Joan Stafslien: New Executive VP, Counsel, Secretary

Joan Stafslien, a veteran legal advisor to medical technology companies, has joined NuVasive, Inc. as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. As indicated in the October 3, 2016 news release, “Stafslien brings to NuVasive more than 20 years of experience as a legal advisor to medical technology companies. She joins NuVasive from CareFusion, where she served as general counsel and corporate secretary from 2009 until its acquisition by Becton Dickinson in 2015.”

“She previously served as CareFusion’s general counsel, corporate secretary and chief compliance officer where she led the legal team through the spin-off from Cardinal Health in 2009 and the acquisition by Becton Dickinson in 2015. Previously, she was the segment general counsel of Cardinal Health’s Clinical Technologies and Services from 2004 to 2009. Stafslien joined Cardinal Health through the acquisition of Alaris Medical System in 2004, where she served as deputy general counsel and assistant secretary. Prior to joining Alaris, she was in private practice with Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison. Stafslien serves on the advisory board of the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department of Northwestern University. She holds a law degree from University of Wisconsin Law School and a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Northwestern University.”

“Joan’s experience spans a broad spectrum of legal areas, including intellectual property, U.S. and International litigation, regulatory compliance, SEC matters and M&A, with extensive experience in the global medical technology sector, ” said NuVasive’s chairman and chief executive officer Gregory T. Lucier. “Joan’s understanding of complex medical technology companies on high growth trajectories makes her a perfect fit with the strong foundation we have established with our legal team. We continue to invest in building a world-class leadership team to support our growing innovation position in the global spine market.”

Stafslien commented to OTW, “I’m lucky to join an organization that is committed to changing an industry for the sake of the patients and surgeons they serve. NuVasive is a unique company, one that has changed spine since its inception. My background is full of brands that have disrupted their respective market, whether it was in infection prevention or infusion and medication technology, and NuVasive is no exception. I look forward to working with our strong team to find new ways to bring the innovation our surgeon partners are looking for, and our patients deserve.”

Asked what she would you like the orthopedic/spine community to know about NuVasive, Stafslien said, “NuVasive truly is built by the need of the patient and surgeon, and we work backwards to deliver unique innovation that meet a specific clinical need. Our culture starts looking from the outside to the unmet needs of patients and surgeons and then looks in to how we can provide solutions, in comparison to many organizations that start with ‘what we can solve’ from the inside out. It centers the innovation process on the right objective—the clinical need, and not the need of the technology provider.”