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 since 1978, 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, PneumRx, Freedom Innovations, and Confirma. 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)
Dr. Lashkari has worked in the life sciences area since 1988 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. Dr. Lashkari has represented THP on the boards of AcroMetrix, Althea Technologies, Applied Precision, Aurora Discovery and SwitchGear Genomics. Dr. Lashkari 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.
Rob C. Hart, CFA (Vice President)
Rob focuses on healthcare information technology and services at THP, and supports the team’s efforts in research, transaction execution, and portfolio company operations. He joined THP from Citigroup, where he worked in healthcare investment banking and acquisition financing. Rob also worked as a summer associate with the law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore and received a JD/MBA from Northwestern University School of Law and Kellogg School of Management. Prior to graduate school, Rob was a staff accountant with the Securities & Exchange Commission and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic. Rob received a BS from University of California, Santa Barbara.
Alexander C. Herzick (Associate)
Prior to joining THP, Alex most recently worked in Business Development in the Oncology/Multiple Sclerosis Group at Genzyme Corporation. At Genzyme, he structured licensing and M&A transactions in the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals space. He has also worked as a Portfolio Manager at BlueMountain Capital Management and as an Analyst in Investment Banking at Banc of America Securities. Alex holds an MBA with honors from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Duke University.
Toto N. Granucci (Administrative Assistant)
Ms. Granucci has been an assistant at Telegraph Hill Partners since 2002. Prior to that she was assisting Mr. Shepler and Mr. Mackowski at their previous firm, Mackowski & Shepler. Before that, Ms. Granucci was involved in an USAID sponsored project assisting the Indonesian government, in her capacity as a legal translator, in modernizing their legal system.
Kate E. Carey (Administrative Assistant)
Ms. Carey has been with Telegraph Hill Partners since April of 2010. Prior to joining THP she worked in various areas of the arts, including an international auction house, and major galleries in New York and San Francisco. Her background is in fine art administration. She received an MA from Temple University, and has a BA from Gettysburg College.