Laura Stoppel
About Laura Stoppel
Independent director since November 2020; age 39 as of April 1, 2025. Partner on the Investment Team at RA Capital Management with prior roles at RA Capital since 2016, bringing venture investing and neuroscience domain expertise. Education: B.A. in Biology and Psychology (Harvard) and Ph.D. in Neuroscience (MIT). Board tenure: Class II director with term expiring in 2026.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| RA Capital Management | Partner, Investment Team; prior roles since 2016 | 2016–present | Venture investing focus; neurosciences specialization |
| Acumen Pharmaceuticals (ABOS) | Independent Director (Class II) | Nov 2020–present; term to 2026 | Audit Committee member; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee chair |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Public/Private |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artiva Biotherapeutics, Inc. | Director | Since Jun 2020 | Public biotech |
| Nimbus Therapeutics, LLC | Director | Since Oct 2020 | Private LLC |
| Indapta Therapeutics Inc. | Director | Since Jan 2022 | Private |
| International Rett Syndrome Foundation | Director | Since Jul 2023 | Non-profit |
| CellCentric, Inc. | Director | Since Jul 2024 | Private |
| Verdiva Bio Inc. | Director | Since Oct 2024 | Private |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board affirmatively determined Dr. Stoppel is independent under Nasdaq rules.
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee chair; all committee members independent per Nasdaq.
- Board leadership: Independent Chair (Sean Stalfort).
- Attendance: Board met 6 times in FY2024; each director attended ≥75% of Board and applicable committee meetings; 2024 committee meetings—Audit (4), Compensation (4), Nominating (3).
| Committee | Role | FY2024 Meetings |
|---|---|---|
| Audit | Member | 4 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | Chair | 3 |
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Cash Fees (Director Retainer + Committee Fees) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $53,417 | Cash fees payable to Dr. Stoppel were paid to RA Capital Management, L.P. per her agreement. |
Director cash fee policy (for context):
- Board annual retainer increased to $40,000 effective June 1, 2024; Audit Chair $15,000; Audit member $7,500; Compensation Chair $10,000; Compensation member $5,000; Nominating Chair $8,000; Nominating member $4,000; Board Chair and Lead Independent Director each $30,000. Paid quarterly and pro-rated.
Performance Compensation
| Year | Equity Award Type | Grant Size | Vesting | Grant-Date Fair Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Stock Option (annual director grant) | 25,000 options | Vest at earlier of 1 year or next annual meeting | $49,855 |
| Ongoing | Initial director grant (upon joining) | 50,000 options | 36 equal monthly installments | n/a |
| 2025 policy change | Mixed equity | 19,500 options + 12,800 RSUs | As determined by Board/Comp Committee | n/a |
- Director equity awards are time-based; no performance metrics (TSR/EBITDA/ESG) disclosed for director grants.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Significant stockholder interlock: Entities affiliated with RA Capital beneficially own 15,016,063 shares (24.8%); disclosure notes 84,000 shares underlying options held by Dr. Stoppel for the benefit of RA Capital and excludes 25,000 unvested options not vesting within 60 days.
- Cash flow to affiliated entity: Cash director fees payable to Dr. Stoppel were paid to RA Capital Management, L.P. pursuant to her agreement.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Venture capital investor with neuroscience focus; current and prior roles at RA Capital since 2016.
- Academic credentials: Harvard (B.A., Biology & Psychology) and MIT (Ph.D., Neuroscience).
- Multiple board roles across biotech, foundation, and private companies; adds network reach and domain knowledge.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Form of Ownership | Shares/Units | % of Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laura Stoppel, Ph.D. | Options exercisable within 60 days of Apr 8, 2025 | 84,000 | <1% |
| Laura Stoppel, Ph.D. | Outstanding director options (as of Dec 31, 2024) | 109,000 underlying options | n/a |
| RA Capital affiliated entities | Common stock + options for benefit | 15,016,063 (incl. 84,000 options for benefit; excludes 25,000 unvested) | 24.8% |
- Pledging/hedging: Company insider trading policy prohibits short sales, options, hedging, margin accounts, and speculative transactions by directors. No pledging disclosed.
- Stock ownership guidelines for directors: Not disclosed in proxy materials. (No statement in provided sections; equity program described without guidelines.)
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; chairs Nominating & Corporate Governance and sits on Audit—key governance/compliance oversight; met ≥75% attendance threshold; Board led by independent Chair. These factors support board effectiveness and investor confidence.
- Alignment: Director equity compensation historically option-based with time-based vesting; 2025 shift adds RSUs, increasing guaranteed value and potentially lowering risk sensitivity, but remains standard for small-cap biotech boards.
- Conflicts/Interlocks—RED FLAGS: RA Capital is a 24.8% holder; Dr. Stoppel is an RA Capital partner, and her cash director fees are paid to RA Capital. This creates a material interlock and potential perceived conflict, particularly given her chair role on Nominating & Corporate Governance. Mitigants: Board independence affirmed; Related party transactions policy in place; Company disclosed no related-party transactions (other than compensation) since Jan 1, 2023.
- Engagement: Committee workload evident (Audit 4; Nominating 3 meetings in FY2024) suggesting active oversight cadence.
Overall, governance quality appears solid (independence, committee leadership, attendance), but investors should monitor RA Capital interlock dynamics and the 2025 equity mix change for directors (introduction of RSUs) as potential signals regarding risk/return alignment and control influence.