Svetlana Lucas
About Svetlana Lucas
Svetlana Lucas, Ph.D., is an independent Class III director of Jasper Therapeutics (JSPR), serving since June 2024; she was age 53 as of May 19, 2025, and holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology & Biochemistry from Caltech and an undergraduate Biology degree from Moscow State University . Her background spans senior business development roles at Scribe Therapeutics (Chief Business Officer), Tizona Therapeutics, Amgen/Onyx, PDL BioPharma/Facet Biotech, XOMA, and McKinsey . The Board determined she is independent under Nasdaq rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scribe Therapeutics Inc. | Chief Business Officer | Jun 2019 – present | Led multiple strategic collaborations (e.g., Sanofi, Eli Lilly’s Prevail Therapeutics) |
| Tizona Therapeutics, Inc. | SVP, Business Development; previously VP, Business Development | Jan 2019 – Jun 2019; Jun 2015 – Jan 2019 | Drove global strategic collaboration with AbbVie |
| Amgen Inc. | Head, Oncology & Inflammation External R&D Team | Aug 2014 – Jul 2015 | Oversaw BD incl. Kite Pharma collaboration; worked with Amgen Ventures on oncology/inflammation investments |
| Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Director, Corporate Development | Sep 2012 – Aug 2014 | Led oncology partnering strategy and diligence |
| Amgen; PDL BioPharma/Facet Biotech; XOMA | Strategy/BD/Strategic Marketing | 2003–2005; 2005–2010; 2010–2012 | Progressive BD and strategy roles |
| McKinsey & Company | Strategy Consultant (Life Sciences) | Feb 2001 – Jan 2003 | Life sciences strategy consulting |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| aTyr Pharma, Inc. | Director | Since Jun 2019 | Listed as Nasdaq: ATYR (2025 DEF) and previously LIFE (2024 8-K) |
| Radar Therapeutics | Advisor | Since Oct 2023 | Advisory capacity |
Board Governance
- Class III director; term expires at 2027 annual meeting; member of Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (no Audit/Compensation/R&D committee membership noted) .
- Independence: Board classified Dr. Lucas as independent; non-employee Chairperson is Tom Wiggans; independent directors meet in executive session after regular meetings .
- Attendance: In FY2024, the Board held 6 meetings and each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee held 2 meetings and acted by written consent 3 times (indicative of committee engagement) .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Board annual cash retainer | Chair $70,000; Member $40,000 | Earned quarterly; prorated for service |
| Audit Committee | Chair $15,000; Member $7,500 | Quarterly, prorated |
| Compensation Committee | Chair $10,000; Member $5,000 | Quarterly, prorated |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | Chair $8,000; Member $4,000 | Quarterly, prorated |
| Research & Development Committee | Chair $11,300; Member $6,300 | Quarterly, prorated |
- 2024 actual cash fees (prorated): $21,429 for Dr. Lucas .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Grant Size | Strike/Grant Date | Vesting | Fair Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial director stock option | 15,000 shares | $23.19 on Jun 18, 2024 | 25% on first anniversary; then 1/48 monthly (service-based) | Included in 2024 total option award value $302,606 |
| Annual director stock option (policy) | 7,500 shares per annual meeting (effective Apr 19, 2024) | Grant at each annual meeting | Vests in full on first anniversary (service-based) | Policy disclosure (not necessarily awarded to Dr. Lucas in 2024) |
- 2024 director equity for Dr. Lucas: Option awards aggregate grant-date fair value $302,606; 15,000 outstanding options as of Dec 31, 2024 .
- Non-employee director compensation cap: $750,000 per fiscal year; $1,500,000 in first year joining the Board .
- Repricing prohibited; minimum one-year vesting (limited exceptions); options capped at 10-year term; clawback policy applies to incentive-based comp .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Type | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|
| aTyr Pharma, Inc. | Public company board | No related-party transactions with JSPR disclosed for Dr. Lucas; Board independence affirmed |
| Scribe Therapeutics Inc. | Private company executive role | Indemnification agreement entered; no Item 404(a) related-party transactions reported |
- No family relationships; not selected pursuant to any arrangement; no related-party transactions reportable under Item 404(a) .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technical and transaction expertise: strategic BD across immunology/oncology; led significant collaborations (AbbVie at Tizona; Kite Pharma with Amgen) .
- Education: Ph.D. Caltech; undergraduate Biology at Moscow State University .
- ESG/governance: Serves on Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee overseeing governance and ESG programs .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Svetlana Lucas, Ph.D. | 3,750 | <1% | Based on 15,022,122 shares outstanding as of Apr 30, 2025; options exercisable within 60 days included per SEC methodology; Dr. Lucas listed at 3,750 shares |
- Options held (as of Dec 31, 2024): 15,000 underlying outstanding options .
- Hedging/pledging policy: Company prohibits short sales, options, hedging and pledging of company stock for directors and employees .
- No pledging disclosed for Dr. Lucas; no related-party transactions reported .
Governance Assessment
- Committee assignments and engagement: Active on Nominating & Corporate Governance (2 meetings; 3 written consents in FY2024), supporting board composition, independence, succession and ESG oversight .
- Independence and attendance: Independent director; Board states each director met ≥75% attendance in FY2024 (she joined mid-year), supporting investor confidence in engagement .
- Compensation alignment: Director pay mix is cash retainer plus service-based options; initial grant increased to 15,000 with annual 7,500 under updated policy, indicating meaningful equity alignment but without performance conditions (typical for directors) . 2024 actual director compensation for Dr. Lucas: $21,429 cash; $302,606 option fair value; total $324,034 .
- Ownership: Beneficial ownership is modest (<1%); option holdings provide incremental alignment; pledging/hedging prohibited, reducing red-flag risk .
- Conflicts/related-party: No Item 404 transactions; independence reaffirmed; indemnification standard for directors .
- Shareholder sentiment: 2025 say-on-pay received 8,108,299 For vs 536,022 Against; annual frequency approved with 8,580,886 votes for one year (context for compensation governance environment) .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Dr. Lucas. No related-party transactions; hedging/pledging prohibited; attendance threshold met; director equity is standard, time-based, with no repricing provisions .
