MedTech Trailblazers

Leading With His Heart - A Conversation with Allan Will (Part 2)

Allan Will is one of the founding architects of the medtech industry. Raised by parents who were outspoken supporters of equality and human rights, his desire to help people, passion for science, and business acumen came together in an early job helping Abbott Labs expand into interventional medicine. Just five years later, he was leading DVI, one of the first atherectomy companies, from a 16-person team to a 600-person powerhouse. With a leadership style marked by a patient-centric focus,...

Leading With His Heart - A Conversation with Allan Will (Part 1)

Allan Will is one of the founding architects of the medtech industry. Raised by parents who were outspoken supporters of equality and human rights, his desire to help people, passion for science, and business acumen came together in an early job helping Abbott Labs expand into interventional medicine. Just five years later, he was leading DVI, one of the first atherectomy companies, from a 16-person team to a 600-person powerhouse. With a leadership style marked by a patient-centric focus,...

Sam Conaway: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities - Part 2

Sam Conaway is the president of U.S. Cardiology Sales for Boston Scientific and the chair of the company’s Close the Gap program, which seeks to eliminate treatment disparities in underserved populations. He has been recognized as one of the most influential Black executives in corporate America (SAVOY Magazine), and in healthcare (BlackDoctor.org), and was the first recipient of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation’s "Pulse-Setter Leader Award" for his commitment to advancing health equit...

Sam Conaway: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities - Part 1

Sam Conaway is the president of U.S. Cardiology Sales for Boston Scientific and the chair of the company’s Close the Gap program, which seeks to eliminate treatment disparities in underserved populations. He has been recognized as one of the most influential Black executives in corporate America (SAVOY Magazine), and in healthcare (BlackDoctor.org), and was the first recipient of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation’s "Pulse-Setter Leader Award" for his commitment to advancing health equit...

Kendal Whitlock's Mission to Solve Inequities in Clinical Trials - Part 2

Kendal Whitlock is a problem solver. In her current position as the Head of Digital Optimization, RWE Clinical Trials for Walgreens Boots Alliance, she is working to make it possible for all patients to participate in medical research, regardless of where they live, through decentralized clinical trials and enabling digital technologies. In this second episode of a two-part interview with Andrew Cleeland, CEO of Fogarty Innovation, Kendal describes her career path, explains Walgreens' "gam...

Kendal Whitlock's Mission to Solve Inequities in Clinical Trials

Kendal Whitlock is a problem solver. In her current position as the Head of Digital Optimization, RWE Clinical Trials for Walgreens Boots Alliance, she is working to make it possible for all patients to participate in medical research, regardless of where they live, through decentralized clinical trials and enabling digital technologies. Kendal’s journey has always been about leveraging her passion for scientific evidence with her desire to be a bridge between that information and the comm...

1,800 Patents and Counting: Serial innovator Mir Imran on curiosity, determination, and which problems are worth solving (part 2)

In this second of two parts, serial innovator and entrepreneur Mir Imran rejoins Andrew Cleeland, CEO of Fogarty Innovation, to discuss his reluctant path through medical school, the inspiration that led him to develop the first automatic implantable cardiac defibrillator, how he views innovation and chooses problems to solve, and the stories behind the founding of Ventritex and Rani Therapeutics. Mir has spent 40 years developing and commercializing breakthrough medical technologies that ...

1,800 Patents and Counting: Serial innovator Mir Imran on curiosity, determination, and which problems are worth solving (part 1)

Mir Imran has an insatiable interest in unsolved clinical problems and a relentless entrepreneurial drive. The result has been a 40-year career developing and commercializing breakthrough medical technologies that have saved millions of lives. Mir has helped shape the medical device industry, founding more than 20 life science companies including Ventritex, Cardiac Pathways, Percusurge and most recently, Rani Therapeutics. Most of these startups have been acquired by larger companies or gone...

