Black Women in the STEM field who were featured on Forbes' 50 Over 50 list in 2025
In the realm of business and innovation, a select group of Black women are making significant strides, leaving indelible marks in the pharmaceutical and tech industries.
Yvonne Greenstreet, a seasoned pharmaceutical executive with a 30-year career, recently assumed the role of CEO at Alnylam, a biopharmaceutical company. Greenstreet's journey began as an OB-GYN in London, before spending 18 years at GlaxoSmithKline, where she rose to Senior Vice President and Chief of Strategy for Research and Development.
Greenstreet's accomplishments are impressive, with a track record of earning FDA approval for six medicines and currently advancing 25 others for conditions like Alzheimer's, diabetes, hypertension, and Huntington's disease. Her expertise has been recognised with leadership roles at Alnylam, where she joined as COO in 2016, became President and COO in 2020, and took the helm as CEO and Director in 2021.
Meanwhile, Alicia Boler Davis, an engineer, has been making waves in the tech industry. Following a stint at General Motors, where she became the first Black woman to serve as a plant manager, Boler Davis moved to Amazon, overseeing global fulfillment during COVID-19 and becoming part of the exclusive "S-Team" leadership circle. In 2022, she was named CEO of Alto, a digital pharmacy, and recently assumed the presidency of Ford Pro, the commercial fleet division of the automaker.
Montgomery Rice, the first female leader of the historically Black Morehouse School of Medicine, has also made her mark in the medical field. Rice held various faculty and leadership positions, including founding the Center for Women's Health Research at Meharry Medical College. Her contributions have been recognised with numerous honours, such as the Horatio Alger Award, the Dean Griffin Community Service Award from the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Girls Inc. Smart Award, and the National Medical Association's OB/GYN 2019 Legend of the Section Award.
Robin Washington, President and Chief Operating Officer at Salesforce, oversees key areas including business strategy, global finance, employee success, and marketing. With a career spanning over two decades, Washington has also served on the boards of Alphabet and Salesforce since 2013.
Despite their significant contributions, the Forbes 50 Over 50 list, which celebrates women who achieve notable success later in life, has yet to provide a precise list of Black women featured in the 2024 edition. The most recent related information concerns the 2025 Forbes 50 Over 50 list, which highlights women over 50 making significant professional impact, but no detailed names or race-specific breakdowns are presented in the current sources.
As we look forward to the 2025 Forbes 50 Over 50 list, it is clear that these trailblazing Black women are poised to continue shaping the future of the pharmaceutical and tech industries. Their stories serve as a testament to the power of determination, resilience, and the pursuit of excellence.
- Yvonne Greenstreet, a pharmaceutical executive, assumed the role of CEO at Alnylam, a biopharmaceutical company, marking a significant venture capital investment in health-and-wellness, specifically womens-health, with her expertise focusing on conditions like Alzheimer's, diabetes, hypertension, and Huntington's disease.
- Alicia Boler Davis, an engineer, has transitioned from Amazon's leadership circle to the role of CEO of Alto, a digital pharmacy, and currently serves as the President of Ford Pro, establishing her presence in the tech and science industries.
- Montgomery Rice, a leader in the medical field, founded the Center for Women's Health Research at Meharry Medical College and serves as the first female leader of the Morehouse School of Medicine, advocating for education-and-self-development and Stem-education.
- Robin Washington, a seasoned executive, oversees key business areas at Salesforce, demonstrating her influence in the realms of technology, business, and education.
- Despite their achievements, the Forbes 50 Over 50 list, featuring women who achieve notable success later in life, has yet to present a race-specific breakdown for the 2024 edition, leaving potential recognition for trailblazing Black women like Greenstreet, Boler Davis, and Rice unclear.
- As we anticipate the 2025 Forbes 50 Over 50 list, these trailblazing Black women are poised to continue making significant strides in the fields of pharmaceuticals, technology, and education, serving as an inspiration for future generations.
