MicroTransponder Appoints Dana G. Mead, Jr. as Chair of the Board and Adds Cynthia Lucchese as Independent Director

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MicroTransponder^®, Inc., a commercial-stage medical technology company and developer of the breakthrough Vivistim^® Paired VNS™ System for chronic stroke recovery, today announced that Dana G. Mead, Jr. has been appointed chair of its Board of Directors, and Cynthia Lucchese has joined the Board as an independent director.

"It is a privilege to have Dana and Cindy on our Board. Their deep industry and governance experience will be invaluable as we scale U.S. commercialization and work to establish Vivistim Paired VNS as the new standard of care in stroke recovery," said Richard Foust, MicroTransponder's CEO. "Dana's track record of leading and advising medical technology companies through major growth inflection points makes him a standout choice to serve as chair. Cindy's experience in financial and operational roles in public and private medical device companies will be pivotal to her role on our Board. Their leadership, combined with the extensive expertise of our entire Board, will be instrumental as we accelerate adoption of Vivistim Paired VNS Therapy at premier stroke centers across the country."

Mead is widely recognized for his leadership and global experience in scaling commercial-stage companies across the medical technology sector. He currently serves on the boards of Inspire Medical Systems, Pulmonx, Calyxo, Cerapedics, and BVI Medical. He previously served on the boards of Inari Medical prior to its acquisition by Stryker and Intersect ENT prior to its acquisition by Medtronic. Mead brings with him significant experience as an accomplished executive, having served as president and CEO of HeartFlow from 2019 to 2021 and president and CEO of BVI from 2016 to 2019, following 13 years in general management roles at Guidant. Mead also served as a life sciences partner at leading venture firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, where he helped identify and scale emerging medical technology companies.

"MicroTransponder's mission to restore movement and independence for stroke survivors is deeply compelling," said Mead. "The company's early success demonstrates both strong physician engagement and meaningful patient outcomes, and I'm proud to help guide its continued growth as Vivistim becomes an integral part of stroke care."

Lucchese brings more than three decades of financial, operational and governance experience across the healthcare industry. She currently serves on the boards of CooperCompanies and BVI Medical. She previously served on the boards of Inari Medical prior to its acquisition by Stryker, Relievant Medsystems prior to its acquisition by Boston Scientific, Hanger, prior to its acquisition by Patient Square Capital, and Intersect ENT prior to its acquisition by Medtronic. She recently served as chief strategy officer for Penske Entertainment, a subsidiary of Penske Corporation, where she previously served as chief administrative officer and chief financial officer. Prior to that, Lucchese was senior vice president and chief financial officer of Hillenbrand, and Thoratec in addition to holding several senior financial positions at Guidant.

"MicroTransponder has an exceptional team and a profoundly meaningful mission," said Lucchese. "The company has built a solid foundation for sustainable growth, and I look forward to contributing to its exciting impact and future."

A complete list of MicroTransponder's leadership team, including the Board of Directors, is available at MicroTransponder.com.

To learn more about the Vivistim^® Paired VNS™ System, visit Vivistim.com/health-pros. Tap to review the clinical bibliography and safety information.

About MicroTransponder^®, Inc.

MicroTransponder^®, Inc. is a commercial-stage medical technology company and developer of the breakthrough Vivistim^® Paired VNS™ System for chronic stroke recovery. The privately held company is committed to developing research-based neuroscience solutions that restore dignity and motor function for people with neurological conditions impairing sensory and motor function. MicroTransponder is transforming the stroke continuum of care by integrating Vivistim into premier stroke programs as the first and only FDA-approved intervention that generates two to three times more improvement in upper limb function for chronic ischemic stroke survivors than intensive occupational or physical therapy alone. For more information, visit Vivistim.com and review safety information at Vivistim.com/safety.

SOURCE MicroTransponder Inc.