Mary Elizabeth Grimes is a purpose driven successful leader. She has significant experience in creating vision and long-term strategies for non-profit and corporate organizations. She has routinely served in leadership roles throughout her career and has earned a reputation for exceptional performance in the media, fundraising, marketing, and academic organizations.  As an ambassador and spokesperson, she is highly engaging in attracting millions of dollars in support of the enterprises she represents.

Becoming the president of Marian Middle School was a perfect match for her passion and skills. Working at Marian is her joy not her job. She is currently responsible for stewarding over 200 students from 5th grade through post-secondary education and beyond.  As executive leader for Marian, the success of the organization is dependent on her ability to ensure that all students have a chance to finish high school, succeed in college and enter a sustainable career. She also encourages her staff, faculty and students to reach their full potential. Mary Elizabeth has elevated the organization to its next level of growth and recognition.

Marian Middle School now benefits from her previous experiences. She served as the State Director for the Greater Missouri Chapter of March of Dimes where she transformed the declining chapter into a sustainable and operationally efficient organization. She was also president of Forward Vision, Inc., a brand management consulting firm. She has served as the Director of Marketing for BJC Healthcare, Director of Development for Fair St. Louis; Executive Director of Elite International Sports Marketing and Management; Director of Sales and marketing with the St. Louis Sports Commission; and Account Executive at KMOV-TV/Channel 4.

Before returning to her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, Mary Elizabeth lived in Atlanta, Georgia. Her professional experiences in Atlanta included host and associate producer for three weeknight talk shows on WTLK-TV, Channel 14; National Marketing Manager of the Southeast Region for Television Bureau of Advertising; Regional Director of Advertising Sales for MTV Networks, Inc.; Account Executive positions with Home Box Office; CBS, Inc.; WSB-TV and WKLS-FM.

For her leadership and contributions to the community Mary Elizabeth has been recognized by several organizations:  Saint Louis University Martin Luther King Educational Leadership Award, Missouri Athletic Club Woman of Distinction Award, YWCA Distinguish Leader Award, St. Louis Business Journal Diverse Leaders Award, Rise Collaborative Woman of Influence Award, Youth and Family Center Equalizer Award, Incarnate Word Foundation Leadership Award, Gazelle Magazine Top 50 Women of Influence Award. In addition, she is also a motivational speaker. Mary Elizabeth recently wrote her life story featured in the third volume of On the RISE, a collaborative writing effort by members of RISE Collaborative Workspace, and she is a contributing author to HERstory, a compilation of wit, wisdom and whimsy written by 89 members of the YWCA Metro St. Louis Academy of Leaders.

Mary Elizabeth also served on community boards like Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School, Catholic Charities and the iHeartMedia Local Advisory Board.  She is also a commissioner of Explore St. Louis and member of Rise Collaborative, The Forum, Washington University Women’s Society, and the Greater Missouri Leadership.  She graduated from Spelman College and earned an Executive MBA from the Olin School of Business at Washington University.