Marlene V. Coulis is a former executive with over 30 years of experience in strategic planning, brand marketing, advertising, new product development, and consumer research.
Coulis was previously with Coulis Consulting, providing strategic and actionable marketing solutions to drive brand growth within the consumer and retail environment. Prior to that, she was with Anheuser-Busch Inc. for more than 18 years, most recently as Vice President, Brand Management, then Vice President, Consumer Strategy, Insights, and Innovation. In addition, she led the integration of the total marketing approach into the combined Anheuser-Busch InBev global company. She also had served on the corporation’s strategy committee, a group of the most senior executives responsible for setting the company’s strategic course. During her tenure, she helped the company become a leading beverage innovator by expanding its brand portfolio to include a full line of American and craft-style beers, select imports, premium high alcohol spirits, and specialty non-alcohol beverages.
Coulis was elected to the board of USA Funds (Strada’s predecessor organization) in 2011, and she served as chair of the Strada Education Foundation board from 2021 to 2024. She is now chair of the board’s Governance Committee.
Coulis is also on the board of trustees for Embarc, a three-year program that provides experience-based learning opportunities to low-income high school students, primarily in the Chicago Public Schools system. The program is designed to prepare them for college and career success.
She also serves as board Trustee and Vice President for the Bishop Noll Institute Foundation, and as board member of the Palm Springs Sister Cities. She is a graduate of Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, and resides in Palm Springs, California, and Chicago, Illinois.