The Healthcare Technology Report is pleased to announce The Top 25 Healthcare Technology COOs of 2022. The companies represented on this year’s list are some of the most successful and innovative in the healthcare technology industry, and that is due in no small part to the efforts of their chief operating officers. These awardees have not only expertly overseen the day-to-day operations of their companies, but they have also crafted business strategies that have helped their organizations rise to the top amidst an industry inundated with competition.
Some of the distinguished COOs on this year’s list include Thomas Denny of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, which together with the Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology is working to develop vaccines and therapeutics for HIV and other emerging infections. Meanwhile, Chris Chi’s Monogram Health is providing an innovative renal care model and a data-driven array of clinical managed services, including complex case and disease management, utilization management, and medication therapy management. And Cue Health’s David Arida has helped the San Diego biotech research company launch major new testing offerings, with a novel molecular test for the flu and COVID-19 viruses currently awaiting FDA approval.
The awardees on this year’s list are responsible for running companies across healthcare technology. From vaccines to renal care, virus testing, cancer treatment, and pharmaceuticals, among many other specialties, these companies are addressing every aspect of patient health and well-being. Through their vital work, these COOs are helping to improve patient outcomes while at the same time operating massively successful companies. Please join us in celebrating The Top 25 Healthcare Technology COOs of 2022.
1. Ryan Fukushima
Company: Tempus Labs, Inc.
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Ryan Fukushima is the Chief Operating Officer of Tempus Labs, Inc., a biotechnology research company based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 2015, Tempus makes data-driven precision medicine a reality by applying AI in healthcare, deriving insights from its expansive library of clinical and molecular data. In his role as COO, Fukushima oversees the company’s partnerships with organizations such as CVS Health and Janssen Research & Development.
Prior to Tempus, Fukushima was an entrepreneur-in-residence and vice president at Lightbank, focusing investments on enterprise software and launching businesses. Earlier he was at Hyde Park Venture Partners, where he concentrated on enterprise investments in the Midwest. Before landing in Chicago, Fukushima worked predominantly as an engineer, designing and implementing backend systems for Cisco and VMware. Fukushima earned a Master of Business Administration from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from California Polytechnic University.
2. Brady Shirley
Company: Enovis
Title: President and Chief Operating Officer
Brady Shirley is a 30-year veteran of the medical technology industry, currently serving as President and Chief Operating Officer of Enovis, an American medical technology company based in Wilmington, Delaware. Formerly known as Colfax Corporation, Enovis was spun-off in 2022 to focus on the medical technology space. The company focuses on developing clinically differentiated solutions that generate measurably better patient outcomes and transform workflows.
Prior to his current dual role with Enovis, Shirley served as chief executive officer of DJO Global, which he joined in 2014 as president of its surgical business, helping establish it as one of the best growth engines in the reconstructive market. He led the company’s transition as it was acquired by Colfax in 2019. Previously, he was CEO and a director of Innovative Medical Device Solutions (IMDS), an orthopedic outsourcing development and manufacturing company. He also held several key leadership positions with Stryker Corporation. Shirley received an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
3. Michael Dingle
Company: TELUS Health
Title: Chief Operating Officer
As Chief Operating Officer, Michael Dingle leads TELUS Health operations and is laser-focused on delivering world-leading, transformative health solutions that improve health outcomes and access to care across Canada and globally. TELUS Health, a division of TELUS Communications, is a Canadian digital health technology and services company based in Montreal, Quebec. In his role as COO, Dingle brings deep experience at the intersection of health and technology with a career spanning the areas of product, marketing, operations, and customer innovation.
Prior to joining TELUS Health, Dingle was chief products and technology officer and partner at PwC, in the Health and Technology practices, where he led a team focused on advancing digital transformation, leveraging the power of technology and innovation to drive growth in go-to-market products and digital solutions. Previously, he served as CEO of Medeo and, post-acquisition, as senior vice president of operations for QHR Technologies. Dingle holds a bachelor’s degree in English and communications from McGill University.
4. Thomas Denny
Company: Duke Human Vaccine Institute
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Thomas Denny is the Chief Operating Officer of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute (DHVI) and the Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology (CHAVI), and a Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine at Duke University Medical Center. He is also an Affiliate Member of the Duke Global Health Institute. The DHVI and CHAVI both work to develop vaccines and therapeutics for HIV and other emerging infections, supporting interdisciplinary efforts across the Duke University School of Medicine.
