Employee Ambassador Spotlight: Kalahn Taylor-Clark

For the last six months, I’ve had the privilege of serving as Vice President and Head of Social Impact and Sustainability (SIS) at MSD. In this role, I oversee our company’s sustainability consulting and reporting, impact investing and giving, including the MSD Foundation, US Patient Assistance Program, the Mectizan Donation Program, and the MSD Venture Impact Fund, and our Mission-Aligned Initiatives, including MSD for Mothers.

I’ve always had a love for the classroom, so I dedicate some of my time to teach Healthcare Organizational Leadership and Inclusive Leadership at Carey Business School at The Johns Hopkins University. Teaching has given me a remarkable opportunity to share with the next generation of leaders, not only my experiences as a policy researcher, advocate, and business leader, but also a love for learning and building on knowledge to enact mindful action.

Outside of my job, I love biking, kayaking, traveling with my 12-year-old son, Dashiell Grey, and hiking with our two dogs, Peter and Baby. Growing up in Maine, I developed a deep love for nature, which still grounds and inspires me today.

Dashiell Grey has been my travel companion since birth – we’ve explored over 40 countries together (and counting)! I’ve watched him absorb cultures from around the world with openness, positivity, and an engaging curiosity.

1. Could you reflect on your career path and what brought you to your current role as the Head of the Social Impact and Sustainability team at MSD?

My journey began at Tufts University, where a study abroad program in Ghana shaped my career path. While working at a childcare clinic in Accra, I contracted a severe form of malaria for which I was fortunate to receive medical care that allowed me to recover. I was devastated to learn, however, that a two-year-old girl, whom I had met at the clinic, was also diagnosed with malaria but did not receive the same level of care. Tragically, I heard that she passed away shortly after. That loss changed my life – fueling my desire to pursue a Master of Public Health degree and later a Ph.D. in Health Policy to better understand and address health inequities.

I also experienced the personal loss of my daughter, Zora Grey, who passed away one week after being born prematurely. I share this story because while we all face pain and hardship in life, there can also be beauty in how those experiences lead to some of our most profound, positive and meaningful moments. These challenges shape us and teach resilience, and they solidified my commitment to maternal health and to making a difference in the lives of others.

My goal has never been to climb the corporate ladder. Rather, my focus is to lead by example and to create meaningful opportunities for improving the health and wellbeing of the people and patients we serve. At MSD, I get to live my values and work to support the efforts of others who are on this mission.

3. Are there any aspects of the MSD for Mothers initiative you find particularly inspiring?

The global reach of our work across focus countries is truly inspiring. In Nigeria, we’re not just focusing on urban centers – we’re helping to build infrastructures that ensure people in more remote or underserved areas have access to the care they need. While quality facilities are vital, they alone aren’t enough. What we’re doing is much more holistic – meeting communities where they are and building sustainable systems that can carry on long after we’re gone.

In India, the Manyata Program is a standout example. Through this initiative, we’ve supported training certification of private sector OBGYNs to broaden access to quality maternal care, while opening the door to collaboration on other critical health issues, such as cervical and breast cancer. It’s a powerful demonstration of how targeted partnerships can scale impact in meaningful ways.

In Latin America, it’s been incredibly rewarding to see MSD for Mothers extend its reach into markets across the region. What stands out is how we’re building trust by making thoughtful investments in relationships, infrastructure and care delivery that matter to local leaders and communities. In places like Brazil, this has strengthened relationships with stakeholders and created new pathways for addressing broader health challenges, including cervical cancer elimination.

What ties these efforts together is our commitment to listening and learning first – then acting. Sustainable change happens when we collaborate with communities, respond to their realities and co-create solutions that are built to last.