting the previous year and went on to build a family and a major philanthropic organization together. Susan developed her own career in fashion and later became deeply involved in philanthropy, particularly through the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.

Today, Susan Dell remains closely associated with initiatives involving education, healthcare, family economic stability, and community opportunity. Her work alongside Michael Dell has made the couple’s family philanthropy an important part of their public legacy.