Bio

Dr. Dara Richardson-Heron is a distinguished Fortune 100 corporate executive, board director and physician with over 25 years of leadership excellence in healthcare, corporate and non-profit sectors. A frequent speaker on equity in medicine and women in leadership, Dr. Richardson-Heron is known for her transformative contributions to improving disparities in healthcare and the workplace.

“Dara’s experiences as a top executive, as well as the role she played in the pandemic response, bring a unique and impactful background to The ExCo Group,” remarked David Reimer, CEO of The ExCo Group. “We are confident she will greatly benefit our clients.”

In addition to her work at Merryck, Dr. Richardson-Heron serves as Chief Patient Officer at Pfizer, Inc., one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. She is responsible for the organization’s global strategy to advance patient-focused programs and platforms. In addition, Dr. Richardson-Heron is responsible for identifying, creating and amplifying a strategic framework for impactful interactions with the organization’s patients in over 180 countries worldwide.

Before joining Pfizer, Dr. Richardson-Heron served as the chief engagement officer and scientific executive for the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) All of Us Research Program. There, she served on the NIH executive leadership team and led outreach efforts to enroll and retain over 1 million volunteers in a landmark effort to advance diverse and innovative health research that may lead to more precise treatment and prevention strategies.

Dr. Richardson-Heron served as CEO of the YWCA USA where she led the 158-year-old organization‘s transformation, mission impact, member services, advocacy, communications, finance, development teams and field directors nationwide. Together with her executive leadership team, she worked to develop and implement innovative, value added solutions and supports for the 25th largest nonprofit in the United States with a network of more than 220 local association members with net assets of nearly $1 Billion offering life-changing community-based services.

Previously, Dr. Richardson-Heron, M.D., served for four years as CEO of the Greater New York City Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.® During her tenure, the Affiliate has ranked as the #1 Komen Affiliate in fundraising and grants awarded — outpacing over 120 other Affiliates in the US and abroad. The Susan G. Komen for the Cure® organization is the largest source of nonprofit funds in the world dedicated to the fight against breast cancer.

Dr. Richardson-Heron is a 15-year and counting breast cancer survivor and a powerful advocate and public spokesperson for preventive health and breast cancer awareness. Her mother is also a breast cancer survivor of over 25 years.