Previously, Denny was an Associate Professor of Pathology, Laboratory Medicine, and Pediatrics, Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, and Assistant Dean for Research in Health Policy at the New Jersey Medical School. He has served on numerous committees for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) over the last two decades. Denny holds a Master of Science from the University of East London and a Master of Philosophy from the University of Glasgow.
5. Chris Chi
Company: Monogram Health
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Chris Chi is the Chief Operating Officer of Monogram Health, a leading kidney disease benefit management and care delivery company. Monogram provides an innovative renal care model and a data-driven array of clinical managed services, including complex case and disease management, utilization management, and medication therapy management to transform the delivery of care received by patients living with chronic kidney and end-stage renal disease. Chi is a passionate operations leader with several decades of experience in managed care organizations, national hospital systems, and behavioral health. Before serving as COO, he served as chief administrative officer.
Prior to joining Monogram Health, Chi was an accomplished M&A and securities law partner in private practice. He served as general counsel and chief legal officer (and held other roles) for American Addiction Centers, and as general counsel and corporate secretary for IASIS Healthcare, where he helped in the transition after its acquisition by Steward Health Care. He was a partner at Bass, Berry & Sims, and began his career as a transactions associate with O’Melveny & Myers, LLP. Chi holds a bachelor’s degree in history and literature from Harvard University.
6. David Arida
Company: Cue Health
Title: Chief Operating Officer
David Arida has served as Chief Operating Officer of Cue Health since September 2021. Over the course of his relatively short tenure with the company, Arida has helped the San Diego biotech research company launch major new testing offerings, with a novel molecular test for the flu and COVID-19 viruses currently awaiting FDA approval.
Arida first established his reputation as a capable leader over his ten years with glucose manufacturer Dexcom, where he rose through the ranks to become senior vice president of global manufacturing operations. He holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in chemical engineering from Cornell University as well as multiple graduate degrees in engineering management and business from Northwestern University.
7. Chris Tovey
Company: Jazz Pharmaceuticals
Title: Chief Operating Officer
As Chief Operating Officer of Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Chris Tovey is responsible for leading the company’s global commercial activities, including spearheading its supply chain and information technology improvement efforts. He has contributed his expertise in biotech and commerce to help the company achieve ever-better outcomes for patients around the world, and has helped Jazz navigate the complex and demanding requirements of EUCOPE (European Confederation of Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs) membership.
Tovey has dedicated his considerable experience in the leadership of pharmaceutical organizations to several major companies over the last several years, most notably his eight years as COO at GWPharma before its acquisition by Jazz. He also led UCB Pharma to great acclaim as its head of global marketing operations. Tovey earned a degree from the University of Liverpool.
8. Matt Miller
Company: The Oncology Institute
Title: Chief Operating Officer
In his position as Chief Operating Officer of The Oncology Institute, Matt Miller is responsible for leading field operations and new market implementation, among other critical duties for the cancer treatment organization. He was promoted to this post earlier this year, having previously worked as the company’s chief administrative officer for two years.
Prior to beginning his groundbreaking work with The Oncology Institute, Miller held multiple executive positions at the head of clinical strategy and innovation at Landmark Health. He first began his work in healthcare strategy and implementation by serving for seven years as associate principal at McKinsey & Company. Miller holds a medical doctorate from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, and a Bachelor’s degree in neurobiology from Harvard University.
9. Jennifer Jarrett
Company: Arcus Biosciences
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Chief Operating Officer of Arcus Biosciences Jennifer Jarrett has built a history of more than two decades of next-level leadership within the biotechnology sector. In addition to her multifarious duties directing the operations and strategy at the global biotech research leader in her current post, she has also served as a board member for critical pharmaceutical organizations including Radius Health and Syndax Pharmaceuticals for several years.
Having first made a name for herself over twelve years as a director at Credit Suisse, where she specialized in capital raising and leadership at biotech companies, Jarrett went on to serve as the head of healthcare investment banking at Citigroup. She earned an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor’s degree in economics from Dartmouth College.
10. Eric Venker
Company: Roivant Sciences
Title: President and Chief Operating Officer
As Roivant Sciences’ President and Chief Operating Officer for the past four years, Eric Venker has been responsible for bringing to life some of the New York-based biotech research company’s greatest accomplishments in its history. In addition to its major collaborations with Pfizer and other key pharmaceutical manufacturers, the company has released significant new treatments to great acclaim, including securing FDA approval for a novel topical plaque psoriasis medication.
Prior to his experience with Roivant, Venker was the founder and chief executive of Talking Meds, a high-end boutique medical consulting service. He holds a Medical Doctorate from Yale University School of Medicine as well as a doctorate in pharmacy from the University of Health Services and Pharmacy in St. Louis.
