Geralyn Ritter

President and CEO

gritter@crowell.com

Geralyn Ritter is the President and CEO of Crowell Global Advisors (CGA), the global public affairs, government relations and public policy consulting affiliate of Crowell & Moring LLP. Geralyn has more than 25 years of diverse business, legal and government experience, with particular depth in health care, international trade, sustainability, and global public policy.

Prior to joining CGA, Geralyn was Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Sustainability & ESG at Organon & Co. – a global healthcare company focused on women’s health. She was Organon’s lead global spokesperson and directed its government affairs, communications, and corporate responsibility efforts, bringing strong market and media recognition to Organon and its mission of improving women’s health around the world.

Geralyn held a number of senior positions at Merck & Co., Inc. between 2008 and 2021, including Senior Vice President, Corporate Secretary and Assistant General Counsel, and Senior Vice President of Global Public Policy & Corporate Responsibility. During her tenure, she led the creation of Merck for Mothers, a trailblazing global initiative to reduce maternal mortality, which was cited as one of the most impactful developments in global health. Geralyn also served as Vice President for International Affairs at the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). Earlier in her career, Geralyn was Associate General Counsel for Intellectual Property at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative within the Executive Office of the President. She has also counseled clients on trade and intellectual property matters at a global law firm.

Geralyn is a noted public speaker, patient advocate, and author. She recently published Bone by Bone: A Memoir of Trauma and Healing, her account of suffering near-fatal injuries in the derailment of an Amtrak train outside Philadelphia in 2015 and her long recovery in the years since.

Geralyn serves on the Board of the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University and has been newly elected to the Board of Directors of the American Trauma Society. She recently concluded two terms serving on the Board of Directors of Business for Social Responsibility, a global non-profit consulting firm.

Government Experience

Executive Office of the President, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative—Associate General Counsel, 1997-2000

Education

Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), M.A. conferred with distinction, International Economics and European Studies

Stanford Law School, J.D.  conferred with honors, Order of the Coif

Duke University, B.A., magna cum laude, Economics and Political Science, Phi Beta Kappa

Professional Activities and Memberships

Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, Board Member

Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Co-Chair, Patient and Family Advisory Council

Business for Social Responsibility, former Board Member

 

Publications

Bone by Bone, Core Media, 2022. Passionate patient advocate and frequent speaker on personal resilience.