List of 2025's Forbes 50 Over 50: Four Distinguished Black Women in the Field of STEM
Four Black Women Make Forbes 50 Over 50 List
In a remarkable achievement, four Black women have made it onto the 2025 Forbes 50 Over 50 list, a recognition that honours individuals who continue to excel in their respective fields, particularly in the STEM sector and leadership roles.
Alicia Boler Davis is one of the four trailblazers, known for her significant contributions in the automotive industry and her role in managing Amazon's global operations during the pandemic.
Boler Davis spent nearly 25 years at General Motors, where she rose through the ranks to become the first Black woman to serve as a plant manager and the first to be part of the exclusive "S-Team" leadership circle at Amazon. Her career growth at GM included serving as the senior executive overseeing global fulfillment during the pandemic.
In 2021, Boler Davis was appointed as the CEO of Alto Pharmacy, LLC.
Yvonne Greenstreet is another name to watch. With a 30-year career that started as an OB-GYN in London, Greenstreet has made a name for herself in the pharmaceutical industry. She worked at GlaxoSmithKline plc for 18 years, where she was Senior Vice President and Chief of Strategy for Research and Development. Greenstreet also served as Senior Vice President and Head of Medicines Development at Pfizer between 2011 and 2013, and as Senior Vice President and Head of Medicines Development at Pfizer between 2011 and 2013. In late 2021, she was appointed as a Director and Chief Executive Officer of Alnylam.
Valerie Montgomery Rice and Robin Washington are the two other Black women on the list, although their specific roles and achievements are not detailed as extensively as Boler Davis and Greenstreet in the available sources.
Montgomery Rice made history as the first woman to lead the Morehouse School of Medicine, serving as its sixth president. She has held several faculty positions and leadership roles, including the founding director of the Center for Women's Health Research at Meharry Medical College.
Washington, on the other hand, leads Business Strategy and Operations, Global Finance, Employee Success, Global Strategic Customers and Partners, Marketing, Communications, and Real Estate and Workplace Services at Salesforce. She has a 25-year career with roles at companies such as Gilead Sciences, Hyperion Solutions, and PeopleSoft. Washington has served on the Salesforce board since 2013 and is currently the President and COO at Salesforce.
These four Black women are shining examples of success and inspiration for future generations, demonstrating that age is no barrier to achieving greatness in STEM fields and leadership roles.
[1] Forbes. (2025). 50 Over 50: Alicia Boler Davis. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/profile/alicia-boler-davis/ [Accessed 10 Mar. 2023].
[3] Forbes. (2025). Alicia Boler Davis: The First Black Woman To Run A Plant At General Motors. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacksonholmes/2019/08/08/alicia-boler-davis-the-first-black-woman-to-run-a-plant-at-general-motors/?sh=668c74c2356f [Accessed 10 Mar. 2023].
- Alicia Boler Davis's notable career growth in the automotive industry and global operations management, as well as her pioneering role as the first Black woman to serve as a plant manager at General Motors and a member of Amazon's "S-Team" leadership circle, exemplifies the interconnection of leadership, lifestyle, and education-and-self-development.
- Yvonne Greenstreet's journey from being an OB-GYN in London to a leading executive role in the pharmaceutical industry, such as serving as Senior Vice President and CEO of Alnylam, showcases the influence of leadership and learning in fostering a successful community member and driving advancements in STEM education.
- The educational background and professional achievements of Valerie Montgomery Rice, serving as president of the Morehouse School of Medicine, and Robin Washington, leading various departments at Salesforce, underscore the importance of educational institutions, particularly in the realm of STEM education, and the transformative impact they can have on community and leadership development.
