Ray officially joined AdvaMed’s full-time staff in February 2018 as executive vice president, conferences and events, having served the previous 12 years creating, growing and managing the association’s flagship annual medtech conference in his role as founder and CEO of Life Sciences Conference Group (LSCG).
Ray’s career has been business-focused (serving in executive, finance, management and marketing roles), but he has also practiced law (as a member of the Maryland bar) and he has worked in both the public and non-profit sectors. This included serving nearly 15 years with the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). While at BIO, Ray was a registered federal lobbyist and helped negotiate the original Drug User Fee Act. As BIO’s executive director, Ray oversaw the group’s state government affairs activities, as well as international, membership and marketing departments, and was responsible for BIO’s annual conference. Prior to BIO, Ray worked on the George H.W. Bush presidential campaigns, the 1989 presidential inaugural and in the George H. W. Bush White House.
Ray has extensive experience with large and complex budgets, employee relations, food and beverage issues, events and advocacy. This includes his service on the board of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), helping to launch a community bank, and serving as a member of the board of directors and board treasurer for the national non-profit Rebuilding Together. Ray has also served on the board and executive committee of the Maryland Technology Council and the Maryland Economic Development Commission, and is a past chair of the Maryland governor’s office on service and volunteerism.
Ray is a native Washingtonian and a single parent of three children. He holds an undergraduate degree in business administration from Auburn University and a law degree from Georgetown University.