Geralyn Ritter

C&M International President & CEO | She/Her/Hers

Overview

Geralyn Ritter is the President and CEO of C&M International, 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 CMI, 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 Co-chairs the Patient and Family Advisory Council at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. She recently concluded two terms serving on the Board of Directors of Business for Social Responsibility, a global non-profit consulting firm.

Career & Education

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    • Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
      • Associate General Counsel, 1997–2000
    • Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
      • Associate General Counsel, 1997–2000
    • Executive Vice President, Corporate Sustainability & ESG and Senior Vice President External Affairs and Corporate Governance, Organon & Co., 2020-2024
    • Senior Vice President, Corporate Secretary and Assistant General Counsel, Merck & Co., 2012-2020
    • Executive Vice President, Corporate Sustainability & ESG and Senior Vice President External Affairs and Corporate Governance, Organon & Co., 2020-2024
    • Senior Vice President, Corporate Secretary and Assistant General Counsel, Merck & Co., 2012-2020
    • Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), M.A., conferred with distinction, International Economics and European Studies, 1994
      Washington, D.C. / Bologna, Italy
    • Stanford Law School, J.D., conferred with honors, 1993
      Order of the Coif
    • Duke University, B.A., magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Economics and Political Science, 1990
    • Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), M.A., conferred with distinction, International Economics and European Studies, 1994
      Washington, D.C. / Bologna, Italy
    • Stanford Law School, J.D., conferred with honors, 1993
      Order of the Coif
    • Duke University, B.A., magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Economics and Political Science, 1990