The Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation Announces Dr. Stefanie Trop as Vice President of Economic Competitiveness
Rockville, Md.—The Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) today announced Dr. Stefanie Trop as the Vice President of Economic Competitiveness, a newly created role focused on expanding the organization’s research and business intelligence capabilities. In this role, Dr. Trop will serve as a key member of the MCEDC leadership team and lead the collection, analysis, and interpretation of economic and market data to generate actionable insights and forward-looking indicators, ensuring MCEDC can anticipate challenges, identify growth opportunities, and align strategies with evolving business and workforce needs.
Dr. Trop joins MCEDC from the Maryland Department of Commerce, where she served as Director of Life Sciences, having worked with companies, universities, government partners, and investors to strengthen Maryland’s life sciences ecosystem. Her achievements include leading the Maryland Life Sciences Advisory Board, co-founding the Maryland MedTech Summit, and leading the Maryland delegation at major industry events. During her tenure, the BioHealth Capital Region (Maryland, DC, Virginia) achieved and retained the #3 Biopharma hub ranking for three years.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Stefanie to MCEDC,” said Jared Smith, President & CEO of MCEDC. “To compete for businesses, investment, and jobs, we need to understand where the economy is going. Stefanie brings a rare combination of analytical expertise, industry experience, and deep knowledge of Maryland’s business ecosystem. She’ll help us turn data into insight, identify opportunities earlier, and make informed decisions about how we grow Montgomery County’s economy.”
Prior to joining the Department of Commerce in January of 2022, Dr. Trop served as Senior Specialist, Data Science, Flow Cytometry at Beckman Coulter Life Sciences where she helped translate complex scientific data into actionable insights. Dr. Trop holds a Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
“The momentum in Montgomery County is palpable, and I’m excited to join MCEDC at such a pivotal time,” said Dr. Trop. “I look forward to working alongside the team and our local and state partners to help tell Montgomery County’s economic story and showcase the County’s strengths and assets in order to support local businesses and attract new investment across our targeted industries.”
Dr. Trop has a start date of September 9.