DEERFIELD, Ill. — Tracey Brown has stepped down as president of retail and chief customer officer at Walgreens to take on work supporting the dance community, empowering athletes through wealth management, and partnering with organizations that uplift health, business and community.
"I closed an incredible chapter with Walgreens and stepped into a sabbatical season, taking time to reset and pour my leadership into purpose-driven work I deeply care about," she wrote on LinkedIn.
She had been responsible for Walgreens’ retail business and the consumer experience across all store, pharmacy and health touchpoints, leading the development of strategies to advance the company across a complex and dynamic competitive landscape.
Brown oversaw more than 200,000 field and store operations team members, as well as the merchandising, marketing, digital, omnichannel, store format, data and analytics, asset protection, real estate, and supply chain organizations, all working together to build trusted relationships with, and create healthier futures for, customers, patients, team members and communities.
“Our success starts with our frontline team members — they are the ones who make the real magic happen,” she said. “Their expertise, the trust they build, and the genuine connections they form with our customers and patients is what truly sets Walgreens apart. And it’s what brings our value proposition of being the health and well-being destination to life.”
The most rewarding part of her job was spending time in stores, she added. “I love rolling up my sleeves, stocking shelves, unloading trucks and working the checkout counter. It keeps me connected to the everyday realities our teams and customers face. Every interaction and conversation with a teammate can help inspire change or influence how we operate and make it easier for teammates to deliver a great experience to our customers and patients.”
Brown joined Walgreens in 2021. She had been CEO of the American Diabetes Association starting in 2018, leading a health care transformation and financial turnaround of ADA’s business.
Prior to that, she was senior vice president of operations and chief experience officer for Walmart/Sam’s Club, where she helped drive a double-digit increase in company performance by growing traffic through experience, transforming merchandise and leading digital platforms and strategy. She also served as chief member and marketing officer, overseeing membership operations, data and analytics, omnichannel integration, personalization, and other initiatives, which were instrumental in driving more than $2 billion in sales growth during her tenure.
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