Mara Aspinall

Critical Path Institute has announced the appointment of health care industry leader and active civic involvement pioneer Mara G. Aspinall to its board of directors.

Aspinall is managing director and co-founder of BlueStone Venture Partners, LLC, a venture fund investing in life sciences technology companies in the U.S. Southwest. She also serves as CEO of Health Catalysts Group, a consulting firm dedicated to the growth of health information technology and diagnostics firms and publisher of the popular Health Catalysts Diagnostics Year in Review. During the pandemic, Aspinall served as an advisor to The Rockefeller Foundation on COVID testing.

“Mara is a long-time supporter of C-Path’s work and we’re thrilled to have her join the Board at this exciting and important new phase of evolution for C-Path,” said Board Chairman Wainwright Fishburn. “The addition of Mara complements our board’s skills and experiences, and we are confident she will provide valuable industry perspective. We look forward to her engagement in guiding our strategic initiatives and being the catalyst for innovation that accelerates the path to healthier world.”

Aspinall has extensive experience in the risk-based capital industry. In addition to BlueStone, she has served as advisor on life sciences transactions for private equity firms. At Blue Cross Blue Shield Arizona, Aspinall chaired the board for its strategic corporate venture fund, Trinnovate Ventures.

As president and CEO of Tucson-based Ventana Medical Systems, now Roche Tissue Diagnostics, Aspinall led her world-class team to new financial success, more than two dozen major instrument and assay launches as well as global leadership in companion diagnostics. Previously, she served as president of Genzyme Genetics and Genzyme Pharmaceuticals. Genzyme Genetics grew into one of the country’s leading diagnostic testing companies and was sold to LabCorp for $1 billion.

“I believe C-Path’s leading-edge approach to medical product development creates profound contributions that impact patients’ lives,” said Aspinall. “Their development of actionable solutions through an innovative, collaborative approach in the sharing of data and expertise is a major driver of change. I look forward to working with the Board to create value, drive consensus and generate the confidence necessary to support the adoption of solutions by sponsors and regulators.”

A leader in educating payers and policymakers on personalized medicine, Aspinall served on the Health and Human Services Secretary’s Advisory Council on Genetics, Health & Society in the Bush and Obama administrations. With a passion for education about the importance of diagnostics in health care, Aspinall co-founded the School of Biomedical Diagnostics at Arizona State University, the first and only program dedicated to diagnostics as an independent discipline.

Aspinall was named Arizona Bioscience Leader of the Year by the Arizona Biotechnology Association in 2016, one of “100 Most Inspiring People in Life Sciences” by PharmaVOICE magazine and one of Women Inc’s Most Influential Corporate Board Directors. She started her business career at the strategic consulting firm Bain & Company. Aspinall holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Tufts University.

Aspinall’s board appointment begins immediately. She is also a board of directors member on Abcam, Allscripts, Castle Biosciences, OraSure, AZBio and Blue Cross Blue Shield Arizona.