Digital Health & HealthTech

Michael Clifford is a Senior Managing Director in Investment Banking at Leerink Partners covering Healthcare Technology and Services and supporting the Firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions efforts. With more than 13 years of Healthcare Investment Banking experience, he has led efforts to execute strategic transactions for a variety of public and private companies on mergers & acquisitions, equity offerings (IPOs, follow-ons and private placements), acquisition financings and debt financings. Michael joined the Firm in 2015 from Wells Fargo Securities where he worked in the Consumer and Healthcare Investment Banking Group covering Healthcare Technology and Services verticals. Prior to Wells Fargo Securities, he worked in the Transaction Services group at PwC in New York.

He holds a BSBA (cum laude) in Financial Management & Investments and Accounting from the University of Arkansas.

Thad Davis is a Senior Managing Director in Investment Banking at Leerink Partners. With over 20 years of Healthcare Investment Banking experience, he has executed strategic transactions for a variety of public and private companies across all major sectors of healthcare, including healthcare-focused private equity.

Thad shares responsibility for healthcare sector coverage across all sectors within healthcare with a specific focus in the healthcare technology, digital health, and behavioral sub-sectors. Thad also helps leads Leerink’s private capital markets franchise encompassing growth equity and debt financings in addition to advising on special situations and restructurings.

Thad joined the Firm in 2021 from HSBC where he served as Head of U.S. Healthcare Investment Banking and was responsible for healthcare coverage including origination, relationship oversight, team leadership and transaction execution. Prior to HSBC, he was a Managing Director at Jefferies and UBS within their respective global healthcare teams.

Thad earned his Bachelor of Science in Management from Purdue University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Business and serves on the executive committee of the board of directors at the New York Common Pantry.

Barry Blake is the Global Co-Head of Investment Banking, and Global Co-Head of Healthcare Investment Banking at Leerink Partners. In this role, he co-leads the Firm’s healthcare investment banking strategy and initiatives, with a focus on Healthcare Services & Technology. With 25 years of experience, he has built extensive relationships and has proven expertise in healthcare services, medical devices and tools/diagnostics, leveraged finance, and with financial sponsors. Leading the Healthcare Services team at Leerink Partners, he has advised on numerous transactions, including the sale of LHC Group to Optum Health, a UnitedHealth Group Company, for $6B.

Barry joined the Firm in 2021 from Guggenheim Securities where he was a Senior Managing Director focused on advising healthcare services companies. While at Guggenheim he advised on many transactions including, but not limited to, the $10B sale of Envision to KKR; the $4B sale of Kindred Healthcare to a consortium comprised of TPG, Welsh Carson and Humana; the $2.4B sale of American Medical Response to KKR and the $1B sale of Almost Family to LHC Group. Prior to this, he was the Head of Global Healthcare Mergers and Acquisitions for Citigroup. While at Citigroup he worked on many transactions including, but not limited to, the $34B acquisition of Medco by Express Scripts. He also worked in the M&A and Healthcare groups at Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan and Lehman Brothers. While at JP Morgan he advised on many transactions including, but not limited to, the $4.8B acquisition of NextRx from Wellpoint by Express Scripts.

Barry earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Hendrix College, and his Masters of Business Administration with high distinction from the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College.

He has served as a member of the Board of Trustees for each of The Hopkins School in New Haven, CT and Hendrix College in Conway, AR.

Caroline Cameron is the Chief Operating Officer of Investment Banking at Leerink Partners.

Prior to joining the Firm in 2024, Caroline was the Chief Operating Officer at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (KBW, A Stifel Company). Prior to her time at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, she worked in investment banking at Edgeview Partners (acquired by Piper Jaffrey), and as a research analyst at Fox-Pitt, Kelton and Macquarie Capital.

She earned a B.A. in Psychology and Economics from Hamilton College where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

Christian Clark is a Director and Business Manager of Investment Banking at Leerink Partners. Mr. Clark is responsible for managing the group’s overall operations including strategic planning, financial and business reporting and analytics, people management and recruiting. He supports Healthcare Services & Technology and MD&D investment banking teams.

Mr. Clark joined the Firm in 2018 as the Business Manager for Equity Research. He was responsible for managing the Equity Research side of client strategy and for leading many key strategic initiatives in product, process and business development. He was promoted to Associate Director of Equity Research during his time in Equity Research.

Prior to Leerink Partners, Mr. Clark worked at Credit Suisse and held a variety of business and strategy positions within the Equities division. Prior to this role, he was a Fixed Income client consultant at Bloomberg LP.

Mr. Clark earned his B.S. in Finance (Summa Cum Laude) from Pennsylvania State University.

Jim Kelly is a Senior Managing Director, Director of Research at Leerink Partners. Mr. Kelly is responsible for product management, analyst development and equity strategy.

Prior to joining Leerink Partners in 2015, Mr. Kelly worked at Credit Suisse, where he served in research management as an Associate Director of Equity Research in New York and was responsible for leading key, strategic initiatives in research product and process development. Prior to his ADOR role at Credit Suisse, Mr. Kelly spent 13 years in Equity Research covering the US Pharmaceuticals industry for Lehman Brothers, Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse First Boston.

Mr. Kelly received his M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University.  Mr. Kelly also serves on the board of the Lehigh Business School Dean’s Advisory Council.

Julia Belladonna is a Managing Director, Associate Director of Research at Leerink Partners.

Julia joined the Firm in 2021 from Credit Suisse where she spent 20+ years in a variety of roles, most recently as the COO of Global Economics for their Institutional client & Private Wealth Management businesses. She brings over two decades of experience in financial markets, business and talent management, international regulatory requirements, and operations. She has excelled in managing complex groups, collaborating across business units, and developing strategies to deliver research to clients. Prior to Credit Suisse, she was an Industry Analyst at Merrill Lynch.

Julia earned a B.A. in Applied Mathematics and History from Williams College and an M.B.A. in Finance from Columbia Business School.

Michael Cherny is a Senior Managing Director and Senior Research Analyst at Leerink Partners covering Healthcare Technology and Distribution.

Prior to joining the Firm in 2023, Michael’s most recent role was at Bank of America Merrill Lynch where he was Managing Director / Healthcare Technology & Distribution Analyst. Prior to Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Michael was the Healthcare Technology & Distribution Analyst at UBS Securities and held roles at Evercore ISI and Deutsche Bank within the healthcare and technology sector.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Emory University.