Kavita Patel is a physician based in Washington, DC who advises healthcare companies as a Venture Partner at New Enterprise Associates. With extensive experience in public policy, Dr. Patel previously served as a Director of Policy for the White House under President Obama and as Deputy Staff Director to the late Senator Edward Kennedy. During her tenure in these roles, she played a pivotal role in pandemic preparedness and healthcare reform efforts. Dr. Patel’s research on healthcare quality and community-based interventions for mental illness has received national recognition, and she has authored numerous papers and book chapters on healthcare reform and health policy. She is also an NBC/CNBC contributor. Most recently, she has been appointed Professor of Medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine, and is the Director of the Policy Program at Stanford Byers Center for Biodesign.