11. Stephen Gillett
Company: Verily
Title: President and Chief Operating Officer
Although he is best known for his early achievements in digital media leadership and technology, Stephen Gillett has served as Chief Operating Officer at Verily since 2020, and last December his duties were expanded to include the advisory and leadership responsibilities of President. Gillett has leveraged his decades of entrepreneurship and technological expertise to drive new innovations and commercial partnerships for the Alphabet life science subsidiary.
Over the more than two decades of his impressive career, Gillett has accrued a number of remarkable firsts, including a global technological leadership position for Corbis under Bill Gates and the designation as one of the world’s youngest CIOs of a Fortune 500 Company for his time at Starbucks. Gillett earned an MBA from San Francisco State University and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon.
12. Will Abbott
Company: Carbon Health
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Since 2019, Will Abbott has served Bay Area tech-forward healthcare company Carbon Health as its Chief Operating Officer. Under his guidance, Carbon has risen to become one of the most prominent disruptors in the healthcare industry, launching recent partnerships with Blue Cross Blue Shield and other critical insurers and providers. Of late, the company has expanded into new services including behavioral health and dental, improving outcomes for its clients consistently over the past 70 years.
Before he joined Carbon Health, Abbott held COO positions with other major healthcare organizations, including Alpha Medical and a remarkable twelve-year stint in key executive positions at CVS Health. He holds an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor’s degree in engineering and computer science from Duke University.
13. Jared Fix
Company: Alto Pharmacy
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Jared Fix serves as Chief Operating Officer of telehealth company Alto Pharmacy, which is one of the largest digital pharmacies in the United States. Under Fix’s guidance as COO since January 2022 and previously as CCO, Alto has expanded into twelve major markets, undergone a major digital transformation that has readied it for the era of mobile telehealth, and has filled over three million prescriptions.
Fix has served in executive leadership positions in a wide variety of industries, holding the position of COO at JUUL Labs for two years after completing successful tenures at Constellation Brands, Beam, and McKinsey & Company. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in economics from The College of William & Mary and pursued further graduate studies at Columbia Business School.
14. Patrick Bilbo
Company: Organogenesis
Title: Chief Operating Officer
For the last five years Organogenesis has had as its Chief Operating Officer the visionary leader Patrick Bilbo, a figure who has been in charge of the company’s regulation and government affairs since 1999. The regenerative medicine leader has benefited greatly from Bilbo’s guidance, significantly advancing its offerings in sports medicine and advanced wound care products.
Bilbo is no stranger to the world of biotechnology research: prior to his lengthy tenure with Organogenesis, he was the director of clinical affairs for Cytyc Corporation and head of clinical research for Stryker Corporation’s biotech division. He began his career in the biomedical industry conducting cell biology research at Harvard Medical School. Bilbo holds Master’s degrees in biology, technology strategy, and business from Boston University and a Bachelor’s degree in biology from Syracuse University.
15. Melissa Baird
Company: Hims & Hers Health
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Technological strategist and researcher in molecular biology Melissa Baird has served as Chief Operating Officer of wellness and telehealth company Hims & Hers Health Inc. since early 2018. She has contributed her considerable expertise in the field of biotechnology to achieving the company’s mission of revolutionizing how Americans attain affordable, sustainable treatment for mental health, skincare, sexual health, and beyond.
Before joining Hims & Hers, Baird made a name for herself in leadership positions with Draper James, Bonobos, and Zulily. A passionate volunteer in the field of veteran’s health, she is a board member at the nonprofit organization Stop Soldier Suicide. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of Missouri–Columbia and pursued further postgraduate work at the University of Washington.
16. DB Kartik
Company: CorEvitas, LLC
Title: President and Chief Operating Officer
Data intelligence provider CorEvitas owes a great deal of its ongoing success to its current President and Chief Operating Officer, DB Kartik. Under his stewardship, the company recently expanded its services to include specialty EMR data through its Specialty EMR Data Business Unit.
A purpose-driven executive, Kartik began his distinguished history of outstanding leadership at CorEvitas more than seven years ago. Additionally, he has over two decades of experience in various global leadership and management roles in the healthcare and renewal energy industries. From 2012 to 2015, he was head of Financial Planning & Operations for Cubist Pharmaceuticals. Before that, he spent more than 13 years at GE, most recently serving as CFO for the company's North American hydro business. Kartik holds an MBA from ICFAI Business School in Mumbai, India, and a bachelor's degree from St. Joseph's College of Commerce in Bengaluru, India.
