

Diverse leaders transforming industries
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Leadership

Stephen is a technology executive, entrepreneur, and angel investor based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is the CEO and Chairman of Newfire Global Partners, a consulting firm that helps companies with digital transformation and innovation. Stephen has held senior operating roles in startups to NASDAQ-listed companies and has experience as an independent board member. He is also a board member of BioProcure Inc. and Scrum Inc. Stephen is a respected tech leader and a member of the Forbes Technology Council. He has a keen understanding of building shareholder value and is known for his strategic perspective and technical prowess.

Sonali Damle is a seasoned executive specializing in human resources and organizational development. As the Chief People and Transformation Officer at Newfire Global Partners, she brings extensive experience in driving change and transformation. With a strong background in organizational design, leadership development, and talent acquisition, Sonali has made significant contributions to the growth and success of various companies. She also serves as a Strategic Advisor at Innovaccer and is a respected member of the Forbes Human Resources Council.

William Crawford has been a leader in the healthcare and technology industries for 25 years, including at Fitbit (as VP of Engineering), Medically Home (CTO) and SmartSense by Digi (Chief Product Officer). As CTO at Invantage, Inc, he launched the first major SaaS platform for Clinical Trial Management. From 2006 to 2007 he was the HIT Policy Lead at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He is the co-author of three books on enterprise software published by O’Reilly & Associates, and has been an invited speaker on technology, healthcare and policy issues around the world. As an angel investor he has supported many successful startups and continues to mentor startups through TechStars Boston. He holds a BA from Yale University and an MS and MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Greg has been helping investment and technology executives de-risk their software development strategies for over 15 years. He’s primarily focused on providing strategic guidance and tactical resources to accelerate product development, assess technology gaps, identify data assets, and formulate technical product roadmaps. His professional background encompasses digital healthcare, life sciences, FinTech, EdTech, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

Anatolii has 20 years experience managing engineering and product management teams in Asia, Europe and the United States. His solid technology and product background combined with business acumen help ensure the highest level of service to Newfire’s clients and team members.

Craig works with functional leaders at Newfire Global Partners to ensure that all organizations operate in a best-in-class manner and provide a real competitive advantage for the business. He is an energetic operations and finance executive with diverse experiences in fast-paced information technology & healthcare business settings. Craig has successfully collaborated and partnered with industry leaders and founders of emerging growth firms in information technology and digital healthcare. He has a demonstrated track record of helping firms to develop and implement high-value financial, operational, and growth strategies.

Francisco Alba is an accomplished leader with a proven track record of driving business and digital transformation. With expertise in general management, strategic planning, and operational effectiveness, he has achieved outstanding results throughout his career. Francisco has held key leadership roles at renowned companies such as Fiserv, Experian and Hewlett-Packard, where he consistently exceeded expectations and achieved world-class performance. As the General Manager for LATAM at Newfire Global Partners, he continues to drive innovation and deliver exceptional outcomes.

Hrvoje is a dynamic and hands-on Technology Executive with over 10 years of leadership experience, adept at guiding complex projects and assembling proficient teams. With a deep understanding of business processes and service delivery, his expertise spans telecom, business support software, FinTech, IoT, High-performance Computing, Managed Services, and general ICT. His international experience and the capacity to embrace diverse teams emphasize his commitment to problem-solving and maximizing efficiency within organizations. Hrvoje is well-versed in honing technical and leadership skills through interactive training sessions and progressive mentorship programs. Heralding over two decades of experience in the high-tech industry, Hrvoje's blend of multi-sector experience, international exposure, and robust problem-solving skills make him a remarkable asset to Newfire Global Partners.

Tetyana Sakhno is a seasoned finance and operations executive with a proven track record of success in driving organizations forward. With extensive experience in senior leadership positions at Newfire Global Partners, Eni, Ericsson, and a number of other international companies she has honed her expertise in strategic financial management and operational excellence. Tetyana's deep understanding of financial planning, budgeting, and operational optimization has been instrumental in achieving exceptional results. With strong leadership abilities and a commitment to driving growth, Tetyana brings a wealth of experience and a track record of outstanding financial performance.

Michael is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Ardan Equity, a healthcare enterprise software private equity firm. He was most recently Managing Partner of Optum Ventures, a leading health services company focused on digital health innovation. Michael previously co-founded and served as CEO of Humedica, a pioneer and leader in the field of population health management and big data.

Experienced technology professional with a demonstrated history of leading innovation across the healthcare industry by partnering with providers, technology vendors, and medical data organizations. Bob leads healthcare leaders towards market dominance with a well-rounded strategic approach.

Dr. Qi Li, M.D., M.B.A., is a healthcare innovator with expertise in product inception, research, and global business development. As a physician executive at InterSystems, he leads product innovation in real-world evidence, life science, research, precision medicine, NLP, and AI. Dr. Li held leadership roles at Harris Healthcare and Partners Healthcare, where he developed the Longitudinal Medical Record. Serving on i2b2/tranSMART and MIT Hacking Medicine Institute boards, he advises startups globally. Dr. Li earned his M.D. and M.B.A. from Tufts University and a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern Maine.

Christopher Hayes co-founded Net Health, a company specializing in electronic health records and analytics for healthcare specialties. He later worked on mission-driven projects with Newfire to tackle social determinants of health. Chris is now the COO at Membersy, where he is committed to helping cash-pay patients receive appropriate dental care. He is highly respected for his visionary leadership, problem-solving skills, and analytical abilities. Hayes is active on LinkedIn, sharing his insights on healthcare and data science.

John is a seasoned product and marketing executive with over 25 years of experience in launching innovative technology products. Before becoming a Newfire Advisor, he led marketing at Net Health, a Carlyle Group-backed EMR software provider, where he expanded product marketing and introduced AI-based analytics products. John held senior roles at PE-backed and VC-backed companies like Endeca, Scribe Software, Lavastorm, and CIMCON. His expertise spans SaaS, AI, wearables, IoT, data analytics, and various industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, and finance. He also serves as a judge and mentor for MassChallenge and Cleantech Open business accelerators.

Stacey Santo is a marketing and technology executive who has helped create disruptive businesses across a range of industries. As a founding senior manager of Rue La La (retail) and Cure Forward (digital health), Stacey has successfully blended strategic branding with digital marketing experiences.

An operational CFO with over 25 years of strategic, financial and operational management experience, Bill has effectively navigated several businesses through the challenges of hypergrowth. He is known for successfully scaling rapidly growing technology companies. Bill is a managing director of Danforth Advisors.