Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Elects New Trustee
Princeton, N.J.—The Board of Trustees of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has elected a new Trustee, effective October 25, 2022: Michael Sneed, MBA. Sneed, a leader in the corporate healthcare industry, brings a deep commitment to health equity, public affairs, and community impact and will provide vital leadership in the Foundation’s pursuit of a Culture of Health.
“RWJF is pleased to welcome Michael Sneed to our Board of Trustees,” said Richard Besser, MD, president and CEO of the Foundation. “His exceptional management experience and expertise in the areas of communications and public affairs, together with his proven commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, will help lift the Foundation’s vision and mission and contribute significantly to our goal of achieving health equity in America.”
Board Chair Kathryn S. Fuller, JD, stated: “RWJF Board members look forward to the perspective Mr. Sneed will bring to our thinking and discussions and to the Foundation’s important work. He will offer strong insights not just into healthcare but also into the way we communicate about our work. His experience designing and implementing effective communications strategies at scale will inform and magnify our work to foster a Culture of Health for everyone in America.”
About the New Trustee
Michael Sneed, MBA, an experienced global business and corporate leader with more than 38 years in the healthcare industry, most recently served as executive vice president, Global Corporate Affairs & chief communication officer, and a member of the Executive Committee at Johnson & Johnson. Since 2012 he has been leading the corporation’s global marketing, communication, design, and philanthropy functions. Prior to that, he was company group chairman for Johnson & Johnson and a member of the Medical Devices & Diagnostics Group Operating Committee, where he had primary responsibility for the global vision care franchise.
"I am pleased to be joining the board of RWJF at a time when advancing health and health equity is of utmost importance,” said Sneed. “I am excited by the work of RWJF and I am confident in their ability to impact health outcomes on a systemic and inclusive basis for everyone in our country.”
Sneed joined Johnson & Johnson in 1983 as a marketing assistant for Personal Products Company, where he held positions of increasing responsibility in the marketing organization. In 1991, he moved to McNeil Consumer Products as a group product director and was promoted to vice president, Worldwide Consumer Pharmaceuticals in 1995 to lead the company’s growth in the Asia Pacific, Eastern European, and Latin American regions.
In 1998 Sneed relocated to Europe as managing director, McNeil Consumer Nutritionals Europe. He returned to the U.S. as president, McNeil Nutritionals Worldwide, in 2000. In 2002, he was named global president, Personal Products Company. Sneed was promoted to company group chairman and a member of the Consumer and Personal Care Group Operating Committee in 2004, with North American responsibility for the Personal Products Company, Johnson & Johnson Sales and Logistics Company, and Johnson & Johnson Consumer Canada. In this role, he also had North American responsibility for the IT, Finance, and HR organizations within the Consumer and Personal Care Group. As a member of the company’s executive leadership team, Sneed led Johnson & Johnson’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
Sneed is a member of the Board of Trustees at the Thomas Jefferson Health System and the Board of Directors of Wayfair. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, from Macalester College.
About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is committed to improving health and health equity in the United States. In partnership with others, we are working to develop a Culture of Health rooted in equity that provides every individual with a fair and just opportunity to thrive, no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they have. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org. Follow the Foundation on Twitter at www.rwjf.org/twitter or on Facebook at www.rwjf.org/facebook.