John Simpson Builds His Successful Career on Constantly Striving for a Better Way (Part 2)

World-renowned physician, venture capitalist and prolific entrepreneur, John Simpson, MD, rejoins Andrew Cleeland to discuss the impact he's had on the future generation of medtech innovators. Credited with inventing and commercializing the first over-the-wire balloon catheter used for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and helping to create the field of interventional cardiology, John also founded and successfully exited numerous companies, including Advanced Cardiovascul...

John Simpson Builds His Successful Career on Constantly Striving for a Better Way (Part 1)

A husband, father, world-renowned physician, venture capitalist and prolific entrepreneur, John Simpson, MD, has helped revolutionize the field of cardiology via his innovations.   Credited with inventing and commercializing the first over-the-wire balloon catheter used for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and helping to create the field of interventional cardiology, John also founded and successfully exited numerous companies, including Advanced Cardiovascular Syst...

Cardiologist Marty Leon Transforms Personal Adversity to Create Pioneering Career (Part 2)

Andrew Cleeland, CEO of Fogarty Innovation, welcomes back world-renowned cardiologist Dr. Marty Leon, a visionary leader who has shaped the worldwide practice of interventional medicine. Dr. Leon is professor of medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), Director of Columbia Interventional Cardiovascular Care and of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories, founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation, and the driving force behind the Transcat...

Cardiologist Marty Leon Transforms Personal Adversity to Create Pioneering Career (Episode 1)

There is virtually no aspect of the cardiovascular health ecosystem that hasn’t been impacted by the work of Dr. Marty Leon, professor of medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) and a legendary interventional cardiologist whose many roles and accomplishments have had an indelible effect on the practice of cardiology and the medtech industry. Dr. Leon's dedication is reflected by the many hats he wears, including Director of Columbia Interventional Cardiovascular Care ...

A True Pioneer: Dr. Thomas J. Fogarty

While he needs no introduction, it’s always an honor to list Dr. Tom Fogarty’s many accomplishments over his nearly eight-decade career as one of the medical device industry’s most prolific inventors. Dr. Fogarty has had a profound and lasting impact on patients, on healthcare, on innovation on our industry and many of its leaders. As an internationally-recognized cardiovascular surgeon, inventor, entrepreneur and vintner, he has dedicated his entire career to improving patient care and is...

Hanson Gifford Shares Tales of An Illustrious Career -- Episode 2

Dubbed as a “walking encyclopedia of medtech experiences, innovations and impact,” Hanson Gifford, CEO and managing director of The Foundry, has been directly involved with or founded over 30 companies in the past 40 years. In this episode, he rejoins Andrew Cleeland, CEO of Fogarty Innovation, as he shares his views on teamwork, investing, digital health and the future of our industry.

Hanson Gifford Shares Tales of An Illustrious Career -- Episode 1

Hanson Gifford, CEO and managing partner of The Foundry, is perhaps best known as a co-founder of this iconic Silicon Valley-based incubator that has blazed the path for numerous successful medtech companies, developing cutting-edge treatments that address a broad range of large, unmet clinical needs. In this episode, he joins Andrew Cleeland as he shares lessons learned from his youth, his earliest jobs and launching The Foundry.

The Essential Role Jan Garfinkle has Played in the Medtech Ecosystem — Part 2

Jan Garfinkle, founder and managing partner of Arboretum Ventures, rejoins Andrew Cleeland as she shares the reasons behind launching the firm and the grit it took to get the company started. Jan also discusses the pivotal role she played at the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) to help ensure venture-backed startups could apply for PPP loans during the pandemic, and why the creation of Venture Forward, which promotes diversity in venture funds and portfolio companies, is so impo...

The Essential Role Jan Garfinkle has Played in the Medtech Ecosystem —Part 1

Jan Garfinkle, founder and managing partner of Arboretum Ventures, has played a key role in multiple foundational companies in the medtech industry. Today, she supports the early-medtech ecosystem at the firm with a mission that is similar to Fogarty Innovation's: driving down the costs of healthcare through innovation. Arboretum has invested in 60 portfolio companies, which collectively employ 5,000 people and help over 10 million patients, making a remarkable impact on human health and o...

