Heather Raymon
About Heather Raymon
Heather Raymon, Ph.D., is Senior Vice President, Research and Early Development at Artiva Biotherapeutics (ARTV). She has served as SVP since January 2023 and previously was Vice President, Early Development and Program Management from October 2020 through December 2022 . As of April 25, 2025, her age is disclosed as 60 . Dr. Raymon holds a B.S. in Biology from SUNY Albany, a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology from UC Irvine, and completed postdoctoral fellowships at the Salk Institute and UC San Diego . The proxy describes company bonus metrics tied to research, clinical and regulatory milestones, but does not disclose individual TSR/revenue/EBITDA performance for her role .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) | Executive Director, Early Development Program Lead | Nov 2019 – Oct 2020 | Led early development programs |
| Celgene | Senior Director → Executive Director, Global Project Leadership, Research & Early Development | Jan 2016 – Nov 2019 | Global project leadership for R&ED |
| Celgene | Head of Pharmacology, Research & Early Development | 2001 – 2015 | Pharmacology leadership |
External Roles
No public-company board or external positions for Dr. Raymon are disclosed in ARTV’s registration statements or 2025 proxy .
Fixed Compensation
Dr. Raymon is not a Named Executive Officer (NEO) in the 2025 proxy; base salary and bonus targets are not disclosed in NEO tables (which cover CEO, COO, CFO) .
Performance Compensation
Option Awards (equity incentives)
| Option title | Grant date | Shares | Exercise price | Expiration | Vesting schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employee Stock Option | 10/22/2020 | 18,239 | $5.14 | 11/02/2030 | 25% vested 10/22/2021; remaining 36 equal monthly installments thereafter |
| Employee Stock Option | 01/01/2024 | 12,539 | $5.01 | 04/02/2033 | 25% vested 01/01/2024; remaining 36 monthly installments thereafter |
| Employee Stock Option | 02/22/2022 | 14,819 | $5.01 | 04/02/2033 | 25% vested 02/22/2022; remaining 36 monthly installments thereafter |
| Employee Stock Option | 01/23/2024 | 11,399 | $5.18 | 01/23/2034 | Monthly over 48 months starting 01/01/2024 |
| Employee Stock Option | 05/01/2024 | 10,259 | $13.47 | 05/01/2034 | 25% vested 07/19/2025; remaining 36 monthly installments thereafter |
Notes:
- Her original employment letter (Sept. 17, 2020) contemplated an initial option for 80,000 shares with 25% vest at 1-year, then monthly over 36 months under the 2020 Plan . Subsequent Form 3 reflects actual option grant quantities and schedules above .
Company performance metrics used in annual bonuses (context)
| Metric area | Description |
|---|---|
| Research/Clinical/Regulatory milestones | Corporate goals tied to clinical trials, regulatory submissions, conference presentations, manufacturing capacity, and capital raising objectives; 2024 corporate goal achievement was assessed by the Board for NEOs but individual targets for Dr. Raymon are not disclosed |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Initial Form 3 (filed 07/18/2024) reported derivative holdings (options) as listed above; non-derivative share ownership was not listed in Table I of the Form 3 .
- Hedging and pledging: Company policy prohibits hedging transactions, trading in publicly-traded options, and pledging company shares; holding in margin accounts is prohibited without prior Board approval and pre-clearance from the Chief Legal Officer .
- 10b5-1 plans: ARTV reported that during Q3 2025 no director or officer adopted or terminated any Rule 10b5-1 or non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement .
Employment Terms
| Term | Key provisions |
|---|---|
| Employment relationship | At-will; company may modify terms from time to time |
| Non-competition | During employment, may not serve with or advise competitors; passive holdings up to 1% of a public company allowed with no active participation |
| Equity award (on joining) | Eligibility for a stock option (initially described as 80,000 shares) with 25% cliff at 1-year and remaining monthly vest over 36 months under the 2020 EIP |
| Severance (qualifying termination) | If terminated without Cause after Series A and subject to release, severance equals continuation of final monthly base salary for 6 months, paid on regular payroll schedule |
| 280G (golden parachute) | Excise tax cutback/gross optimization provision to deliver greatest after-tax benefit; reduction methodology outlined, with avoidance of 409A adverse tax consequences |
| Arbitration | JAMS arbitration in San Diego; jury trial waived; company covers arbitrator’s fees beyond court fees |
| Confidentiality/IP assignment | Standard Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement; protections around third-party info and outside activities |
| Equity plan terms (general) | 2024 EIP governs RSUs/options; vesting generally ceases upon termination unless otherwise in award agreements; RSU/option mechanics described |
Investment Implications
- Alignment: A substantial portion of Dr. Raymon’s compensation is at-risk via multi-year option awards with long-dated expirations and monthly vesting, directly linking realized value to share price performance; the $13.47 May 2024 grant began vesting on July 19, 2025 and continues monthly, implying steady potential supply from vesting but actual selling constrained by trading windows and policy .
- Retention: Employment terms include modest severance (six months base salary) and robust confidentiality/IP covenants; non-compete applies during employment only, which is standard for California executives and reduces post-employment restrictions risk .
- Governance and risk controls: ARTV prohibits hedging, pledging, and margin accounts, and implemented a Dodd-Frank-compliant clawback policy covering incentive compensation; these policies strengthen alignment and reduce adverse trading/conflict signals .
- Trading signals: No 10b5-1 adoption/termination in Q3 2025 suggests no structured selling plans during that quarter; monitor continuing monthly vesting from the 2024 option grant for potential incremental supply, subject to blackout and pre-clearance rules .