Dr. Kavita K. Patel
SelectQuoteAbout Dr. Kavita K. Patel
Dr. Kavita K. Patel (age 51) has served as an independent director of SelectQuote since September 2020 (Board tenure ~5 years). She is a Professor of Medicine at Stanford, a practicing primary care physician at Mary’s Center (Washington, D.C.), and a Venture Partner at New Enterprise Associates (since 2017). Her prior policy roles include Managing Director (health care delivery and transformation) at Brookings (2011–2021), Director of Policy in the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement (2009–2010), and senior staff roles with Senator Edward Kennedy and the Senate HELP Committee (2007–2009). She holds a B.A. (University of Texas at Austin), MPH (UCLA), and M.D. (UT Health Science Center) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brookings Institution | Managing Director, Health Care Delivery & Transformation | 2011–2021 | Led health care delivery and transformation initiatives |
| White House (OIAPE) | Director of Policy | 2009–2010 | Intergovernmental affairs and public engagement on health policy |
| U.S. Senate (HELP Committee) | Senior Staff; Deputy Staff Director for Health (Sen. Edward Kennedy) | 2007–2009 | Health legislation and policy development |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | Professor of Medicine | Current | — |
| Mary’s Center (DC) | Practicing Primary Care Physician | Current | — |
| New Enterprise Associates | Venture Partner | 2017–Present | — |
| Arcellx, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACLX) | Director | Dec 2021–Present | Compensation Committee |
| Sigilon Therapeutics (NASDAQ: SGTX; sold 2023) | Director | Apr 2020–Aug 2023 | Compensation Committee |
| Tesaro, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSRO; acquired 2019) | Director | 2016–2019 | Governance & Nominating Committee |
| Intelligent Medicine Acquisition Corp (NASDAQ: IQMD) | Director | Nov 2021–Apr 2023 | Chair, Nominating & Corporate Governance; Compensation Committee |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined Dr. Patel is independent under NYSE standards .
- Committee assignments:
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member; committee met 3 times in FY2025 .
- Healthcare Oversight Committee co-chair; committee met 4 times in FY2025 .
- External Affairs Subcommittee (created Aug 2025) member alongside the CEO; oversight of government affairs strategy .
- Attendance: Board held 4 meetings in FY2025; each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Executive sessions: Independent, non-employee directors meet regularly in executive session; chaired by the independent Board Chair .
- Risk oversight: Healthcare Oversight Committee reviews healthcare compliance risks; Audit and Compensation Committees oversee financial/reporting and compensation/talent risks, respectively .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (FY2025) | Amount/Detail | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Board cash retainer | $50,000 | |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (member) | $5,000 | |
| Healthcare Oversight Committee (member) | $5,000 | |
| Healthcare Oversight Committee (Co-Chair) | $15,000 | |
| Special Litigation Committee (member) | $10,000 | |
| Total Fees Earned (Cash) | $85,000 | |
| Annual RSU Retainer (grant date) | 52,631 RSUs granted Nov 12, 2024 | |
| RSU Retainer grant-date fair value | $129,999 | |
| RSU vesting terms | RSUs vest on the date of the next annual meeting |
Notes:
- Non-employee director cash/equity program as disclosed; no per-meeting fees; expense reimbursement provided .
- RSU retainer target is $130,000; share count based on grant-date closing price .
Performance Compensation
| Performance Metric (Directors) | FY2025 Design/Target | Measurement | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performance-based elements for directors | None disclosed | Director equity is time-based RSUs (annual retainer) | No performance metrics tied to director pay |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Industry Relationship to SLQT | Potential Interlock/Conflict | Disclosure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arcellx (ACLX) | Biotech; not customer/supplier to SLQT | None disclosed | Director; Compensation Committee |
| Sigilon (SGTX; sold) | Biotech | None disclosed | Former Director |
| Tesaro (TSRO; acquired) | Biopharma | None disclosed | Former Director; Governance & Nominating |
| Intelligent Medicine Acquisition Corp (IQMD) | SPAC | None disclosed | Former Director; Nom/Gov Chair |
- Related-party transactions: Audit Committee oversees related-person transactions; no Patel-specific related-party transactions disclosed .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep healthcare delivery, compliance, and policy expertise from academic clinical practice and senior public policy roles .
- Corporate governance experience across public boards; committee leadership (nominating/governance; compensation) .
- Oversight of healthcare compliance risk as co-chair of SLQT’s Healthcare Oversight Committee; added government affairs oversight via External Affairs Subcommittee .
Equity Ownership
| Category (as of Sept 20, 2025) | Shares/Units | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Common stock held directly | 310,583 | |
| RSUs vesting within 60 days | 52,631 | |
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 23,596 | |
| Total beneficial ownership | 386,810 | <1% of shares outstanding |
Ownership alignment and policies:
- Director ownership guideline: ≥5x annual cash retainer; all directors met guidelines as of the record date .
- Anti-hedging/short-selling/anti-pledging: Directors prohibited from hedging, shorting, or pledging company stock (case-by-case exceptions require pre-approval) .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Independent status, committee leadership (co-chair of Healthcare Oversight) and relevant health-policy expertise support oversight of SLQT’s healthcare compliance and services strategy .
- Engagement and attendance: Minimum 75% meeting attendance met; multiple committee responsibilities indicate active engagement .
- Pay-for-performance alignment (director level): Balanced cash retainer plus annual RSU retainer; no performance metrics for director equity—typical for boards; strong ownership guidelines and anti-hedging/pledging policy enhance alignment .
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: No Patel-specific related-party transactions disclosed; other public boards in biotech present low direct conflict with SLQT’s insurance/services focus .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed for Dr. Patel. Company-wide policies prohibit hedging/pledging; no delinquent Section 16 reports noted for Dr. Patel; overall say-on-pay support in 2024 was 92% (context for governance environment) .