A Salute to Paul Yock, MD, and His Legacy, Part 2

Paul Yock, MD, has had an unparalleled career as an accomplished physician, innovator and educator. In retrospect, Paul is proudest of the Stanford Biodesign program trainees, many of whom have gone on to lead health technology start-up companies, found innovation training programs, become faculty members of major universities, or return to clinical practice with a new understanding of how to evaluate and solve problems in care. Learn more about Paul and the organization he formed, as he r...

A Salute to Paul Yock, MD, and His Legacy, Part 1

“In addition to the vast impact his inventions have had, I believe Paul’s multifaceted legacy will be kept by his influence on the innovators of today and generations well into the future." The iconic Paul Yock, MD, joins Andrew Cleeland as he provides a glimpse into his stellar career as an accomplished physician, innovator and educator. Paul is the Martha Meier Weiland Professor of Medicine, founding co-chair of Stanford’s department of bioengineering and founder of the Stanford Byers Ce...

The Quintessential Entrepreneur: An Interview with Josh Makower, Part 2

Josh Makower, MD, rejoins Andrew Cleeland as he shares his experience working at Pfizer, breaking new ground by launching ExploraMed, and coming full circle as co-founder and now director of Stanford Biodesign.   

The Quintessential Entrepreneur, Part 1

Anyone who’s spent time in the medtech field knows that the name Josh Makower is synonymous with innovation, as he has blazed numerous trails for new technologies and therapies alike. Josh cut his teeth at Pfizer, then went on to become the quintessential entrepreneur, founding eight medtech companies in a variety of clinical specialties including minimally invasive vascular surgery; ear, nose and throat (ENT) issues; and women's health. He created an incubator, ExploraMed, to bring promising...

The Quintessential Entrepreneur: An interview with Josh Makower, Part 1

Anyone who’s spent time in the medtech field knows that the name Josh Makower is synonymous with innovation, as he has blazed numerous trails for new technologies and therapies alike. Josh cut his teeth at Pfizer, then went on to become the quintessential entrepreneur, founding eight medtech companies in a variety of clinical specialties including minimally invasive vascular surgery; ear, nose and throat (ENT) issues; and women's health. He created an incubator, ExploraMed, to bring prom...

A Rocket to the Moon Part 2: A Conversation with Casey McGlynn

Casey McGlynn, a founding architect of the MedTech industry, has been guiding and connecting innovators and operators for more than 3 decades. He is a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and has played such a pivotal role in MedTech that the industry would look very different if not for his contributions. He rejoins Andrew Cleeland to share his thoughts on the future of MedTech and further discuss his legacy.   “[What’s] so unique about this industry is that [everyone] has this h...

A Rocket to the Moon: A Conversation with Casey McGlynn

Casey McGlynn is a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. He is a founding architect of the medtech industry and has been guiding and connecting innovators for more than three decades. Casey has played a pivotal role in the medtech industry: his legacy is so vast that the industry would not be what it is today without his contributions. He joins Andrew Cleeland to talk about his start in the industry and share anecdotes of his early experiences.   Casey explains what drove him to c...

A Born Leader Part 2: A Conversation with Ginger Graham

A Born Leader: A conversation with Ginger Graham, Part 1

The field of MedTech uses the latest technology to address medical challenges and find new ways to transform patient care. The industry is filled with groundbreaking experts paving the way to a better and healthier future— transforming patient care and saving countless lives. In this exciting new podcast, Andrew Cleeland invites listeners to tune in as he interviews MedTech professionals about their journeys to success and how their innovative contributions are disrupting and transforming th...

Introducing MedTech Trailblazers

Welcome to MedTech Trailblazers where Fogarty Innovation's CEO Andrew Cleeland is talking to the experts and innovators changing the future of healthcare. Find out what this podcast is going to cover, and how it came to be.