We're excited to share how Frazier Healthcare Partners' Tanya Hayes sourced fellow WBL member Michelle Wright for a board position with Frazier's portfolio company, Caravel Autism Health, and how Michelle's participation in the Board Program helped her secure the role. Read their story below!

Tanya, how did you get involved in WBL and what makes participating in the Board Program valuable to you?
I joined Frazier Healthcare Partners in 2019 and my colleague Andy Caine introduced me to Mia Jung, Partner, Oxeon Partners, who nominated me for WBL membership. Helping women land board seats is a priority for Frazier. We are happy to take part in programs like the Board Program (I’ll be attending again in October to meet and network with this year’s participants) and Break Into The Boardroom, which was co-founded by Mia and promotes greater representation of women healthcare executives on boards.

The Board Program is valuable to me because it gives Frazier access to talented women who have the desire to learn about the private equity industry and who are interested in building relationships with Frazier for future Executive in Residence, portfolio C-suite, and Board positions. I’ve met hundreds of women through WBL because of the Board Program networking sessions as well as general WBL events, and look forward to connecting more WBL members with opportunities through Frazier in the future.

Michelle, how did the Board Program help prepare you for board service?
I’ve been a C-suite executive, consultant, and WBL member for years, and never took the time for this type of self-development. I’m honestly sorry I waited.

The program helped me identify specific goals and suggested a path to get there. I was then able to highlight the skills I had that were relevant. One of the most valuable parts of the program was the support and relationships. I felt like the staff, the speakers, and the other participants were all invested in my success - not only during the program, but afterward. Every single connection took a genuine interest in helping each other. We’ve had check-in calls and outreach from other participants and speakers, which has kept me on track and moving forward.

Tanya, why was Michelle a great candidate for the Caravel Autism Health board role?
Firstly, I met and interviewed so many talented women from WBL for the independent director position at Caravel Autism Health. I’m grateful for the time the women took to explore the opportunity with Caravel and Frazier Healthcare Partners, which has opened doors for conversations at other portfolio companies where there is a talent gap. Beyond Michelle's experience in human resources, product, diversity, inclusion and ethics, Michelle was a great fit because she is passionate about Caravel’s mission and could speak to how Caravel’s values resonate with her. We are thrilled she chose Caravel!

Michelle, what made Caravel Autism Health’s board the right fit for you?
Caravel identified the need for a director with a health payor background that also had organization development expertise. I have decades of both, and have also worked extensively with providers. This made it a great fit from an expertise perspective.

Importantly, Caravel is a mission driven company that supports children with autism. This is close to my heart as a parent of an adult with autism. I love that I can help Caravel grow to help more children through the access, quality, technology, and performance strategies where I bring experience.

Tanya, what advice would you give to candidates in Michelle’s position hoping to find seats with firms like yours?
Frazier and its portfolio companies are mission and values focused. We look for talent who share similar passions for the opportunities they are pursuing. We want to hear relevant stories about how executives have lived with similar missions and values and hear how they have helped develop growth-oriented companies through perseverance, empowerment, and by delivering improved outcomes for all served.

Michelle, what advice would you give to others seeking a board role similar to yours?
Start with attending the Board Program! Seriously, I would not have received the coaching and practical information anywhere else. This program is full of connections to incredibly talented women. The journey to board service takes a while, and WBL gives you what you need to get started and to make continuous progress.