Nancy L. Snyderman
AlkermesAbout Nancy L. Snyderman
Independent director of Alkermes plc since May 2016 (age 73 as of April 1, 2025). An oncologic surgeon and clinical researcher with prior executive, academic, and media leadership roles, she chairs the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee and serves on the Audit & Risk Committee. Education includes medical school at the University of Nebraska with residencies in Pediatrics and Otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh; she is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Kellogg Fellow .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| NBC News | Chief Medical Editor | 2006–2015 | Senior editorial responsibility on healthcare reporting; multiple journalism awards |
| Johnson & Johnson | SVP Corporate Communications | Jan 2003–Sep 2006 | Corporate communications leadership at a large pharma |
| University of Pennsylvania | Clinical Professor (Otolaryngology) | Aug 2003–Dec 2015 | Academic and clinical leadership |
| UC San Francisco & California Pacific Medical Center | Otolaryngologist (practice) | Jul 1994–Jun 2003 | Surgical practice |
| ABC News | Medical Editor | 1987–May 2003 | National medical journalism |
| Stanford University Center for Innovation in Global Health | Consulting Professor | Jul 2019–Jul 2022 | Global health innovation |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyra Therapeutics (Nasdaq: LYRA) | Director | Oct 2020–Present | Current public company board |
| Axonics, Inc. | Director | Apr 2019–Nov 2024 | Prior public company board |
| Future Health ESG Corp (SPAC) | Director | Sep 2021–Mar 2024 | Prior public company board |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined all directors other than the CEO are independent; Snyderman is listed and nominated as independent .
- Committees and meeting cadence:
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee – Chair; meetings held in 2024: 4 .
- Audit & Risk Committee – Member; meetings held in 2024: 4 .
- Attendance: “In 2024, each of the Company’s directors attended 75% or more in the aggregate of all regularly-scheduled meetings of the Board and committee(s) on which they served” .
- Shareholder engagement and voting: Directors received ~97.5% average support for re-election at the 2024 AGM; say‑on‑pay received ~98% support, signaling high investor confidence in governance and compensation oversight .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board retainer | $74,000 | Includes attendance at first five regularly scheduled Board meetings |
| Audit & Risk Committee member retainer | $15,000 | Member fee |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee chair retainer | $20,000 | Chair fee (raised by $2,000 in May 2024) |
| Fees earned in cash (2024 actual) | $108,170 | Total cash compensation Snyderman earned in 2024 |
- Meeting fee policy: +$3,500 for attendance beyond five regularly scheduled Board meetings per year .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Element | 2024 Grants | Grant Date Fair Value | Vesting/Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (Annual Grant) | 8,013 shares | $23.40 per share; total $187,504 (director stock awards) | Vest in full on 1‑year anniversary of 5/31/2024 grant date |
| Options (Annual Grant) | 17,492 shares | Est. $10.72 per option; total $187,490 (director option awards) | Vest in full on 1‑year anniversary; expire at earlier of 10 years or 3 years post‑service end; death/disability acceleration since May 2024 |
| Equity mix policy | 50% RSUs / 50% Options | Annual director equity values unchanged since 2018 ($375k annual grant) | Share counts set using closing price and Black‑Scholes; rounded to nearest whole share |
- Hedging/pledging prohibition: Directors are prohibited from hedging or pledging company stock under the Insider Trading Policy .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Sector Overlap with ALKS | Committee Roles (if disclosed) | Potential Conflict Commentary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyra Therapeutics | Medical device/therapeutics; not disclosed as competitor to ALKS neuroscience | Not disclosed | No related‑party transactions >$120k since Jan 1, 2024 were reported, reducing conflict risk |
| Axonics (prior) | Medical device (urology) | Not disclosed | Prior role; no ALKS related‑party ties disclosed |
| Future Health ESG Corp (prior) | SPAC | Not disclosed | Prior role; no ALKS related‑party ties disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Clinical and research: Oncologic surgeon; extensive clinical and academic experience (UPenn, UCSF/CPMC) .
- Communications and policy: Former SVP Corporate Communications at J&J; veteran medical journalist at NBC/ABC with Emmy, Murrow, DuPont, and Gracie awards; co‑founder of Stanford‑NBC Global Media Fellowship .
- Governance: Chairs the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee overseeing board composition, evaluations, succession, overboarding, conflicts, and ESG oversight .
Equity Ownership
| Metric (as of Record Date: Mar 14, 2025) | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Issued ordinary shares | 25,422 | Direct/indirect beneficial ownership |
| Ordinary shares issuable within 60 days | 165,233 | Options/RSU vesting within 60 days counted for SEC beneficial ownership |
| Total beneficial ownership (SEC definition) | 190,655 | Less than 1% of shares outstanding |
| RSUs outstanding (12/31/2024) | 8,013 | Director RSUs held |
| Options outstanding (12/31/2024) | 182,725 | Director options held |
| Ownership/holding guidelines | Directors must hold shares equal to 3x annual retainer; no hedging/pledging permitted | Company policy; compliance status not individually disclosed |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Snyderman chairs the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (4 meetings in 2024) and serves on Audit & Risk (4 meetings), placing her at the center of board composition, evaluation, succession, ESG oversight, and risk controls—key levers for investor confidence .
- Independence and engagement: Confirmed independent; company reports that all directors met ≥75% attendance in 2024 and majority attended the 2024 AGM. High shareholder support for director elections and say‑on‑pay reinforces board credibility .
- Pay and alignment: 2024 director compensation balanced cash and equity ($108,170 cash; ~$375k equity split RSUs/options), with time‑based vesting and explicit prohibitions on hedging/pledging—positive alignment signals without performance‑linked director pay that could bias oversight .
- Conflicts/related‑party: Audit & Risk Committee reviews related‑party transactions quarterly; no transactions >$120k since Jan 1, 2024 disclosed, mitigating conflict risk. Overboarding policy limits outside boards to three; directors were in compliance during 2024; Snyderman serves on one current outside public board (Lyra) .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed regarding related‑party transactions, hedging/pledging, or attendance shortfalls. No delinquent Section 16 reports noted for Snyderman; one late filing in 2024 was for an executive (Blair Jackson), not directors .