Myriam Curet
About Myriam Curet
Myriam Curet, M.D., age 68, has served as an independent director of Stereotaxis since July 2021. She is Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Intuitive Surgical, where she has led clinical evidence generation, physician education, and reimbursement initiatives since joining in 2005; she is also a Clinical Professor of Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine with a part-time clinical appointment at the Palo Alto VA. Dr. Curet earned her M.D. at Harvard Medical School and completed general surgery residency at the University of Chicago. Her background provides the Board with expertise in clinical adoption, evidence strategy, and medical device operations .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intuitive Surgical | Executive Vice President & Chief Medical Officer; previously leadership roles since joining | 2005–present | Led development of clinical evidence, physician education, and reimbursement, supporting multi-specialty growth |
| University of Chicago | General Surgery Resident | Not disclosed; completed residency prior to academic/industry roles | Surgical training; foundational clinical expertise |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intuitive Surgical | Executive Vice President & Chief Medical Officer | 2005–present | Oversight of clinical evidence, physician education, reimbursement strategy |
| Stanford University School of Medicine | Clinical Professor of Surgery | >20 years (ongoing) | Academic leadership; clinical practice and teaching |
| Palo Alto VA Medical Center | Part-time Clinical Appointment | Ongoing | Direct patient care responsibilities |
Board Governance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Board determined all directors other than David L. Fischel (CEO/Chair) and Dr. Nathan Fischel were independent in 2024; Dr. Curet is independent . |
| Committees (2024 year-end) | Compensation Committee (Member); Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (Member) . |
| Committee Chairs | None; Compensation Chair: Dr. Arun Menawat; Nominating & Governance Chair: David W. Benfer . |
| Attendance | In FY 2024, all incumbent directors attended 100% of Board and committee meetings during their service period . |
| Board Leadership | Lead Independent Director: David W. Benfer; independent directors hold regular executive sessions . |
| Risk Oversight | Audit Committee oversees financial, regulatory, healthcare compliance, and cybersecurity risks . |
Fixed Compensation
| Component (Non-Employee Director; FY2024) | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Retainer | $0 | No cash fees disclosed for directors in 2024 . |
| Committee Membership Fees | $0 | Not disclosed; director pay structured as equity RSUs . |
| Committee Chair Fees | N/A | Not applicable to Dr. Curet (not a chair) . |
| Meeting Fees | $0 | Not disclosed; expense reimbursements did not exceed $10,000 and are excluded from table . |
| Stock Awards (RSUs) | $200,000 | Aggregate grant-date fair value for 2024 service . |
| Total | $200,000 | 100% equity-based director compensation in 2024 . |
Director RSUs are granted in two equal semi-annual installments ($100,000 each), issued on the first business day of January and July (paid in arrears), with shares calculated using the adjusted closing price on the accounting grant date .
Performance Compensation
| Element | Structure | Performance Metrics | Vesting/Other Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU Award | $200,000 per year in RSUs, two equal semi-annual grants (Jan/Jul) | None disclosed for non-employee directors | Director elects one of two schedules annually: (1) immediate vesting on grant date; or (2) vest on earliest of 5th anniversary, Board service termination, or change of control . |
As of December 31, 2024, Dr. Curet held 118,410 RSUs outstanding, none vested—indicating election of the deferred vesting schedule for at least a portion of awards .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None disclosed in the proxy biography for Dr. Curet . |
| Prior public company boards | Not disclosed . |
| Interlocks with STXS competitors/suppliers/customers | Not disclosed; no related-party transactions identified in proxy . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Senior medical device operator: EVP/CMO at Intuitive Surgical, with a track record in clinical evidence, physician education, and reimbursement—relevant to commercial adoption and market access for medtech .
- Academic clinical background: Clinical Professor of Surgery at Stanford; active clinical appointment (VA) supporting patient-centric perspective .
- Medical training: M.D. Harvard Medical School; general surgery residency, University of Chicago .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount | As Of | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (common shares) | 0 | March 17, 2025 | “-” in table; less than 1% ownership . |
| Ownership (% of outstanding) | <1% | March 17, 2025 | As reported in beneficial ownership table . |
| RSUs outstanding | 118,410 | December 31, 2024 | None vested as of 12/31/24 . |
| Vested vs. unvested | 0 vested / 118,410 unvested | December 31, 2024 | Reflects long-vesting election . |
Company-wide, 1,546,532 RSUs are due to non-employee directors for completed service but vest later per policy; director RSUs vest on change of control (single-trigger for directors under award terms) .
Governance Assessment
- Independence, attendance, and engagement: Independent status and 100% attendance by all incumbent directors in 2024 support strong engagement and board effectiveness .
- Committee assignments: Service on Compensation and Nominating & Corporate Governance situates Dr. Curet in key oversight roles for pay structures, board composition, and governance practices .
- Pay structure and alignment: Director compensation is fully equity-based ($200,000 RSUs; no cash retainer), with director-elected vesting that can defer vesting for five years, at separation, or upon a change of control. Dr. Curet’s 118,410 unvested RSUs and zero beneficially owned shares at the record date suggest alignment via long-dated equity but minimal current open-market ownership; investors may look for progress toward realized ownership over time .
- Change-of-control terms: Director RSUs vest upon a change of control (single-trigger for directors); while common in small-cap medtech, some investors prefer double-trigger vesting to avoid windfalls unrelated to ongoing service .
- Related-party and conflicts: No related-party transactions were disclosed. While Dr. Curet is a senior executive at Intuitive Surgical (a large robotic surgery company), the proxy does not disclose any transactions or conflicts with Stereotaxis; the Audit Committee pre-approves related-party transactions and oversees conflicts risk .
RED FLAGS / Watch items:
- Single-trigger vesting for director RSUs on change of control may be viewed as less shareholder-friendly by some governance frameworks .
- Zero beneficially owned shares at the record date (offset by substantial unvested RSUs) may be perceived as limited immediate “skin in the game,” though long-vesting elections can signal long-term alignment .