Karen Heidelberger is a Partner and Chief Partnerships Officer, and joined the Firm in 2002. She is responsible for relationships with investors, partner companies, academic institutions and other interested parties. In her role, Ms. Heidelberger helped conceptualize and implement the Cure and is responsible for activation of the ecosystem. She is deeply involved in the design and implementation of Deerfield’s educational programming. Prior to this role, Ms. Heidelberger was a Trader at Deerfield for over a decade. Before Deerfield, Ms. Heidelberger was a Vice President in the Sales and Trading division of Merrill Lynch, and served as a Conflicts Coordinator in the Mergers and Acquisitions department. Ms. Heidelberger has approximately 22 years of experience in healthcare and 28 years of experience in finance. She is involved in the Deerfield-founded Break into the Boardroom and Women in Science programs, and currently serves on the Board of NewYorkBIO. Ms. Heidelberger graduated from the Cornell University, School of Hotel Administration, holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a Master of Science in Strategic Communication from Columbia University. 

Shannon Plumstead is Director and Head of Operations, Partnerships, and joined the Firm in 2013. Ms. Plumstead is responsible for investor operational due diligence and systems for developing information and procedures to support stakeholder engagement. She crafts and executes collaboration initiatives and communication strategies involving external stakeholders, and the Firm’s educational programming. She is also a compliance designee responsible for certain communication approvals, and supports the Firm’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Prior to Deerfield, among other positions, she was the Facility Manager and Development Coordinator for LA PALESTRA (LPMG) and served as the Administrative and Human Resource Director at LA PALESTRA Center for Preventative Medicine. Ms. Plumstead started her career as a professional ballet dancer and graduated with honors from the Boston Conservatory. Ms. Plumstead also holds an MBA from Cornell University’s Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management.