Marcia has done many things, but is most passionate about working with next-generation technology entrepreneurship and tech-based economic development. She founded the Center for Emerging Technologies to support organizations developing cutting-edge technologies in medicine, bioscience, and engineering. Activities involve extensive engagement with researchers at UM-St. Louis, Washington University and Saint Louis University. It led to the development of CORTEX. She was Vice President of BioSTL in its first two years of existence.
Her love of science started young. She received a degree in microbiology, but to stay in the field, she would have had to get a doctorate. Instead, she decided to get out of the lab and into the business of science by getting an MBA. Her desire to spur community advancement and create economic opportunity led her to learn best practices for creating new high-growth companies and the resulting high-paying jobs. She has spent her career creating the environment for advanced technology companies to begin and thrive. Marcia doesn't like to use the word retired because she’s on the go all day long. She works part-time as a consultant with T-REX, a non-profit innovation and entrepreneur development center dedicated to strengthening the economic vitality of downtown St. Louis. She sees this organization’s engagement with NGA and geospatial technologies as an opportunity to grow the region economically, support local entrepreneurs, and attract new companies and talent to the city.
Marcia sees collaboration as a core element of leadership. While a leader might have a vision of where things need to go, a leader has to get people to “buy in” to that vision to get them to put forth their best work to achieve that vision.
Marcia is on the Executive Committee of the Advisory Board for the Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience, a magnet school in the city that serves disadvantaged students who excel academically. Additionally, she Chairs the St. Louis County Air Pollution Appeal Board, is on the Zoo Museum District Subdistrict for the Botanical Garden, and on the boards of Dance St. Louis and the International Women’s Forum. Marcia has been a strong supporter of women in the fight for equal rights and was a founder of the National Women’s Political Caucus in St. Louis. Her entire adult life she has been an advocate and champion for supporting women seeking elected and appointed office and making women’s voices heard.
Now that she has the time, her current passion is international travel. After a forced two-year hiatus, she was able to go to Morocco this past spring, where she explored the history, archeology, and unique culture of the country over three weeks. Her home is full of indigenous art from the counties she has visited. She has a deep love of the performing arts—theatre, dance, concerts—and enjoys attending various performances with groups of friends. Film is also a life-long passion, especially international, independent, and provocative movies. Two of her three sons and daughter-in-law are in the film industry.
Marcia’s recommendation: Travel the world. When you meet people from other cultures, you will grow personally. The news suddenly means so much more when you have visited the places that are discussed and understand the people affected. When you can, take advantage of the opportunity to travel.