Board of Directors

Carl Bischoff, MD

Dr. Carl Bischoff is a board-certified Urologist with Urology Austin in Austin, Texas. Dr. Carl Bischoff graduated from the Louisiana State University Medical School in New Orleans, Louisiana. He completed his Urology residency at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, and his Urologic Oncology Fellowship at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. Bischoff practices general urology with a focus on urologic oncology. He has a special interest in robotic and laparoscopic surgery for the treatment of urologic cancers as well as reconstructive surgery. In April 2019, Dr. Bischoff was one of the first surgeons in the world to be trained on the daVinci SP (Single Port) Surgical System. He is a Proctor for Intuitive Surgical, the manufacturer of the daVinci SP robot, and lectures physician colleagues on robotic and Single Port technology.

Dr. Bischoff serves as the Chief of robotic surgery at Cedar Park Regional Medical Center and Arise Austin Medical Center.

Peter Ruff, MD

Dr. Peter Ruff is a board-certified Urologist and President of Urology Austin located in Austin, Texas. Dr. Ruff completed his medical degree at The University of Texas Medical School San Antonio, and his residency at the Medical College of Georgia. He also completed a subspecialty Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Laparoscopic and Robotic surgery in San Antonio.

Dr. Peter Ruff is a Case Observation Host and Proctor for Intuitive Surgical, the manufacturer of the Single Port da Vinci Robotic System. He operates out of St. David’s South Austin Hospital, the official observation and peer-to-peer teaching site for the daVinci Single Port System. Dr. Ruff is St. David’s robotic surgery coordinator and is instructing physicians both nationally and worldwide on this system. In April 2019, Dr. Ruff was one of the first surgeons in the world to be trained on the daVinci SP (Single Port) Surgical System.

In October 2019, Dr. Ruff accepted an invitation to speak at the 37th World Congress of Endourology in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates to share his experience with the daVinci SP platform. In the summer of 2020, he instructed colleagues in Houston and California and proctored the first three SP Robotic cases in Georgia. In 2021, Dr. Ruff continues to instruct physicians from all over the United States on the SP Robotic. He recently traveled to Emory University to proctor surgeons on their new daVinci SP surgical robotic system. In addition, surgeons from Tulane University and Baylor hospital in Dallas traveled to Austin to observe Dr. Ruff performing surgeries at St. David’s South Austin.

James E. Fagelson, MD

Dr. James Fagelson is a board-certified Urologist and President of Urology Associates of Denver. Dr. Fagelson completed his undergraduate training at the University of California, San Diego in 1989 where he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa honor society before graduating magna cum laude with a degree in biochemistry and cell biology. He received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. Dr. Fagelson completed two years of general surgical training followed by a four-year urology residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He was chief urology resident from 1999-2000.

Dr. Fagelson joined Urology Associates in 2000 and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is committed to minimally invasive treatments for all urologic diseases. He has specific expertise in treating prostate disease including enlarged prostate (BPH) and prostate cancer. He has extensive experience with laser surgery for enlarged prostate problems.

Dr. Fagelson is a highly experienced robotic surgeon and incorporates the da Vinci robotic prostatectomy and CyberKnife SBRT in the comprehensive management of prostate cancer. He has extensive experience in the management of kidney cancer with minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopy). He is recognized for his expertise in the comprehensive management of kidney stones including surgery and prevention.

Austin Pittman

Austin Pittman serves as UnitedHealth Group Executive Vice President, Enterprise Healthcare Value at UnitedHealth Group and Chief Executive Officer of OptumCare.

Through his focus on Enterprise Healthcare Value, Pittman develops solutions to deliver superior care and drive value for customers and consumers across all UnitedHealth Group businesses. As the CEO of OptumCare, Pittman provides strategic leadership to the local care delivery organizations, ambulatory surgical care centers and urgent care centers that comprise OptumCare across the United States. His work advances UnitedHealth Group’s focus on value-oriented care to positively impact the health of the millions of individuals.

Previously, Pittman served as CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community & State, a business dedicated to providing healthcare products and services to states that care for the economically disadvantaged, the medically underserved and those without the benefit of employer-funded healthcare coverage. Pittman also served as the president of UnitedHealthcare Networks (UHN) where he focused on creating high-performing provider care networks ready to support the largest expansion of health coverage in our lifetime. Prior to that, he was the chief growth officer for UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual, a role he was appointed to in 2009 after serving as health plan CEO of North and South Carolina, and president of Texas and Oklahoma.

Pittman earned a master’s degree in healthcare delivery science from Dartmouth College, a master’s degree in business/human relations from Amberton University in Dallas, Texas and a bachelor’s degree from McMurry University in Abilene. Pittman also served in the United States Marine Corps.

Karey Witty

Karey L. Witty is an accomplished healthcare executive with a significant breadth of experience in both provider and payor operations. With more than 30 years of experience, Karey has held executive level roles in companies ranging from large, publicly traded to small, privately held.

