Amy Abernethy
Advises Obvious on clinical trial innovation, patient-centered technologies, and how to responsibly scale health platforms.
Amy’s career is marked by changemaking in health care—in organizations ranging from Flatiron Health, Verily and FDA to Duke University School of Medicine. A culmination of this across-the-system work, Amy co-founded Highlander Health in April 2024.
Co-founded by Amy and colleague, Brad Hirsch, Highlander Health harnesses the expertise and innovation needed to propel personalized, ever better care for patients. Highlander Health comprises Highlander Health Institute and Highlander Health Partners. Highlander Health Institute is a public interest platform that gives philanthropic grants to test new evidence generation solutions; all-stakeholder learning labs and transparent communication are priorities. Highlander Health Partners invests in growth-stage health care companies, optimizing their success through capital and counsel.
Amy previously served as principal deputy commissioner at FDA from 2019-2021. Her board roles span public companies such as athenahealth and CareDx and private firms including insitro and Georgiamune. She also recently joined the Duke University Board of Trustees. In addition to her standard-setting and innovation work, Amy is a hematologist/oncologist, palliative medicine physician, and author of over 500 publications and counting.
Amy. One step ahead.
