Inspire Medical Systems (NYSE:INSP) announced today that it appointed Cynthia Burks and Dr. Charisse Sparks as board directors.
The appointment of Burks and Sparks as independent directors to the board of the minimally invasive sleep apnea treatment developer was made effective on July 28, 2022.
Burks previously served as chief human resources officer for Genentech of the Roche Group, leading the company’s efforts to attract, develop and retain employees. Inspire said in a news release that her skills include expertise in human capital strategy, including talent management, culture, diversity, equity, inclusion and organizational design.
She also serves as an observer on the board of the WD-40 Company and a director on the board of directors of Torch. She has roles on the boards of Juma Ventures and Summer Search, both non-profit organizations.
Currently, Sparks is the chief medical officer at AppliedVR, leading the company’s medical, clinical, regulatory and quality affairs functions. She was previously VP of DePuy Synthes, the orthopaedics company of Johnson & Johnson.
Sparks’ experience covers R&D, regulatory affairs, quality, commercial and health economics and market access. Inspire said that, as an orthopedic surgeon, she was the third Black female, fellowship-trained orthopaedic trauma surgeon in the country, completing her training at Harvard Medical School.
The appointments of Burks and Sparks brings the Inspire board to a total of 11 directors, 10 of whom are independent. The company said the appointments reflect the board’s approach to board succession planning.
“The Inspire team is thrilled to add these two very talented individuals to our board,” Inspire President and CEO Tim Herbert said in the release. “Cynthia’s extensive experience in all critical aspects of human resources will be invaluable as our organization continues to grow. Further, Charisse’s broad medical device industry expertise further strengthens our board as we continue to enhance the Inspire therapy platform with a focus on delivering strong and consistent patient outcomes.”