Most recently, Karey served as Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of Envision Healthcare Corporation (NYSE: EVHC). Envision was taken private by KKR in 2018 at an enterprise value of $10 billion. Prior to Envision, Karey served as CEO of Corizon Health, a private equity-backed healthcare company. He also served as CFO for naviHealth, was CFO of UnitedHealth Group’s Optum/Physician Solutions Group, served as CFO for HealthSpring (NYSE: HS), prior to its acquisition by Cigna; and served in a variety of executive positions, including CFO and Business Unit CEO, at Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC).

Early in his career, he worked with the accounting firm Deloitte & Touche. Karey received his B.A. in Accounting/Business Administration from Middle Tennessee State University and is a CPA (inactive). Karey and his wife, Joanie, have four children and reside in Nashville, TN.

Charles L. Smith

Comprehensive EyeCare Partners, Chief Executive Officer

Charles Smith joined Comprehensive EyeCare Partners in January 2019 as Chief Executive Officer and serves as a member of the Board of Directors. Charles brings 20 years of healthcare experience primarily serving in a variety of specialty-focused practice management leadership roles building and operating national provider networks in private equity backed and publicly traded firms.

He most recently served as Chief Operating Officer at Vantage Oncology (a wholly-owned subsidiary of The US Oncology Network and McKesson). Prior to joining Vantage, Charles was Vice President of Cancer Center Services at The US Oncology Network.

Charles holds an MBA from Texas A&M University – Mays Business School. After earning a PhD from the University of Nebraska (Medical Sciences / Biophysics), he accepted a position at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and appointment as a member of the clinical faculty at Northwestern University in Chicago.

Rich Goode

CEO, Urology America

Rich is the CEO of Urology America and an Operating Partner at Gauge Capital, where he focuses on healthcare investments. In addition, Rich is the Founder / CEO of Goode Advisory Services, a strategic, operational, and financial advisory firm focused on healthcare and technology companies. Previously, Rich served as President of corporate services and CFO at Dallas-based Children’s Health, the nation’s eighth-largest pediatric healthcare provider. Prior to joining Children’s Health, Rich served as CFO of Cook Children’s Health Care System. Rich earned an MBA from the Red McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas and a BS in accounting from University of Utah.

Drew Johnson

Gauge Capital, Co-founder and Managing Partner

Drew Johnson co-founded Gauge Capital and primarily works with the firm’s healthcare and consumer verticals. Drew serves as Director for several entities including Wireless Vision, the Beauty Industry Group, the Miami Beach Medical Group, Pediatric Dental Providers, Comprehensive Eyecare Partners, American Nuts, Chaac Foods, Lilly Lashes and Urology America. Formerly, he served as Director for Veridicus Health. He also serves on the National Advisory Council for Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management.

Drew co-founded and was the Managing Partner at CIC Partners for 16 years. He primarily worked in the food and healthcare industries serving as Director of SPG, Innerchange, CTI Foods, Quiznos, Combs Produce, OmniSYS and Industrial Container Services.

Drew obtained his MBA from the Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Brigham Young University.

Stan Dennis

Gauge Capital, Managing Director and Operating Partner

Stan Dennis spent more than 30 years as an executive leader with some of the nation’s largest healthcare systems, health plans and physicians’ groups before joining Gauge Capital. As Managing Director and Operating Partner, he now helps lead their healthcare investments. Stans also serves as Executive Chairman of Comprehensive Eyecare Partners and as Director of the Miami Beach Medical Group and Urology America.

Prior to joining Gauge, Stan served as an Operating Partner at Welsh, Carson, Anderson and Stowe, and Executive Vice President for Optum where he as responsible for over $10 billion in Physician Services, Post-Acute care and Specialty Network Businesses. Before joining Optum, Stan spent 16 years in executive leadership roles with Texas Health Resources and Allina Health System. While at Texas Health Resources, Stan led the creation of a physician strategy that drove the formation of one of the state’s largest physician groups and created one of the first Pioneer Accountable Care Organizations. Stan has also served as a Market CEO for Phycor/NAMM and Anthem Health Plan/Arcadia Benefits of Florida.

Stan earned his MBA from Rivier College and his Bachelor’s in business administration from Bowling Green University.

David Friedman

Gauge Capital, Principal

David Friedman is a Principal at Gauge Capital where his responsibilities include identifying and evaluating investment opportunities, deal execution and portfolio company monitoring. David serves as a Director for Comprehensive EyeCare, the Miami Beach Medical Group, and Urology America.

Prior to joining Gauge Capital, David worked at Silver Oak Services Partners where he led several investments in the healthcare and business services sectors. At that time, he was a Director for six investments. In addition, David worked at Bain & Company, and started his career in investment banking at Keybank Capital Markets and Houlihan Lokey.

David was awarded his MBA with distinction from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He obtained his BBA in finance and marketing from Ohio University.

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