17. Dan Raffi
Company: Sim&Cure
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Seasoned veteran of the healthcare industry Dan Raffi is Chief Operating Officer and member of the Board of Directors for Sim&Cure, a medtech start-up that has grown to 45 employees since its launch in 2014. Using cutting-edge AI as the basis of its proprietary software, the company's offerings have already been used to help more than 7,000 patients in 350 hospitals. Among Raffi's many tasks with Sim&Cure, he is responsible for collaborating with the company's executives to define the product portfolio roadmap, expand its geographic footprint, and prepare the next generation of partnerships with other industry players and hospitals.
With more than a decade of experience at the executive level, Raffi's acclaimed career includes leadership positions in big pharmaceutical companies. Until recently, he served as the VP of Global Marketing for Medtronic Neurovascular, and previously led the Neurovascular division in Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Russia for 3 years. He holds a doctorate in pharmacy from Nantes Université and an MBA from ESCP Business School.
18. Blake Watterson
Company: iFIT
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Not yet 40 years old, Blake Watterson has already worked at iFIT for nearly two decades. He spent the first 16 years as a VP, but since 2019, he's been serving as Chief Operating Officer for the pioneering health and fitness technology company. During his tenure, iFIT has seen substantial growth, with more than 7.3 million members in more than 120 countries now. More recently, the company added $355 million in capital while under his guidance.
As COO, Watterson oversees all operational aspects of the business, including domestic and international manufacturing, quality, and supply chain logistics. In addition, he oversees the iFIT Foundation. Previously, Watterson also held roles in the product line and buyer departments during his lengthy tenure. He earned a degree in operations management from Utah State University.
19. Dinesh Kumar
Company: Promaxo
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Dr. Dinesh Kumar is the Chief Operating Officer at Promaxo. Promaxo is launching a compact and adaptable MRI that is redefining the standard of cancer care by improving the quality and speed of patient diagnosis and interventions. Dr Kumar has played an instrumental role in successfully taking Promaxo’s flagship product from development through to FDA 510(k) clearance and has been recognized in the venture capital community for his cash efficiency.
Dinesh, a medical devices executive and serial entrepreneur with twenty years of operations and R&D expertise, has brought several Class-II and Class-III medical devices to market. As VP-R&D at Eigen, Dinesh launched the first MRI/Ultrasound fusion guided biopsy system for prostate cancer diagnostics which has since become a standard-of-care. He has overseen the development and launch of products in cardiovascular, urology and vascular diagnostics and treatment domains, and serves as an advisor to several medical device startups.
Dr. Kumar received his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from The University of Iowa along with his MBA from Haas School of Business at UC, Berkeley.
20. Neil Owens (tie)
Company: Medicure
Title: President and Chief Operating Officer
Pharmaceutical maker Medicure’s President and Chief Operating Officer is Neil Owens, PhD, a seasoned executive and well-respected researcher in the life sciences space. Owens, who has served in these roles since 2019, is responsible for implementing the company's strategic plans and overseeing day-to-day operations, including the advancement and management of new and existing pharmaceutical products. He first joined Medicure in 2014, holding various positions of increasing responsibility. As of March 2022, he's also been serving in the role of interim Chief Financial Officer.
Owens received his doctorate in chemistry from the University of Manitoba. On top of that, he has postdoctoral experience with the European Institute of Chemistry and Biology, which is located in Bordeaux, France. His research background has focused on organic and medicinal chemistry – and overall the application of science towards solving health-related issues.
20. Joseph Cucolo (tie)
Company: Canary Medical
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Joseph Cucolo is Chief Operating Officer for Canary Medical, a medical data company seeking to improve healthcare outcomes through the continuous, passive collection and analysis of data derived primarily from “smart” implantable medical devices that are proposed to report on function, diagnostic information, patient activity, complications, and treatment failure for up to ten years – all without significant patient or physician involvement. Cucolo has a passion for people and inspiring them to reach their highest potential. He believes you can turn enthusiasm and commitment into results, and he is extremely passionate about implementing solutions that drive success.
Cucolo began his career with Zimmer as a sales representative in 1983; in 1997, he became the sole owner and President of Zimmer New England. In just five years, the company became the first Zimmer distributor to achieve $100 million in sales. In August 2012, Cucolo was appointed President of Americas to lead the Zimmer sales organization. In 2013, Cucolo led the organization to successfully exceed top line revenue expectations with above market growth for the first time in 18 quarters. After successfully integrating the Zimmer Biomet sales organization, Cucolo separated from Zimmer in November 2015 after 33 years of service. In 2017, he joined Lima as President and General Manager USA and moved to Lima USA Chairman in 2019. Cucolo currently serves as Chairmen of the Board for Clozex Medical and has been a Board member for Canary Medical since 2015. He became Chief Commercial Officer for Canary in June 2021 and was named COO in January 2022. He has a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and sociology from Iona University.
