Dr. Covington has most recently served in a business development role as Vice President, Real-World Data at Ciox Health, a data exchange company based in Alpharetta, GA. She is currently Principal of AGAPE Strategic Solutions, LLC focused on developing RWE and its application to health promotion and disease prevention, particularly in under-represented communities. 

She has a strong background in health economics and outcomes research (HEOR), Public Health practice, observational research designs and market intelligence. She has deep analytic expertise in digital RWD application across therapeutic areas, lifecycle development and health policy. Melva has leadership experience across multiple business functions, including strategic planning, business development, medical affairs, health policy and field-based engagement. 

She has served as strategic lead in Clinical Operations, RWE/HEOR Strategy, Evidence Generation, Market Access and Scientific Communications. Her contributions include developing and executing real-world evidence analysis, patient registries, engagement models and clinical trial recruitment strategies. She is very engaged in supporting, mentoring and developing professionals. Prior to joining Ciox, Melva led Global and US-based teams in HEOR across several businesses, including Roche Labs, Eli Lilly, Pacira and Eversana Consulting. 

She is passionate about assessing integrated data and perceptions contextually and then applying that knowledge for targeted solutions to improve outcomes across diverse patient populations. She has an A.B. in Politics/Economics from The Catholic University of America, Master of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health and Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also holds an MBA from the Johnson School at Cornell University. Melva has authored numerous publications and is an impassioned public speaker.