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Dr. Lawrence Brilliant is an American physician, epidemiologist, technologist, author and philanthropist. Brilliant, a technology patent holder, has been CEO of two public companies and other venture backed start ups.

In 1969 Brilliant joined the Native American occupation on Alcatraz as unofficial doctor.

Brilliant performed in the movie Medicine Ball Caravan, playing a doctor in a film about a tribe of hippies who follow SF rock bands. The cast was paid with airline tickets to India. Brilliant and some other members cashed their tickets in and rented a bus to drive around Europe, which then turned into a relief convoy to help victims of the 1970 cyclone in Bangladesh. The civil unrest stopped the relief caravan so he spent several years in India studying at a Himalayan ashram with  Hindu sage Neem Karoli Baba.

From 1973 to 1976 he participated, as a medical officer, in the World Health Organization's (WHO) successful smallpox eradication program.

In 1978 he co-founded Seva, an International, non-profit, health foundation which has given back sight to more than 2 million blind people through surgery, self sufficient eye care systems, and low cost manufacturing of intraocular lenses.

In 1985 he co-founded, with Stewart Brand, The Well, a prototypic online community.

From 2006 to 2009 he was director of Google's philanthropic arm Google.org.

In April 2009 he was chosen to oversee the "Skoll Urgent Threats Fund" established by eBay co-founder Jeff Skoll.

==External Links==
*Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Brilliant

[[Category:People]]