Christine Ortiz
About Christine Ortiz
Christine Ortiz (age 54) is the Morris Cohen Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT (1999–present), author of 210+ publications, and recipient of 30 national/international honors including the Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering. She joined the Enovis (ENOV) Board in 2022 and serves as an independent director on the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee. She founded and serves as president and chair of Station 1 Laboratory, Inc., an innovative non-profit R&D higher education institution.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Professor of Materials Science and Engineering | 1999–present | 210+ publications; supervised 300+ researchers; PECASE award |
| Station 1 Laboratory, Inc. (non-profit) | Founder, President, Chair | Not disclosed | Innovation-focused educational R&D |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mueller Water Products, Inc. | Director | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined Dr. Ortiz is “independent” under NYSE listing standards; all members of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee are independent.
- Committee assignments: Member, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (N&CG). The N&CG oversees director nominations, governance policy, related-person transactions, and ESG/sustainability undertakings.
- Meeting cadence and attendance: Board held five meetings in 2024; N&CG met five times. All directors attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings and attended the 2024 annual meeting.
- Executive sessions: Independent directors hold at least two executive sessions annually; the Lead Independent Director presides.
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Cash Retainer ($) | Committee/Chair Fees ($) | Total Cash ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 70,000 | None disclosed for membership | 70,000 | Standard non-employee director annual retainer |
| 2023 | 70,000 | None disclosed for membership | 70,000 | Standard non-employee director annual retainer |
| Policy | 70,000 (base) | Chair fees: Audit $25,000; CHCM $20,000; N&CG $15,000; Lead Independent Director $40,000; Chair of the Board $150,000 (effective 2025 for Chair) | — | Equity award target for directors $230,000 (RSUs), effective 2024 |
Performance Compensation
| Grant Year | Grant Type | Grant Date | Units/Shares | Grant-Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting / Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | RSUs | In connection with 2024 annual meeting | 4,338 | 221,889 | Vest in full on May 20, 2025 | Annual equity award entirely RSUs in 2024 |
| 2023 | RSUs | In connection with 2023 annual meeting | 1,875 | 106,425 | Vest in full on May 16, 2024 | RSUs + options mix in 2023 |
| 2023 | Stock Options | In connection with 2023 annual meeting | 4,167 | 107,509 | Fully vested on grant; 7-year term | Director options granted in 2023 only |
| Director Equity Policy | RSUs (2024 onward) | — | Target value $230,000 | — | 1-year vest | 2024 change to all-RSU structure |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public company directorships: Mueller Water Products, Inc.
- Interlocks/conflicts: No related-person transactions involving Dr. Ortiz were disclosed; the only related-person transaction disclosed concerned another director’s family member.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep domain expertise in biomaterials, biotechnology, computational/engineering design, and advanced manufacturing; significant innovation and R&D leadership.
- Public company board experience including ESG and CSR oversight; active role on ENOV’s N&CG Committee, which has explicit ESG oversight per charter.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Class | Components/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christine Ortiz | 11,550 | <1% | Includes right to acquire 7,631 shares via director stock options vested/will vest within 60 days of Mar 24, 2025 |
| Outstanding awards (12/31/2024) | RSUs: 4,338 | — | Unvested RSUs vest May 20, 2025 |
- Ownership guidelines: Directors must hold shares equal to 5× annual cash retainer within five years; pledged shares do not count. All directors had achieved the requirement as of the 2025 proxy; in 2024, Dr. Ortiz was noted as within the five-year grace period following her 2022 appointment.
- Hedging/pledging: Company prohibits hedging and pledging of Company stock by directors, officers, and employees.
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with strong scientific/innovation credentials; active N&CG committee member with ESG oversight responsibilities; satisfactory attendance record and annual meeting participation; robust stock ownership requirements and anti-hedging/anti-pledging policies bolster alignment.
- Incentives/Alignment: Standard director cash retainer plus equity tilted to RSUs (1-year vest) supports long-term alignment; 2023 mix included options (fully vested, 7-year term), but 2024 policy shift to all-RSU reduces option-related risk and complexity.
- Potential conflicts/red flags: No related-party or family transactions disclosed involving Dr. Ortiz; the Company’s related-person transaction policy requires pre-approval and is overseen by N&CG.
- Shareholder signals: Executive say-on-pay support remained high (≈98% in 2024), indicating broad investor confidence in pay practices and governance oversight, though this pertains to executive compensation rather than director pay specifically.
Overall, Dr. Ortiz presents as a technically strong, independent director with clean conflict profile, consistent attendance, and equity-based alignment consistent with ENOV’s governance policies. Continuous monitoring should include any changes in external board roles and maintenance of ownership guideline compliance.