Career Math: How Mentorship Plus Networking Plus Visibility Equals Career Growth for Senior Women in Healthcare

Lisa Suennen has spent 30 years in healthcare as entrepreneur, advisor and venture capitalist. Today she leads Manatt Phelps & Phillips digital and technology businesses and the firm’s venture capital fund. Her role spans technology across all sectors, although she also works closely with Manatt Health, engaging with payers, health systems and companies to provide strategic advice on innovation, digital strategy and growth.

Additionally, Lisa is co-founder of CSweetener, which matches women in and nearing the healthcare C-Suite with mentors. Lisa is also on faculty at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business where she teaches the annual class on healthcare venture capital.

Lisa spent the last 20 years in venture capital, most recently leading the healthcare fund at GE Ventures and previously as a partner with Psilos Group. Prior to that, she was part of the leadership team that built Merit Behavioral Care, an $800mm behavioral healthcare company, through its successful IPO and exit. She previously worked in product management and marketing roles in the technology field.

Lisa serves on several private company boards and chairs the advisory board of the NASA -funded Translational Research Institute for Space Health. She is a Fellow of the inaugural class of the Aspen Institute’s Health Innovators Fellowship.