The Company

Palo Alto Health Sciences, Inc. is a privately held Silicon Valley digital therapeutic company at the forefront of revolutionizing behavioral healthcare with evidence based, at-home, drug-free solutions. Our product, Freespira®, is an FDA-cleared treatment for individuals suffering from panic disorder, panic attacks and other symptoms of panic.

Our Mission

To improve the quality-of-life of people suffering from debilitating panic attacks associated with chronic behavioral and medical conditions; reducing medical costs and supporting the appropriate utilization of valuable healthcare resources.

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Leadership Team

Dean Sawyer President and Chief Executive Officer
  • Sentrian | Co-Founder and CEO
  • Aptus Health | Chief Revenue Officer
  • Allscripts |VP Sales
  • Seasoned industry veteran in pharmaceuticals, digital health, medical devices and AI
Joseph Perekupka Chief Commercial Officer
  • Brainsway | Sr. VP of North America
  • BIOTRONIK | Director National Accounts
  • St. Jude Medical | Sr. Regional Sales Director
  • 26+ yrs experience commercializing healthcare technology, medical and pharmaceutical
Simon Thomas Chief Operating Officer
  • Home Dialysis Plus | Sr. VP, Operations and Engineering
  • Novasys Medical | VP of R&D, RA/QA and Operations
  • Mallinckrodt (Nellcor Puritan Bennett) | Sr. Director R&D
  • GE/Marquette Medical Systems | VP of Engineering
Robert Cuyler, Ph.D. Chief Clinical Officer
  • Breakthrough Behavioral (MD Live) | Clinical Advisor
  • JSA Tele-psychiatry | Interim CEO
  • Diamond Healthcare | Senior Vice President
  • 10+ years experience designing and implementing behavioral telemedicine programs

Board of Directors

Russell Siegelman Chairman
Russell Siegelman has spent over twenty years in business and technology as a manager, investor and director. As a Lecturer at Stanford Business School he teaches Startup Garage, Product Launch and Starting and Growing a Social Venture. Starting in 1996, Russell spent eleven years as a Partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, where he invested in consumer and technology related technologies and markets, including software, electronic commerce, Web services, semiconductors, mobile systems, media and telecommunications.
Ned Scheetz
Ned Scheetz founded Aphelion Capital in 2005 and has over 20 years of healthcare investing experience. Prior to forming Aphelion, Ned was a Partner and Managing Director with Piper Jaffray Ventures (PJV), focusing on investments in emerging medical technology companies. Ned joined PJV from Janus Capital, where he was a Senior Research Analyst covering both healthcare and internet investments. Ned has served on numerous private company boards over his career. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Aardvark Medical, ClearFlow, CyMedica, Explorer Surgical, Mercator Medsystems, and Palo Alto Health Sciences.
Amy Perry
Amy serves as CEO, Hospital Division, and Senior Vice President, Integrated Care Delivery, at Atlantic Health System, a $2.8 billion health care organization based in Morristown, New Jersey. Amy is a strategic leader with an impressive background in finance and operations, clinical quality and academic medicine, and health policy and governance. She has a strong track record of identifying opportunities for growth and innovation, as well as substantial experience improving outcomes, lowering costs, transitioning to value-based payments, and implementing population health strategies.
Debra Reisenthel
Debra is founding President and CEO of Palo Alto Health Sciences. Since joining PAHS in 2013, Debra has grown the company by establishing relationships with leading Payers and Employers while overseeing the development and launch of the next generation Freespira treatment for panic. She has led the programs to expand PAHS’ evidence base with clinical trials for PTSD and adolescents. In 2020, Debra was elected to the Board of Directors of Digital Therapeutics Alliance (DTA), the trade organization focused on advocating for digital therapeutics to payers, providers and regulatory agencies.

Business Advisors

The Honorable Gregory W. Slayton
The Honorable Gregory W. Slayton is the Managing Director of Slayton Capital a small, and successful venture capital firm. Mr. Slayton is a former United States Ambassador, successful high tech venture capitalist and CEO, Ivy League and Peking University Professor and internationally best-selling author. Mr. Slayton has served on a number of well-known public and private Boards including Google and Salesforce.com. He has held senior executive roles in a number of global companies including Paramount Studios and McKinsey & Company. Mr. Slayton speaks five languages and has been designated a “Distinguished Foreign Expert” by the Government of China. Mr. Slayton also has deep connections in key parts of the US Federal Government.

Ambassador Slayton received his MBA from Harvard Business School and MA in Asian Studies as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of the Philippines.
Lisa Suennen
Lisa is Senior Managing Director, Healthcare at GE Ventures, which is the corporate venture capital arm of GE. Lisa also serves as Managing Partner, Venture Valkyrie LLC, a publishing and advisory firm and home of Venture Valkyrie blog and Tech Tonics podcast. Prior to Venture Valkyrie, Lisa was Managing Member, Psilos Group Venture Capital firm Lisa is co-author, with Dr. David Shaywitz, of the book Tech Tonics: Can Passionate Entrepreneurs Heal Healthcare with Technology. 2015: Named a Tech Superwomen in Forbes Magazine. 2014: Named as one of the Top 50 People in Digital Health by Rock Health, Goldman Sachs, Fenwick & West and Silicon Valley Bank. In 2017, Lisa was named to Becker’s Hospital Review as one of 110 women to know in medtech.

Lisa received her MA from UC Berkeley.