Our Leadership

Michael Beecham, a Partner at Petrichor, brings over a decade of experience in healthcare investment and consulting. He oversees investments across the healthcare and life sciences ecosystem, with roles on the boards of Ascend Gene and Cell Therapy, Fennec Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: FENC), and Leukocare AG. He has previously served on the boards of Cryoport (Nasdaq: CYRX) and Clearpoint (Nasdaq: CLPT), both achieving successful exits. Before Petrichor, Michael worked at OrbiMed, Vatera Healthcare Partners, American Capital, Royalty Pharma (Nasdaq: RPRX), and Navigant Consulting. He holds a B.S.E. in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

Drew Dennison is the Managing Director of Lightchain Capital, LLC, the family office for Scottrade Founder and former Chief Executive Officer Rodger Riney. At Lightchain, Drew is responsible for venture capital investments in the life science and technology sectors. He also assists the Riney Foundations with their philanthropic endeavors. Previously, Drew served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Scottrade Financial Services, Inc. He led the Company’s operations, technology, operations, finance, and strategic planning functions and worked at the Company for over a decade. Mr. Dennison led the sale of Scottrade to TD Ameritrade, then co- led the integration project, successfully combining the two companies. In addition, Mr. Dennison serves on the board of CareVet Holdings, ArchOncology, NextRNA and Mana Therapeutics.

Since February 2011, Dr. Dinges has served as an investment advisor at Morningside Technology Advisory LLC. Prior to that, Dr. Dinges was an associate attorney at Foley & Lardner LLP, practicing intellectual property law in the firm’s Chemical, Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical practice group. Dr. Dinges also serves on the board of directors of various privately held biotechnology companies. Dr. Dinges received his Ph.D. degree in genetics from Iowa State University and a J.D. degree from the University of Iowa College of Law.

Dr. Thomas is a native of Louisiana and practices in his home city of New Orleans. He graduated medical school from Louisiana State University in New Orleans. He finished his residency in Neurological Surgery at Louisiana State University in New Orleans and completed specialized additional training in complex and minimally invasive spinal procedures in Memphis, Tennessee under the direction of Kevin T. Foley, M.D.

He has lectured about spinal procedures on five continents and has had interactions with hundreds of surgeons from around the world. He is recognized as an innovator having been involved in the development and commercialization of many medical devices and technologies. He continues to be active with industry in the latest developments of minimally invasive spine procedures and regenerative medicine technologies so his patients may receive the most advanced spinal care in the world.

Dr. Thomas has been a successful investor in multiple early technology, biotech, and medical device companies with several successful exits. He has led multiple fundraising rounds in the biotech space.

He is the Co-founder, Chairman of the Board, and Medical Director of Crescent City Surgical Centre, a multispecialty surgical hospital serving the greater New Orleans area. Additionally, he serves as Managing member of Southern Brain & Spine, a multispecialty practice focusing on diseases of the brain and spine. He currently serves as a Director for Discgenics Inc., a late stage cell therapy company focusing on the treatment of painful degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and Geneoscopy Inc., a late stage medical diagnostic company for the detection of colorectal cancer. He is a medical adviser for Climbr, Inc and Neurogami Medical. He serves as a Director for Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Foundation and is on multiple committees for the Foundation. He is Past President of the Louisiana Association of Neurological Surgeons. He has served on multiple committees for the American Association of Neurological Surgeons including as a director for (AANS) Political Action Committee. He is a member of the Louisiana Office of Worker’s Compensation Medical Advisory Committee establishing the treatment guidelines for injured workers in Louisiana. He has lectured and taught courses for multiple professional organizations throughout the world regarding advanced surgical techniques and treatment of patients with spinal disorders.