Lori A Christiansen

Managing Director

San Francisco

Lori is a leader of the life sciences practice at Boyden San Francisco.

She contributes a wealth of experience gained in retained executive search and corporate leadership positions in the life science industry. In her respective roles as biotech practice leader and as Vice President of the biopharma practice for two retained executive search firms specialized in the Life Science industry, Lori successfully led numerous searches and placed VP and C-level executives. Her client and candidate networks span startup to mature private and public companies in molecular diagnostics, personalized medicine, biopharma, medical devices, platform technologies, and venture capital. Lori’s expertise includes management team development and organizational development related to stage of funding and commercialization, international executive recruiting, and compensation.

Prior to starting her career in executive search, Lori held executive marketing and business development positions with global life science companies including Pharmacia Biotech (now GE Healthcare), Bio-Rad Laboratories and Kodak (BioImage). Her corporate leadership and management experience includes emerging and growth stage companies; multinational public companies; post-M&A integration strategy and implementation; and global commercialization of novel life science technologies. Having grown up around the energy industry, she has a keen interest in next generation bio-fuels and smart/clean energy technologies.

Lori received a BS in biological sciences from South Dakota State University, completed graduate work in microbiology at the University of Minnesota and attended the Executive Development program at the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley. 

Lori is Co-Founder of Woman Capital Connect, a venture dedicated to increasing the number of women in C-level, Vice President and Board positions within the life science, healthcare, technology, and energy industries. She currently serves as President of Woman Capital Connect.

She is a member of the Women Business Leaders of the U.S. Healthcare Industry Foundation (WBL), where she leads a workshop that prepares women for industry Board of Director positions. Active in the San Francisco Bay Area business community, Lori has served on several boards where she typically contributes in organizational growth and strategic initiatives. She is Co-Founder and founding Chair of a women's philanthropic fund that supports efforts to improve women's health. Her personal philanthropic interests broadly focus on improving the lives of women and children.