MICHELLENE DAVIS, ESQ.

President & CEO, National Medical Fellowships
Former Treasurer, State of NJ
Former Chief Policy Counsel, NJ Governor’s Office
Former CEO, NJ Lottery

Speaker's Fee Range

Available upon request

Michellene Davis, Esq.
Michellene Davis is the President and Chief Executive Officer of National Medical Fellowships, Inc. (NMF), one of America’s first diversity organizations. Founded in 1946, it provides scholarships to Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) pursuing careers in medical and health professions to ensure equitable access to culturally competent, high-quality health care. NMF also increases the number of BIPOC clinician leaders to diversify clinical trials.

Ms. Davis most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at RWJBarnabas Health, the largest academic medical center system in New Jersey and one of the largest in the nation. She founded Social Impact and Community Investment, an equity-centered, policy-led community health practice addressing the social and political determinants of health. She was the first African American in state history to serve as Chief Policy Counsel to former New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine, the first African American and the second woman to serve as New Jersey State Treasurer. She was the youngest person to serve as CEO of the New Jersey Lottery and also served as a senior policy advisor in the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services.

She co-authored Changing Missions, Changing Lives: How a Change Agent Can Turn the Ship and Create Impact, published by ForbesBooks in 2020, which provides a blueprint for those committed to leading systems change within organizations.

A trailblazing leader and effective health equity advocate, Davis was named among Modern Healthcare magazine’s Top 25 Most Influential Minority Leaders in Healthcare and Becker's Hospital Review's Top 113 Great Leaders in Healthcare 2022 and 75 Black Healthcare Leaders to Know 2022. The National Association of Health Services Executives  awarded her their 2021 Senior Health Care Executive Award.

Ms. Davis began her career as a trial litigator. She is an Honors graduate of Seton Hall University and holds a Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall School of Law. She also holds Executive Education Certificates in Corporate Social Responsibility from the Harvard Business School and in Social Impact Strategy from the Wharton School of Business.

Ms. Davis is an inspirational speaker, motivating storyteller, and powerful public advocate who ignites and delights audiences, including:

  • “Churn” Adversity: Turn Challenge and Adversity into a New Direction for Your Life
  • Stop Going to Work and Start “Going to Ministry”: Find the Gift of Purpose in Your Career
  • Maintain Your “Core Authenticity”: Succeed in the Workplace and Remain True to Yourself
  • Create Legacy: Make Choices for a Career and a Lifetime