Joel Ackerman
About Joel Ackerman
Joel Ackerman (age 60) is an independent director of Champions Oncology (CSBR) who transitioned from Chairman of the Board (January 2017–August 25, 2025) to director effective August 25, 2025; he previously served as CSBR’s Chief Executive Officer (October 2010–January 2017) . He is currently Chief Financial Officer of DaVita, Inc., and holds a B.A. from Columbia University (summa cum laude, 1988) and an M.A. in Physics from Harvard University (1990), with prior roles at Mercer Management Consulting, Warburg Pincus (Managing Director, Head of Healthcare Services), and Acumen Fund . The CSBR Board determined he is “independent” under Nasdaq rules; no attendance shortfalls were reported in FY2025, FY2024, or FY2023 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champions Oncology (CSBR) | Chief Executive Officer | Oct 2010–Jan 2017 | Led the company through growth and operations as CEO . |
| Champions Oncology (CSBR) | Chairman of the Board | Jan 2017–Aug 25, 2025 | Non‑executive chairman; separated chair/CEO roles as part of leadership structure . |
| Champions Oncology (CSBR) | Director (Independent) | Aug 25, 2025–present | Audit Committee member; Board determined independence . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| DaVita, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | Current | Senior finance leadership at public company; potential network interlocks to healthcare services ecosystem . |
| Warburg Pincus, LLC | Managing Director; Head of Healthcare Services; executive management team | 1993–2008 | Private equity leadership across healthcare services . |
| Mercer Management Consulting | Associate | 1990–1993 | Strategy consulting experience . |
| Acumen Fund | Senior portfolio fellow | 2010 | Impact investing exposure . |
Board Governance
- Independence and status: The CSBR Board determined Ackerman is independent under Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2) (FY2025); the Board had five independents and two non‑independents in 2025 (Brainin became CEO and non‑independent) .
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; Audit Committee chaired by Scott Tobin; members are Tobin (Chair), Ackerman, and Mendelson; Audit Committee met four times in FY2025 (also four in FY2024 and FY2023) .
- Attendance: No incumbent director attended fewer than 75% of Board and committee meetings in FY2025; Board met twice (FY2025), three times (FY2024, FY2023) .
- Leadership structure: CSBR separates Chair and CEO roles; effective August 25, 2025, Robert Brainin became CEO and Ronnie Morris transitioned to Chairman .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (Director) | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash fees (annual retainer/meeting/committee) | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Stock awards (RSUs/PSUs) | $0 | $0 | $0 |
CSBR’s Director Compensation tables show no cash or stock awards for Ackerman; his director compensation comprised option awards only in each year .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award Type | FY2023 Grant‑Date Fair Value | FY2024 Grant‑Date Fair Value | FY2025 Grant‑Date Fair Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock options (director awards) | $110,527 | $116,622 | $118,418 |
- Structure and metrics: Proxy disclosures list option award grant‑date fair values for directors; no RSUs/PSUs or explicit performance metrics tied to director compensation are disclosed. Awards appear as standard time‑based option grants under CSBR’s equity plans .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Public company role: CFO at DaVita, Inc. (DVA), a public dialysis provider .
- Interlocks/conflicts: No related‑party transactions involving Ackerman are disclosed by CSBR; related‑party items noted involve consulting fees to Director Dr. Sidransky (not Ackerman) .
- Other boards: Not disclosed for Ackerman in CSBR proxies .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Finance and operations: CFO experience at DaVita; extensive healthcare services investing and operating expertise from Warburg Pincus; strategic consulting background .
- Sector experience: Deep healthcare services and biomedical industry exposure; deemed well‑qualified for CSBR Board .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (shares) | 1,204,731 | 1,223,814 | 1,267,004 |
| Ownership (% of shares outstanding) | 8.6% (out of 13,479,215) | 8.7% (out of 13,593,766) | 9.0% (out of 13,788,421) |
| Options exercisable within 60 days (vested/near‑vested) | 462,286 | 366,817 | 304,870 |
No pledging of shares by Ackerman is disclosed; beneficial ownership includes vested/near‑vested options counted for Section 13 purposes .
Governance Assessment
- Alignment: Significant personal ownership (~9.0% in FY2025) and option‑based director compensation suggest alignment with shareholder outcomes; Board affirms independence status, and Ackerman serves on the Audit Committee alongside independent members .
- Board effectiveness: Audit Committee meets regularly (4 times/year) and designates a financial expert (Tobin); Board attendance thresholds met across FY2025–FY2023; separation of Chair/CEO roles maintained through transition in August 2025 .
- Potential conflicts: No related‑party transactions involving Ackerman are disclosed; his role as CFO of DaVita introduces potential ecosystem interlocks, but no CSBR‑DaVita dealings are reported in CSBR proxies .
- Diversity and renewal: Board Diversity Matrix indicates all‑male board and no demographic disclosures in FY2024/FY2023; CSBR states no formal diversity policy for director appointments—a governance consideration for external investors .
RED FLAGS
- Board diversity: All‑male board with no demographic disclosure and no formal diversity policy may be viewed negatively by some investors .
- Meeting cadence: Board met only twice in FY2025; while committees were active, low full‑board meeting frequency can raise oversight concerns in some governance frameworks .
Signals supporting investor confidence
- Independence, Audit Committee service, and strong attendance record support governance quality .
- Material personal ownership (9.0%) provides “skin‑in‑the‑game” alignment .
- Clear separation of Chair and CEO roles post‑August 2025 enhances governance structure .