Our Team

About Us

Meridian Health Partners brings together experienced investors and healthcare operators united by a shared commitment to building lasting value in the healthcare sector.

Founded in 2021, Meridian Health Partners was established with a singular focus: to apply disciplined private equity principles to the healthcare sector while maintaining an unwavering commitment to ethical practices and patient outcomes.

Our founding team recognized a gap in the market for healthcare-focused private equity that combines deep sector expertise with a genuine commitment to improving the healthcare system. Too often, financial engineering takes precedence over operational improvement. At Meridian, we believe the best returns come from helping healthcare companies become genuinely better at serving patients and providers.

Today, our team of 18 investment professionals and operating partners manages over $2.4 billion across four funds, partnering with healthcare companies across the United States. We are headquartered in New York with additional presence in Boston and Nashville.

18 Investment Professionals
4 Active Funds
23 Portfolio Companies
Leadership

Our Team

CM

Catherine M. Weston

Founder & Managing Partner

Catherine founded Meridian Health Partners in 2021 after 18 years in healthcare private equity, most recently as a Partner at Summit Healthcare Capital where she led investments totaling over $2 billion in enterprise value. Prior to Summit, she was a Vice President at Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe focused on healthcare services.

Catherine began her career in management consulting at McKinsey & Company in the healthcare practice. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics from Princeton University. She serves on the boards of the Healthcare Financial Management Association and the Private Equity Healthcare Investors Forum.

JR

James R. Thornton

Partner, Head of Medical Technology

James leads Meridian's medical equipment and device investment strategy. He joined as a founding Partner in 2021, bringing 15 years of healthcare investing experience from Linden Capital Partners and Baird Capital, where he focused on medical technology and life sciences investments.

Prior to private equity, James spent six years in operational roles at Medtronic and Stryker, giving him deep insight into medical device manufacturing and commercialization. He holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University.

SP

Sarah P. Nakamura

Partner, Chief Operating Officer

Sarah oversees Meridian's portfolio operations and value creation initiatives. She joined as a founding Partner in 2021 after serving as Chief Operating Officer of a Meridian predecessor portfolio company and, before that, as a Principal at Arsenal Capital Partners focused on healthcare services.

Sarah's unique blend of operating and investing experience enables her to bridge strategy and execution across the portfolio. She holds an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from Yale University. She previously worked in strategy consulting at Bain & Company.

What Sets Us Apart

Our Approach

01

Healthcare-Only Focus

Unlike generalist private equity firms, we invest exclusively in healthcare. This singular focus allows us to develop deep expertise, build relevant networks, and identify opportunities that others miss.

02

Operator-Led Value Creation

Our team includes former healthcare executives who have operated businesses similar to those in our portfolio. This hands-on experience translates into practical guidance for management teams.

03

Alignment with Stakeholders

We structure investments to align the interests of management teams, employees, patients, and investors. Sustainable returns require sustainable practices.

04

Patient Capital Philosophy

We take a long-term view, typically holding investments for 5-7 years. This patience allows us to make investments in growth and quality that drive durable value creation.

Presence

Our Offices

New York

Headquarters

200 Park Avenue
Suite 3200
New York, NY 10166

+1 (212) 555-1000

Boston

Life Sciences Focus

One Federal Street
Suite 2600
Boston, MA 02110

+1 (617) 555-2000

Nashville

Healthcare Services

150 Fourth Avenue North
Suite 1800
Nashville, TN 37219

+1 (615) 555-3000

Connect With Us

Whether you're a healthcare company exploring strategic options or an institutional investor seeking healthcare exposure, we welcome the opportunity to discuss how we might work together.

Get in Touch