Student Spotlight

Elza Kavanaugh

Global Pharma Divestments Transition Services Manager , Bayer Pharmaceuticals

Residence: Germany Nationality: Brazil

Class of 2026

Elza Rossi Kavanaugh’s professional journey has been driven by an ambition to understand healthcare not just as a business, but as a global institution. Today, as a pharmaceutical executive at Bayer, she oversees a demanding behind-the-scenes challenge: separating products and business units the company has chosen to sell, carefully untangling them from Bayer’s systems, contracts, and operations so they can be cleanly handed off to buyers — all without disrupting the business in the process.  Elza is enhancing her holistic perspective on the industry through NYU Law-Wagner’s Master of Science in Health Law and Strategy (MSHLS) program.

“Healthcare is a global reality — every country has a system — and yet it is often misunderstood due to its complexity and the financial mechanisms that support it. What I can say with certainty is that the MSHLS program has been crucial in providing me with a broader understanding of how policies are developed and implemented, and how significantly governmental institutions influence them.”

A native of São Paolo, Brazil, Elza began her career in the United States at Bayer in 2009, in a marketing and supply chain function. Over the next decade and a half, she has built a career spanning roles in supply chain and packaging across both Europe and the U.S.— experiences that ultimately led to her current position in global pharma divestment operations within BD&L (Business Development and Licensing).

“Although my education and training was not in the pharmaceutical industry or supply chain, I have always been a fast learner. I consider my ability to pivot when new opportunities arise a strong personal trait — I am highly adaptable. These qualities helped my career at Bayer begin and quickly gain momentum.”