Avanos Medical, Inc. (NYSE: AVNS) today announced that Michelle Scharfenberg has been named as the company’s senior vice president & chief ethics and compliance officer.
In this role, Scharfenberg will be responsible for leading the Avanos Compliance & Ethics (C&E) program, which operationalizes Avanos’s commitment to ethical and legally compliant operations. In collaboration with senior management and the board of directors’ Compliance Committee, she will define and implement the C&E program’s strategic objectives and ensure that Avanos has effective controls in place to comply with the law and company policy and to foster an ethical culture.
Scharfenberg’s extensive background, including more than 20 years of experience in healthcare law, ethics and compliance, enterprise risk assessment, litigation, internal investigations and Lean methodology, make her uniquely qualified for this role at Avanos.
Previously, Scharfenberg served as vice president and chief compliance officer for Cantel Medical Corporation, a leading provider of infection prevention products and services in the healthcare market. While at Cantel, she recast the existing compliance program as a proactive program with a Lean mindset scaled to size and risk, including modifications to the anti-bribery and training programs. Prior to that, Scharfenberg held various global leadership roles at Integra LifeSciences Corporation, a global provider of medical devices and implants for neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery.
“I am very pleased to have Michelle join Avanos in this role,” stated Joe Woody, chief executive officer. “Maintaining this standalone role reflects the continued focus Avanos places on operating ethically and in compliance with regulations in order to uphold the company’s reputation as a global medical device company.”
Scharfenberg holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Ursinus College, and a juris doctor degree from The Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University.
About Avanos Medical, Inc.
Avanos Medical, Inc. (NYSE: AVNS) is a medical technology company focused on delivering clinically superior breakthrough medical device solutions to improve patients’ quality of life. Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, Avanos is committed to addressing some of today’s most important healthcare needs, such as reducing the use of opioids while helping patients move from surgery to recovery. Avanos develops, manufactures and markets its recognized brands in more than 90 countries. For more information, visit Avanos.com and follow Avanos Medical on Twitter (@AvanosMedical), LinkedIn and Facebook.