Tracey L. McCain, senior vice president and head of legal at Sanofi Genzyme, will deliver the Northeastern University School of Law’s 2016 Commencement address on May 27 at Matthews Arena.

McCain is a member of the executive leadership team of Sanofi Genzyme and is responsible for the oversight of legal support for Sanofi Genzyme’s business and operations across many initiatives and programs. Her team is responsible for providing strategic legal advice and guidance for Sanofi Genzyme’s global teams.

“I am honored to be invited to address the graduating class of 2016,” McCain said. “Sanofi Genzyme attracts highly motivated employees who want to be part of a purpose-driven team and make a difference in the lives of patients. Attorneys at Sanofi Genzyme are leaders and trusted business partners who, like the graduates of Northeastern University School of Law, are committed to making a positive impact.”

McCain, who joined Genzyme Corporation in 1997, is also a member of the legal steering committee of Sanofi, the French pharmaceutical company that is Genzyme’s parent company. Sanofi Genzyme has its global headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and develops specialty treatments for debilitating diseases that are often difficult to diagnose and treat. Its primary areas of focus are rare genetic diseases, multiple sclerosis, oncology, and immunology.

Prior to Genzyme, McCain was an associate at Palmer & Dodge, LLP in Boston, where she practiced securities, licensing, and general corporate law, primarily representing biotechnology companies including Genzyme.

McCain recently became a governing trustee of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and previously had a 13-year relationship with the New England Conservatory of Music, first as an overseer and then as a trustee. She also participated in the Fellows Program of the Partnership, Inc., and served as a member of the executive committee of the Massachusetts Black Women Attorneys.

“We are proud that Tracey L. McCain will deliver the Commencement address to the class of 2016,” said Jeremy Paul, dean of the School of Law. “Her legal education has brought her into leadership of a multi-billion dollar enterprise in the global biotechnology sector so vital to our region and our country. And her roles as governing trustee at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and former trustee at the New England Conservatory of Music exemplify her understanding that with leadership comes obligations to give back to the community. Her success story will provide a beacon for our graduates eager to make their mark on the world. We will be honored to welcome her at the May 27 ceremony.”

McCain earned her JD from Columbia University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.