Lori Tauber Marcus
Founder, Courtyard Connections, LLC
Lori Marcus is an independent board director & board advisor and the founder of Courtyard Connections, LLC, an advisory firm focused on marketing and leadership in consumer goods, retail, foodservice, and consumer technology. She is a keynote speaker who focuses on helping women reach their full potential. Her signature talk is entitled, “Train for the career AND life you desire”. Ms. Marcus also uses her passion for fitness and wellness in her executive mentoring/coaching with her signature “Everything I need to know, I learned at yoga” framework.
Lori recently completed a multi-year engagement, working with the Harvard Business School’s Kraft Precision Medicine Accelerator, first as the chair of the Direct-to-Patient Initiative, and then as an advisor. She was charged with bringing best-in-class direct-to-consumer practices to disease-based organizations to advance precision medicine efforts via direct-to-patient engagement.
Prior to working with HBS, Ms. Marcus served as interim Global Chief Marketing Officer for Peloton Interactive in NYC. Before joining Peloton, she was EVP, Chief Global Brand and Product Officer at Keurig Green Mountain. With more than 30 years of broad-based marketing and general management experience, Lori was responsible for global brand and product management for the Keurig system of innovative coffee brewers and beverages. During her tenure at Keurig Green Mountain, she also led the company’s global marketing efforts and all aspects of e-commerce, digital/social media, CRM, marketing insights, and graphic design.
Previously, Ms. Marcus was the SVP, Chief Marketing Officer of The Children’s Place Retail Stores. Prior to that, she spent 24 years with PepsiCo in marketing & general management positions of increasing responsibility, culminating in her appointment as Senior Vice President, Marketing Activation for PepsiCo Beverages, North America. Her previous PepsiCo experience included responsibility for global strategic initiatives, product innovation, customer marketing, brand marketing, and strategy in their beverage and foodservice divisions.
Ms. Marcus recently joined the board of Primo Water. This follows her appointment in 2021 to the boards of Fresh Del Monte Produce and 24 Hour Fitness. Ms. Marcus was also a long-serving board director of DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC), a private equity-backed leader in consumer DNA testing services, Golub Corporation (d.b.a Price Chopper and Market 32 Supermarkets), Phunware (NASDAQ: PHUN), a provider of software that powers mobile apps, and Talalay Global, a privately-held manufacturer of premium bedding.
She is on the Board of Directors for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) where she serves as vice chairman of the board and leader of the Resource Development Committee. Lori is a board director of SHARE Cancer Support and serves on their communications committee. She is also a board advisor to several early-stage direct-to-consumer companies where she works with founders on all aspects of growth strategy.
Ms. Marcus earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Lori attributes much of her success to a lifelong commitment to nutrition, wellness, and fitness. She is an avid runner and enjoys yoga, cycle spinning, and hiking.