Our Company

Kirsten joined Imperative Care in October 2017 as Vice President Strategic Development, and in early 2020 founded the company’s Patient-at-Home initiative, the development program that served as the basis for the creation of Kandu. Previously, she spent a combined nearly 15 years in the Neurovascular Division of Stryker and Boston Scientific, where she held strategic development, planning, marketing, and product management positions. Kirsten holds several patents in the fields of stroke treatment and detection, and she is the author of several peer-reviewed papers in the field of stroke and access to care.

Stefan joined Kandu in September 2022. Previously, he was a Vice President and Head of Investments at Hyundai Motor Group’s Corporate Venture Capital Arm. Prior to joining Hyundai, Stefan was the Vice President of Operations and Innovation at Samsung Strategy and Innovation Center with global operational responsibility for programs in Digital Health, Internet of Things, and Autonomous Driving. Prior to that, Stefan built and led an early-stage venture investment team for Samsung Global Innovation Center. Earlier in his career, Stefan was the CFO and VP Finance for Siemens Smart Grid Applications. Stefan holds a master’s degree in business administration from Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich.

Clayton has held growth and strategy leadership positions in early and growth-stage healthcare companies for over 20 years. With broad experience leading value-based and integrated care initiatives, Clayton now leads Kandu’s commercialization efforts which focused primarily on creating accretive strategic partnerships with payers and providers. Clayton graduated from Texas Tech University, obtained a master’s degree from Thunderbird, the American School of Global Management and his JD from SMU Dedman School of Law.

Internationally acclaimed neurologist and researcher, Tudor G. Jovin, MD, is based at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, New Jersey and presides as the Chief and Chairman of Cooper Neurological Institute. Dr. Jovin is an expert in the interventional and non-interventional treatment for the entire spectrum of stroke and cerebrovascular disorders. He was one of the nation’s first interventional neurologists, a medical subspecialty that uses minimally invasive technologies applied from within the vessels to diagnose and treat diseases of the arteries and veins of the head, neck, and spine such as acute stroke, carotid stenosis, intracranial aneurysm, and arteriovenous malformations. In addition to his clinical experience, Dr. Jovin is known internationally for his research activities. He has served as principal investigator for several international clinical studies including REVASCAT, a randomized trial of endovascular therapy versus medical therapy for acute stroke within eight hours of symptoms onset conducted in Spain, and DAWN, a multicenter, international, randomized trial of endovascular therapy versus medical therapy in the beyond eight-hour time window. Both studies are considered landmark studies in the development of treatments for acute stroke and have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. He is a member of the executive or steering committees for several multicenter national and international trials, and has participated as site principal investigator or co-investigator in multiple national and international trials. Additionally, he serves as editorial board member for numerous medical journals. Dr. Jovin has published more than 300 articles in peer-reviewed journals or book chapters. The consequential nature of his research is evidenced by recently published studies that have identified Dr. Jovin as the highest impact author in the neuro-interventional field. Prior to joining Cooper, Dr. Jovin was a professor of neurology and neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and director of the Center for Neuroendovascular Therapy at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). At UPMC, he also served as the director of UPMC’s Stroke Institute, one of the leading centers for stroke care, education, and research in the world.

Nancey Trevanian Tsai, MD is a board certified Sports Medicine Physician, Diplomate of the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She is a Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery at the Medical University of South Carolina. She is also the Clinician representative for the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology AdCom, an officer of the South Carolina section of the IEEE, as well as a past Chair of the American Council on Exercise, a past Chair of the South Carolina Medical Association Young Physicians Section, a member of the Medical Society of South Carolina. She has a patent for the Blink Reflexometer in Australia and Japan, and the United States. She has also been a member of the USA Field Archery Team in 2010, 2012, and a national coach for USA Archery/Para- archery, whose athletes include national and world champions.

Ramin leads the engineering, product, and design teams at Kandu, and has over 12 years of experience in digital health solutions. He is passionate about working closely with patients and clinicians alike to uncover challenges, and design helpful and intuitive digital solutions for people living with stroke.

With over 15 years of marketing experience in health technology for stroke care, Jen is passionate about patient and care partner support after becoming a care partner for her father who suffered from Parkinson’s Disease. She loves storytelling and shining a light on stroke survivors and their experiences.

Ralph has over 20 years of experience in healthcare organizations, including roles at behavioral health clinics, community health organizations, health plans and multistate physician practices. He is passionate about health law and teaches a masters level course at USC Price School of Public Policy. He previously launched a community grants program focused on social determinants of health, and is dedicated to supporting holistic solutions that improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Meet Lauren! Lauren Sheehan, OTD, OTR/L, has dedicated her entire career to helping stroke survivors live to their greatest potential. She has a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Creighton University and has spent the last five years focusing on building innovative stroke technologies to enhance survivors’ rehabilitation experience. Lauren has served as an adjunct professor and lecturer of occupational therapy at a variety of institutions, and she is passionate about empowering stroke survivors to take charge of their life after stroke.