Marcus Howard, the founder and CEO of St. Louis-based COUNSELMEDS, has been selected for the prestigious 2026 Innovative Entrepreneurs Program of Eisenhower Fellowships.
Howard is one of 27 leaders from around the world selected for the program, which was established in 1953 to honor President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s commitment to international leadership and innovation.
A pharmacist and healthcare entrepreneur, Howard plans to use the fellowship to travel to India to study community-based pharmacy systems, digital health technologies and medication delivery models designed to bridge health equity gaps.
Another local leader also was selected for the 2026 fellowship; Emily Lohse-Busch, executive director of the 39 North AgTech Innovation District, will travel to Tanzania to study agricultural innovation.
“It is an incredible honor to represent St. Louis as an Eisenhower Fellow,” Howard said. “To have two entrepreneurs selected from our region reflects the strength of St. Louis’ innovation ecosystem. I look forward to learning from global leaders and bringing back ideas that expand access to health care and create lasting impact for underserved communities.”
Howard founded COUNSELMEDS to improve medication adherence and health outcomes for Medicaid patients and other underserved populations by combining digital technology with pharmacist-led care.
His regional work grew out of GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness, the Black-owned pharmacy he opened at Delmar DivINe in 2023 with a mission to provide culturally responsive, community-centered care. Speaking during GreaterHealth’s 2023 grand opening, Howard said the pharmacy measures success not by the number of prescriptions it fills but by the difference it makes in patients’ lives.
“Don’t ask me what makes GreaterHealth different. Ask the senior with 90-plus prescriptions who receives counseling that makes her believe she will be well again,” Howard said. “Ask the person who can’t get out of the house who receives free prescription delivery.”
The need for that work was recently highlighted in a peer-reviewed study he co-authored for BMC Public Health. The research revealed that 17.2% of St. Louis residents live in “pharmacy deserts,” a crisis that disproportionately impacts Black residents, who account for roughly 80% of the affected population.
Howard said he hopes the lessons he learns in India will help expand pharmacy access and improve health outcomes in St. Louis and other underserved communities.