Marcia Brown-Rayford is a transformative life sciences executive with over 30 years of experience driving global innovation, operational excellence, and business transformation. Her leadership has delivered over $1 billion in efficiencies, productivity gains, and cost savings across pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medtech, CRO and other life sciences service organizations.

Marcia began her career as a research chemical engineer in Merck’s R&D labs, where she played a key role in the development of breakthrough therapeutics for HIV/AIDS, prostate cancer, asthma, and animal health. Her work ignited a lifelong passion for advancing scientific innovation.

Following her dual MBAs in Strategic and Entrepreneurial Management from The Wharton School, Marcia joined PwC’s Life Sciences practice, delivering results for industry-leading clients. She later rejoined Merck to help lead enterprise-wide R&D restructuring, M&A integration, and operational transformation.

As the founding leader of the Global Life Sciences Practice at RGP, she led high-impact global engagements with a focus on execution, change, and continuous improvement. A Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with additional certifications in Change Management, Enterprise Process Management, and Program/Project Management, Marcia is known for her precise, agile leadership in complex environments.

In addition to her Wharton MBAs, she holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis and continues to shape the future of science and equity through her nonprofit BrightPath STEAM Academy and her role as a U.S. Ambassador to One Young World, a United Nations-affiliated platform which helps shape the next generation of world leaders to advance global equity and innovation.