Jennifer Doudna
About Jennifer A. Doudna
Jennifer A. Doudna, Ph.D., age 61, has served as an independent director of Tempus AI, Inc. since April 2021. She is a Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at UC Berkeley, directs the Innovative Genomics Institute, is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, and is a 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate. She has served on Johnson & Johnson’s board since April 2018, and Tempus cites her scientific research and innovation expertise as core credentials .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of California, Berkeley | Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Since July 2002 | Directs Innovative Genomics Institute; Chair, Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Biology |
| Doudna Lab (UC Berkeley) | Principal Investigator | Since 2002 | Scientific leadership |
| Howard Hughes Medical Institute | Investigator | Since 1997 | Biomedical research leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson & Johnson | Director (public company) | Since April 2018 | Board service; committee assignments not disclosed in TEM proxy |
| Caribou Biosciences, Inc. | Scientific Advisory Board | Since 2010 | Founder and SAB member (public company) |
| Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. | Scientific Advisory Board | Since 2010 | Founder and SAB member (public company) |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee; current members are Theodore J. Leonsis (Chair), Jennifer A. Doudna, Ph.D., and Scott Gottlieb, M.D.; Eric Lefkofsky is an observer. All committee members are independent per Nasdaq standards .
- Independence: The Board affirmatively determined Doudna and a majority of directors are independent under Nasdaq listing standards. Audit and Compensation Committee members also meet heightened independence requirements .
- Attendance: In 2024, the Board met 4 times; no director attended fewer than 75% of Board and committee meetings where they served. Notably, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee did not meet in 2024 .
- Shareholder vote support: At the May 20, 2025 annual meeting, Doudna received 231,800,837 votes “For” and 11,280,423 “Withheld” (with 16,157,514 broker non-votes) for re-election .
- Governance structure context: Class B shares carry 30 votes per share vs. one vote for Class A, concentrating voting power and potentially limiting independent director influence .
Fixed Compensation
Actual 2024 Non-Employee Director Compensation
| Name | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash (USD) | Stock Awards (USD, grant-date fair value) | Total (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jennifer A. Doudna, Ph.D. | $50,000 | $500,018 | $550,018 |
- RSUs outstanding at 12/31/2024: 36,588 shares underlying RSUs for Doudna .
Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy (effective IPO Date)
| Component | Amount/Terms |
|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $50,000 |
| Committee membership cash retainer | $12,500 per committee (Audit, Compensation, Nominating) |
| Non-executive chair or lead independent director cash retainer | +$12,500 |
| Initial RSU grant | $500,000 grant-date fair value upon appointment (vests quarterly over 5 years) |
| IPO RSU grant (granted September 13, 2024) | 13,514 RSUs with $500,000 grant-date fair value; vests in equal quarterly installments over 5 years |
| Annual RSU grant | $125,000 grant-date fair value at each annual stockholder meeting; vests by next annual meeting or first anniversary |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Grant Type | Grant Value | Vesting Schedule | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial RSU (director appointment) | $500,000 | Equal quarterly installments over 5 years | Time-based; no disclosed performance metrics |
| IPO RSU grant (9/13/2024) | $500,000 (13,514 RSUs) | Equal quarterly installments over 5 years | Time-based; Doudna held 36,588 RSUs outstanding as of 12/31/2024 |
| Annual RSU grant | $125,000 | Vests by next annual meeting or first anniversary | Time-based; directors may elect cash in RSUs |
- Performance metrics tied to director compensation: None disclosed; director equity is time-based RSUs (no TSR/financial hurdles disclosed) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to TEM | Potential Interlock/Conflict Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Johnson & Johnson | Doudna is a director | TEM reports related party assets/revenues in 2025 but does not identify counterparties; no disclosure links these to Doudna or J&J . Independence affirmations consider related person transactions . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2020); global recognition in biochemistry/genetics .
- Deep genomics leadership: UC Berkeley professorship, IGI director, HHMI Investigator; founder/SAB roles at CRISPR leaders Caribou and Intellia .
- Public-company governance experience via Johnson & Johnson board service since 2018 .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Class A Shares Beneficially Owned | RSUs Vesting Within 60 Days of 3/18/2025 | Ownership % of Class A | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jennifer A. Doudna, Ph.D. | 9,253 | 1,250 | <1% | As of 3/18/2025; RSUs deemed outstanding only for holder’s percentage where vesting within 60 days |
- Additional RSUs outstanding at 12/31/2024: 36,588 RSUs (aggregate) .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with high-caliber scientific credentials and public board experience; Board majority independence affirmed; at least 75% attendance threshold met for all directors; strong shareholder support in 2025 election .
- Compensation alignment: Standard market structure—cash retainer plus significant equity in time-based RSUs; annual equity grant of $125k adds ongoing alignment; director can elect to receive cash in RSUs .
- RED FLAG: Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee did not meet in 2024, potentially signaling limited formal activity on board refresh/governance processes that year .
- Structural risk: Dual-class voting (Class B at 30 votes per share) concentrates control, which can limit independent director influence; investors may weigh this when assessing governance effectiveness .
- Related-party exposure: Company disclosed related party assets and revenue in 2025 financials, but did not attribute them to Doudna or organizations with which she is affiliated; audit committee oversight policy in place to vet related person transactions .