21. Erwin Estigarribia
Company: InterVenn Biosciences
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Erwin Estigarribia is Chief Operating Officer for InterVenn Biosciences, which utilizes a proprietary high-throughput glycoproteomic interrogation platform using AI and mass spectrometry for next-gen precision medicine. The company is working to find new solutions in ovarian, pancreatic, liver, prostate, and kidney cancer, together with applications from the Vista suite of solutions for treatment and monitoring, immune profiling, patient stratification, and disease progression.
Estigarribia’s aspiration about cancer and other life ending diseases is to detect early and change the conversation from “this drug saved my life” to “this test saved my life.” He believes these diseases should be viewed as manageable conditions and not a painful losing battle. Estigarribia served as Vice President of Operations for NuGEN Technologies and CardioDx before becoming Senior Vice President of Operations for Applied Proteomics. His most recent position prior to InterVenn was as Advisor/COO for Girihlet, Inc. Estigarribia earned a Bachelor of Engineering in chemical and bioprocess engineering from Swinburne University of Technology.
22. Melissa Teran
Company: Alife Health
Title: Chief Operations Officer
Melissa Teran has worked at Alife Health, a technology company that addresses infertility through artificial intelligence tools, since 2020. In August of this year, she was enthusiastically promoted to the company's Chief Operations Officer.
In addition to her time at Alife, Teran spent nearly ten years with surgical robotic startups. At these companies, she helped design products for a wide range of clinical applications – from total knee replacements in orthopedics, to kidney stone management in urology. As a technical manager, she helped bring engineering, product management, and user experience (UX) design together to meet the needs of the patient and physician. Teran holds a Master of Science in systems engineering from The Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Science in engineering degree from the University of Michigan.
23. Mark Gilmartin
Company: T-Pro
Title: Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer
Irish healthcare technology and service group T-Pro is led by its Chief Operating Officer Mark Gilmartin, who also co-founded the company more than a decade ago. Under his first-class governance, the company announced in March 2022 that it had acquired Australian medical transcription technology provider SyberScribe to grow its footprint in the Asia-Pacific region.
Gilmartin’s remarkable career spans nearly three decades. For more than 17 years, he served as non-executive director of McGonigle Watches, maker of Ireland's only handmade watches. Prior to his time with T-Pro, he held numerous sales and marketing leadership roles in Ireland. His track record of excellence is far-ranging and includes time spent in the legal, IT, and medical industries. Gilmartin holds bachelor’s degrees in IT & international marketing, English literature, and Italian from University College Dublin.
24. Nicolas Fauchoux
Company: Biotrial
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Nicolas Fauchoux has been working at Biotrial for more than 20 years. Having completed his medical degree at Université de Rennes I, he joined Biotrial France as a medical doctor to screen healthy volunteers and patients for many different study protocols. It was then that he discovered his passion for clinical research.
Since then, Fauchoux has held various positions with the company, including principal investigator on numerous protocols in a wide range of fields: CNS, cardiology, hematology, neurology, coagulation disorders, infectious diseases, digestive system, diabetes, vaccines, and others. Furthermore, for nearly a decade, he was head of Biotrial's CPU in France. Then, in 2015, Fauchoux was promoted to Chief Operating Officer. During his time at Biotrial, he has so far directly managed more than 250 phase 1 clinical trials.
25. Mukul Jain
Company: Senseonics
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Nearly 11 years ago, Senseonics struck gold when it brought Mukul Jain on board. The medtech company has greatly benefited from Jain's broad range of experience in areas such as operations, product development, product management, and regulatory functions in the medical device space. As a result of his leadership and expertise, in 2017 Jain was promoted to Chief Operating Officer. Thanks to his vision, in February 2022 the company announced that the FDA had approved its next-generation continuous glucose monitor system, which lasts up to half a year.
Before joining the Senseonics team, Jain worked on active implantable devices at Medtronic for 13 years. He started his career at Medtronic Energy and Components Center, where he helped develop numerous critical components used across Medtronic’s implantable devices. Jain's academic credentials are exceptional. He earned his doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of South Carolina, an MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, and a bachelor's degree from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur.
