Mareshia Donald, Ph.D.

Director, Chief of Staff to the Chief Human Resources Officer, Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Mareshia Donald, PhD, is a dynamic change maker who is most energized by opportunities that enable her to combine her scientific training with a passion for advancing STEM literacy and a commitment to creating inclusive STEM spaces. Since joining Vertex Pharmaceuticals in 2020, Mareshia has provided vision and strategic leadership to recruitment efforts for Vertex’s signature R&D early career programs as well as to Vertex’s Inclusion, Diversity and Equity initiatives and priorities. She currently supports Vertex’s overall people strategy as Chief of Staff to the Chief Human Resources Officer. Prior to her role at Vertex, Mareshia led the Summer Scholars and Postbaccalaureate Research InternShip & Mentoring (PRISM) Programs at Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research and Education and Diversity efforts for the Center on Emergent Behaviors of Integrated Cellular Systems at MIT.

Mareshia holds a doctoral degree in neuroscience from Brandeis University and Bachelor of Arts degrees in neuroscience and behavior & language studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz.

She was one of 60 scientists from underrepresented backgrounds to have their experiences represented in the play Young Nerds of Color and has served on the boards of the Association for Women in Science-Massachusetts Chapter, the Housing Corporation of Arlington, the North Suburban YMCA and the Fisher College Biology Program. She presently serves on WBUR’s Community Advisory Board — where she is also a member of the Diversity & Inclusion Task Force. She resides with her daughters and husband in Arlington, MA and enjoys day trips, reading, and coffee.