Rite Aid Appoints Jeanniey Walden Chief Marketing Officer

Rite Aid has named Jeanniey Walden its SVP and chief marketing officer, making permanent the interim role that the veteran marketing executive has held since March 2023. Walden will continue to play a key role in the drug store chain’s growth strategy to help create meaningful customer, client and member experiences. She will also lead the expansion of Rite Aid’s Thrifty ice cream brand.

“As we continue to accelerate our performance through bold strategy, focused execution and experienced leadership, we are pleased to permanently welcome Jeanniey to the Rite Aid team,” noted Elizabeth “Busy” Burr, interim CEO of the company. “As an accomplished marketeer with a customer-centric approach, Jeanniey will lead the charge to strengthen and enhance the ways we conveniently meet our customers’ changing needs, helping us further our mission to provide whole health for life.”

[Read more: Rite Aid ESG Report Demonstrates Efforts to Be Responsible Community Member”]

Walden will also continue as a member of the company’s executive leadership team, reporting to Burr. Before joining Rite Aid, Walden was chief innovation and marketing officer of New York-based financial services company DailyPay, in which capacity she worked closely with large grocery and retail banners such as Target, Dollar Tree and Kroger, overseeing strategies to enhance the omnichannel customer journey. Her expertise spans building customer-driven solutions and enterprise transformation, with previous leadership roles at Barnes & Noble, Mercer, Ogilvy, and JCPenney. 

“I’m incredibly excited to join Rite Aid in a permanent capacity to continue innovating our customer-first culture and our approach to customer engagement and loyalty,” noted Walden.” As the neighborhood health-and-wellness destination, we’re proud to meet all of our customers’ needs — whether they are picking up a prescription, stocking up on essentials for the whole family or treating themselves to our iconic Thrifty ice cream. Our commitment to improving health outcomes and helping our communities thrive remains paramount.”

Employing more than 6,300 pharmacists, Philadelphia-based Rite Aid operates 2,300-plus retail pharmacy locations across 17 states. The company is No. 22 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.