Telegraph Hill Partners' team has a proven ability to build and grow life sciences companies. We have company development skills as well as scientific knowledge and industry relationships that add value to our portfolio companies.

J. Matthew Mackowski (Chairman, Managing Director) - Matt has been a healthcare-focused venture capital investor since 1980. He began his venture capital career with Citicorp Venture Capital, where he was VP and a member of the investment executive committee. Matt later joined Robertson, Stephens & Co. and was partner and Chairman of the Venture Capital Group. In 1991 he formed Mackowski & Shepler, an investment partnership focused on developing life science and medical technology companies and the predecessor to THP. Matt has represented THP on the boards of Kinetikos Medical (acquired by Integra), Ambion (acquired by Applied Biosystems), Aurora Discovery, Interface Associates, Asuragen and Althea Technologies. Matt received a BA from Duke University and an MBA from The Wharton School.

Robert G. Shepler (Managing Director) - Bob has been a corporate transactions specialist and investor for over 25 years, with a focus on strategic M&A transactions. Bob and Matt Mackowski partnered together in 1991 to form THP’s predecessor focused on investing in private healthcare companies. During his career, he has served on numerous company boards and completed over 150 M&A and financing transactions. His current directorships include AcroMetrix, Applied Precision, Aurora Discovery, LDR and VidaCare. Prior to joining with Mr. Mackowski, Bob worked with Merrill Lynch & Co. as an officer in their San Francisco corporate finance office, where he managed financings and acquisitions for Fortune 500 and selected high growth companies. Bob received a BA from Duke University and an MBA from New York University.

Thomas A. Raffin, M.D. (Partner) - Tom has spent 24 years on the faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine where he remains the Colleen and Robert Haas Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Biomedical Ethics, former Chief of PCCM and Co-Founder and Director Emeritus of the Stanford University Center for Biomedical Ethics. Over the past decade he has worked extensively in the healthcare and medical device sectors and is co-founder of Rigel Pharmaceuticals. Currently, Tom is a director of AngioScore, LDR, and PneumRx and is an advisor to numerous other companies. He is an active investigator, and has written over 200 articles, chapters and books. Tom received a BA from Stanford University and an M.D. from Stanford University School of Medicine and medical residency at Harvard.

Deval A. Lashkari, Ph.D. (Partner) - Deval has worked in the life sciences area over the past 18 years developing and commercializing novel technologies. He gained corporate and business development experience through senior management positions in a number of biotechnology companies. In addition, he was a founding Research Director at Synteni, which was acquired by Incyte Genomics, where he was Director of Product Development. He also worked with Operon Technologies, acquired by Qiagen, and Genometrix. He is currently a director of AcroMetrix, Althea Technologies, Applied Precision and Aurora Discovery. Deval received a BA from the University of California, Berkeley and a Ph.D. from Stanford University.
Glenn W. Novotny (Venture Partner) - Glenn was most recently the CEO of Central Garden & Pet, (NASDAQ-CENT), with sales of $1.7 billion. He worked at Central for 17 years as President and Chief Operating Officer from 1990 to 2003 and CEO from 2003 through 2007. Glenn was instrumental in taking the company public in 1993 and growing it from annual sales of $200 million to $1.7 billion through organic growth and over 40 acquisitions to consolidate the pet and garden supplies industries in the US and Europe. He also worked at Weyerhaeuser Corporation from 1970 to 1990 in a variety of operating, strategic planning, sales, and executive management roles. He served as CEO of Weyerhaeuser Garden Supply from 1988 to1990. Glenn has served on both public and private boards and also had significant entrepreneurial experiences in his career. Glenn received a BA from Chadron State College in Nebraska and graduated from the Harvard Business School Executive Management Program.
Jeanette M. Welsh, J.D. (Principal) - Jeanette has spent 17 years in the areas of private equity, mergers & acquisitions, securities law and administration. Prior to joining THP, Jeanette worked at Three Cities Research, a private equity firm in New York focused on middle market companies. Her private equity investment activities range from growth equity and leveraged buyouts to going private transactions and bankruptcy auctions. Prior to joining Three Cities Research, Jeanette practiced law at Epstein, Becker & Green P.C. in New York where she focused on corporate and securities law. Before commencing her legal career, Jeanette was part of the M&A department of Société Générale Securities Corporation. She is currently a director of Interface Associates and AngioScore. Jeanette has Bachelor of Art degrees in Philosophy and French from Hunter College, City University of New York and a Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law.
 

Jeffrey M. Calhoun (Principal) - Jeff has spent the last 12 years investing in and advising companies in healthcare and other growth sectors of the economy. Prior to joining THP, Jeff was a Principal at Tailwind Capital Partners, a middle market private equity firm focused on healthcare, business services and communications. Prior to Tailwind, Jeff was one of the founding employees of Thomas Weisel Partners. Before Thomas Weisel Partners, Jeff was an analyst at Montgomery Securities. Jeff has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Tufts University and a Masters degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
 

Rob C. Hart, CFA (Vice President) - Rob has been involved in the securities industry for nearly ten years. He previously worked in Citigroup's Financial Entrepreneurs and Healthcare Investment Banking groups. Prior to joining Citigroup, Rob was an associate in Wachovia’s Mergers and Acquisitions group and a summer associate with the law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore. Rob received a JD/MBA from Northwestern University School of Law / Kellogg School of Management. Prior to graduate school, Rob worked as an examiner with the Securities & Exchange Commission, auditing investment advisory firms. Rob received a BS from University of California, Santa Barbara.
 

Robert J. Capone (Associate) - Rob previously worked for 2 years as an analyst at Seven Hills Partners, a San Francisco-based investment bank. At Seven Hills, he worked on a number of M&A and private capital transactions with a focus on emerging healthcare, technology, and business services companies. Prior to joining Seven Hills, he spent nearly 3 years on portfolio management teams at both Lincoln Financial Group and Morgan Stanley, advising clients on public equity, fixed income, and alternative asset strategies. Rob received a BBA from the University of Notre Dame.

 

Emil H. Lee (Analyst) - Prior to joining Telegraph Hill Partners, Emil was an equity analyst at Morningstar covering the analytical instruments and pharmaceutical services sectors. Prior to Morningstar, he worked at Pacific Alternative Asset Management Company, a fund of hedge funds. Emil graduated from the University of California, Irvine, with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, and has passed three levels of the CFA program.