NEW YORK (Oct. 26, 2022) – Break into the Boardroom (BiB), a program developed to cultivate executive women board candidates for parity board representation on public, private, and non-profit boards across healthcare, announced today that Advancium Health Network and Welsh, Carson, Anderson and Stowe are joining co-founders Oxeon and Deerfield Management to help support BiB’s continued growth and impact. According to a 2021 Deerfield report, less than 15% of board director roles in venture-backed healthcare companies are held by women and this is a statistic that BiB is determined to change.
Break into the Boardroom hosted its inaugural “Rising Stars” event yesterday at Cure®, a healthcare innovation campus in NYC, bringing together 50 women healthcare executives to begin building a talent pipeline for future board engagements.
These talented women were identified by leaders within New York City’s healthcare ecosystem as “rising stars” with high potential for future board opportunities. During the session they heard from BiB co-founders Mia Jung, Talent Partner at Welsh, Carson, Anderson and Stowe and former Partner at Oxeon, and Leslie Henshaw, Partner at Deerfield Management, along with Sonia Millsom, CEO of Oxeon and a BiB alumni who now serves on several boards, partly due to her involvement with BiB.
“This dynamic group of budding female executives represents the next generation of leadership in healthcare,” said Millsom. “Bringing meaningful change to healthcare requires fresh, new perspectives, and I’m honored to not only be part of this pivotal initiative but also to be the beneficiary of its work.”
The discussion focused on how to build one’s own personal board of directors, which involves cultivating relationships with a broad and diverse group of trusted advisors with different specialties who can help guide one’s evolution. The BiB initiative has identified this as a critical lever for women to build a foundation for future board leadership. With the vast majority of board opportunities conducted through informal channels, the BiB program offers a platform for top-tier talent to connect with investor market demand.
“As women progress in their careers, the ability to identify and build a personal board of directors that can be regularly consulted for feedback and advice can be transformative, and catapult them into an executive leadership role,” said Jung. “This strategic “dream team” allows them to pull from different perspectives, skill sets, and networks and can yield real results for their career trajectory.”
“Too often diversity initiatives aim for instant gratification or quick cosmetic appeal, but real change takes investing for the future,” added Henshaw. “This event was Break into the Boardroom’s first initiative aimed at building a bigger candidate pool of talented women healthcare executives who will mature over the coming decade.”
About Oxeon
Oxeon, an industry-leading builder of transformational healthcare solutions, powers change to our nation’s broken healthcare system through talent, entrepreneurship and investment. Comprised of three core businesses, the Oxeon holding company includes: Oxeon Search, which has placed more than 1,000 executives in healthcare leadership roles; Oxeon Investments, which makes selective seed investments and takes equity positions in Oxeon portfolio companies to accelerate change in healthcare; and Oxeon Venture Studio, which designs, facilitates and launches innovative healthcare businesses. Oxeon, derived from the Greek word for relationships, connects people and ideas to change healthcare and improve the lives of millions of Americans. Click here to learn more.
About Deerfield
Deerfield is an investment management firm committed to advancing healthcare through investment, information and philanthropy. The Firm works across the healthcare ecosystem to connect people, capital, ideas and technology in bold, collaborative and inclusive ways. For more information, please visit www.deerfield.com.
About Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe (WCAS)
WCAS is a leading U.S. private equity firm focused on the healthcare and technology industries. Since its founding in 1979, the firm’s strategy has been to partner with outstanding management teams and build value for its investors through a combination of operational improvements, growth initiatives, and strategic acquisitions. The firm has raised and managed funds totaling over $30 billion of committed capital. For more information, please visit www.wcas.com.
About Advancium Health Network
Advancium Health Network is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization launched by Deerfield Management dedicated to advancing healthcare and health equity through a premier volunteer and philanthropic network of health industry, financial service, and public sector experts. Visit advanciumhealth.org for more information.
Contact:
Susan Oliver
susanboliver@gmail.com
703.216.4078
