Donna C.E. Williamson

Donna C. E. Williamson is Managing Director of the Ceres Venture Fund, L.P. and has over twenty-five years of strategy, operating, and board experience in the healthcare industry with particular expertise in strategy and business development in emerging, high growth markets. Previously, she served as managing director in ABN Amro’s Private Equity Group where she was responsible for leading equity investments in healthcare growth companies. Prior to ABN Amro, Ms. Williamson served as a founding officer and senior vice president for Caremark International, Inc., a multi-billion dollar healthcare services business. At Caremark, in addition to managing its $600 million Health Cost Management businesses, Ms. Williamson led numerous strategic and new business development initiatives.

A sixteen-year veteran of Baxter International, she was Chairman, CEO and President of its surgical products subsidiary, OmniSurgical, Inc. As corporate vice president responsible for strategy and development, she managed a billion dollar divestiture and established the first five-year plan for the company. From 1987 to 1993, Ms. Williamson was responsible for the strategy and P&L of the Health Cost Management group of six divisions including the emerging businesses of mail-order drugs, physical therapy clinics, physician office management software, health care data and analysis, and managed care businesses. Revenues grew from $20 million to $600 million during this period.

Ms. Williamson’s service on public and private corporate boards has included Haemonetics, Inc (HAE), A.G. Edwards, Inc. (AGE), Gulf South Medical, Inc. (GSMS), PSSWorld Medical Inc. (PSSI), and WellMed, Inc. Ms. Williamson’s not-for-profit board experience has included the iBIO (the Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization), the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago, the Board of Trustees of Brown University as well as the Board of Overseers for the School of Medicine, the National Fund for Medical Education, the Planning Forum, and the MIT Sloan School Regional Governors. She was named by i- Street Magazine as one of Chicago’s top 25 women in technology in 2002.

Ms. Williamson has an Sc.B. degree in Applied Mathematics from Brown University and a graduate degree from MIT Sloan School of Business. She is a member of the Illinois Venture Capital Association, Economic Club of Chicago, and The Chicago Network.