Executive Instrumental in Development and Launch of Merck for Mothers Initiative to Lead Strategic Approach to Global Administration and Advocacy
May 10, 2017, BOSTON—Bruce Kuhlik, a former executive vice president and general counsel at the global pharmaceutical company Merck, will join Pathfinder International as its chief administrative officer and general counsel on June 1, 2017. He will be based out of the Washington, DC office.
While at Merck (known as MSD outside the US and Canada), Kuhlik was responsible for executive oversight of the legal department as well as global public policy, corporate responsibility, global communications, and security. He was also instrumental in the development and launch of the Merck for Mothers global initiative.
Most recently, in his role as senior advisor to the commissioner at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), he provided policy advice, served as liaison to the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the White House Domestic Policy Council, and oversaw the FDA team working on President Obama’s Precision Medicine Initiative.
Kuhlik began his law career as a clerk to Judge Levin Campbell at the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston, Massachusetts, later moving to the US Department of Justice as Assistant to the Solicitor General. He spent more than a decade as a partner at the law firm Covington & Burling, where he chaired the food and drug and healthcare practice groups, and subsequently became senior vice president and general counsel to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).
“Bruce’s extensive expertise at the intersection between public health and law will provide the visionary leadership we need as we work to constantly improve our services to the people we serve,” said Lois Quam, President and CEO of Pathfinder. “I look forward to accomplishing great things together.”
In this newly created role, Kuhlik will work in close partnership with Quam to standardize and optimize the organization’s global policies, processes, procedures, and advocacy efforts in support of Pathfinder’s vital community development work around the world.
“I am truly inspired by Pathfinder’s mission and its 60 remarkable years of service in local communities all over the world,” shares Kuhlik. “I look forward to working with Pathfinders in every corner of the globe to make sure more women and families receive the services they need.”
A recipient of numerous legal awards, Kuhlik holds degrees from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He has also served on boards and advisory groups of numerous organizations, including the National Legal Aid and Defenders Association (NLADA), Pro Bono Institute (PBI), Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, University of Pennsylvania Institute for Law and Economics, and the Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI). He currently serves on the board of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.
