Lori McNeill
Sonnet BioTherapeutics HoldingsAbout Lori McNeill
Independent director at Sonnet BioTherapeutics Holdings since September 2022 (age 53 in 2025), McNeill brings 20+ years of healthcare operating experience, including 13 years at Pfizer (Chief of Staff of Global Operations, Integrated Health BU) and current CEO/founder of McNeill Consulting, LLC (since 2016). She chaired Sonnet’s Business Advisory Committee beginning in 2019 and has served as COO and Board Chair of Global PPE, Inc. (2020–2021); she is currently Global Chairperson of Womenomics. The Board has determined she is independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| McNeill Consulting, LLC | Founder & Chief Executive Officer | Since 2016 | Leadership development and change management; healthcare focus |
| Pfizer Inc. | Chief of Staff, Global Operations, Integrated Health BU | 13 years at Pfizer (dates not individually specified) | Senior leadership experience in healthcare operations |
| Global PPE, Inc. | Chief Operating Officer; Chairperson of the Board | 2020–2021 | Led operations during COVID-19 PPE supply response |
| Sonnet BioTherapeutics | Chairperson, Business Advisory Committee | Since 2019 | Internal advisory leadership role pre- and post-merger |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Type | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Womenomics | Global Chairperson | Non-profit/advocacy (leadership and engagement) | Current |
| Global PPE, Inc. | Chairperson of the Board | Private company (supplier to healthcare/government) | 2020–2021 |
No other public company directorships are disclosed for Ms. McNeill in Sonnet’s proxy materials.
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined McNeill is independent under SEC and Nasdaq rules.
- Committees (FY2024/FY2025 governance structure):
- Audit Committee: Member (Chair: Nailesh Bhatt).
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee: Member (Chair: Albert Dyrness).
- Compensation Committee: Not listed as a member (FY2024 chair: Rao; FY2025 chair: Dyrness; members are independent non-employees).
- Board and committee activity (FY2024): Board met 5x; Audit met 4x; Compensation met 1x; Nominating & Governance acted by written consent 1x; each director attended at least 75% of meetings; all directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting.
- Board leadership: No Chair of the Board or Lead Independent Director; Board periodically reassesses structure.
Fixed Compensation
| Fiscal Year | Cash Fees ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 70,000 | Comprised of base retainer and committee member fees per policy (base $35,000; non-chair: Audit $7,500; Compensation $5,000; Nominating & Governance $4,000). Actual mix by committee not itemized in table. |
| FY2024 | 60,000 | Comprised of base retainer and committee member fees per policy; actual mix not itemized in table. |
Policy reference: Non-employee director cash compensation—base $35,000; committee chairs: Audit $15,000, Compensation $10,000, Nominating & Governance $8,000; non-chairs: Audit $7,500, Compensation $5,000, Nominating & Governance $4,000.
Performance Compensation
| Fiscal Year | Stock Awards ($) | Option Awards ($) | Vehicle/Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 3,845 | – | Director equity delivered as stock awards (RSUs), grant-date fair value under ASC 718; no performance metrics disclosed for director awards. |
| FY2024 | 4,328 | – | Director equity delivered as stock awards (RSUs), grant-date fair value under ASC 718; no performance metrics disclosed for director awards. |
Non-employee director equity policy text references option grants (initial and annual) with vesting and CIC acceleration; however, disclosed director compensation for FY2023–FY2024 shows stock awards (RSUs) and no option awards for Ms. McNeill.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- No compensation committee interlocks reported.
- No related-party transactions disclosed involving Ms. McNeill.
Expertise & Qualifications
- 20+ years healthcare industry leadership (Pfizer; consulting), change management, operations; recognized by multiple industry groups (Top 100 Global Women in Leadership 2021; Changemakers Summit Award 2021; HR.com cover 2020; Pfizer Innovation Excellence Award 2011).
- Audit and governance committee service; Board determined sufficient financial/auditing knowledge to serve on Audit Committee (Audit Committee financial expert designation applies to Mr. Bhatt, not McNeill).
Equity Ownership
| As-of Date | Beneficial Ownership (Shares) | % of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 26, 2025 | 394 | <1% | Based on 6,827,352 shares outstanding; SEC methodology applied by company. |
| Sep 30, 2024 | 373 RSUs held (aggregate) | n/a | RSUs count as of FY2024 year-end; vesting terms for director awards not itemized in table. |
Policies impacting alignment:
- Anti-hedging policy prohibits short sales and certain hedging/monetization transactions; pledging generally prohibited unless pre-approved by CFO.
Governance Assessment
- Strengths:
- Independent director with healthcare operating depth; serves on Audit and Nominating & Governance; attends ≥75% of meetings; participated in 2024 Annual Meeting.
- Anti-hedging and pledging restrictions support alignment.
- Watch items / potential red flags:
- Low ownership: 394 shares (<1%); economic alignment relies on ongoing RSU grants.
- Section 16 reporting timeliness: company disclosed late Forms 4 for multiple insiders including “Lori McNeil” in FY2023 and filed delayed Forms 4 on Dec 5, 2024 for Dec 11, 2023 RSU grants—administrative lapses over two years.
- Board leadership structure lacks an independent Chair or Lead Independent Director, which some investors view as suboptimal for oversight.
No related-party transactions, loans, or family relationships involving Ms. McNeill are disclosed; Audit Committee oversees related party transactions under a written policy.