Onté McClendon

Onté M. McClendon, MBA, MS, CPP, is an accomplished procurement and business leader with more than 20 years of experience driving strategic transformation, organizational effectiveness, and enterprise-wide collaboration within the pharmaceutical industry. He currently serves as Chief of Staff and Program Management Office Lead for R&D Sourcing & Procurement at Merck & Co., where he partners with senior leaders to shape strategy, enable operational excellence, and drive execution of critical business priorities. In this role, he serves as a trusted advisor to the leadership team, leading strategic planning, performance management, organizational communications, and enterprise initiatives that accelerate business outcomes and strengthen stakeholder engagement.

Throughout his career at Merck, Onté has built a reputation for translating strategy into action, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and delivering measurable value through continuous improvement, knowledge management, change leadership, and process optimization. His diverse experiences span procurement, manufacturing, quality, packaging commercialization, and organizational capability building. He has successfully led global product launches, implemented knowledge-sharing frameworks, advanced diversity and inclusion initiatives, and influenced organizational strategies that have generated significant business impact.

In addition to his corporate leadership responsibilities, Onté serves as the Global Leader of Merck’s League of Employees of African Descent (LEAD) Employee Business Resource Group, where he leads the organization's global strategy, annual business planning, leadership development efforts, and community engagement initiatives. Through this role, he works closely with senior executives and stakeholders across the enterprise to advance inclusion, strengthen talent development, and foster meaningful connections that support both business and employee success.

A passionate advocate for mentorship, leadership development, and community engagement, Onté has held numerous leadership positions with professional and nonprofit organizations, including serving as President and Board Member of the Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus, Board Member of the National Society of Black Engineers Greater Philadelphia Professionals Chapter, and Executive Chairperson for the Pharmaceutical Youth Mentor Program. His commitment to developing future leaders and creating inclusive communities has been a hallmark of his career.

Onté is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. He also holds an MBA from Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business and an M.S. in Packaging Science from Michigan State University, along with multiple professional certifications, including Certified Packaging Professional, Certified Six Sigma Black Belt, Certified Change Agent, and Certified After Action Review Practitioner & Trainer. He is also a graduate of the McKinsey Management Accelerator Academy and Merck’s Business Leadership Program.