Julie Coletti, EVP Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, Align Technology, Inc.
Julie Coletti is EVP and Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer at Align Technology, an innovative medical technology company, the world’s largest 3-D printing operation and the make of Invisalign clear aligners and other game changing technologies, dedicated to transforming smiles and changing lives. She joined Align in May 2018 and leads Align’s legal, compliance, quality and regulatory functions, is a member of the Align Executive Management team and is a trusted advisor to the CEO, Board of Directors. She drives business focused strategies and outcomes to support rapid growth and geographic expansion. Julie also serves as an independent director on the Board of Directors of Fortis Life Sciences and on the Fortis Board’s Audit and Quality and Compliance Committees.
Prior to this, Julie served as VP, and Global General Counsel for DANAHER CORPORATION’S DENTAL PLATFORM, a life sciences platform with $3B in revenues and 11,000 employees. Known for directing litigation strategy with a continued record of success, including a >$50M+ outcome for a commercial trial, she supported over >$2.5B of acquisitions and minority investments, optimized the IP portfolio, spearheaded a successful 180-degree channel optimization initiative, and established compliance as source of competitive advantage while achieving a team sea change, for which Julie earned one of five Danaher Dental 2017 Trail Blazer Awards. She was a founding member of Danaher’s Diversity and Inclusion Council, received ACI’s 2017 Women Leader in Life Sciences Empowerment Award and a 2016 First Chair Award for Top General Counsel.
During her time at BAYER HEALTHCARE/BAYER CORPORATION—which cumulated with her role as VP, Bayer HealthCare and Chief Legal Officer/Corporate Secretary for the MEDRAD Inc./Bayer Radiology and Interventional, Julie introduced practical and effective controls in key risk areas such as anti- corruption, anti-kickback, privacy, export compliance and effectively delivered on expectations of a DOJ Corporate Integrity Agreement. These compliance initiatives contributed to MEDRAD’s second “Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award” in 2010. In addition, Julie shaped, implemented, and aligned a global IP strategy with business strategy. In her earlier role as Director and Counsel, Litigation Group, Julie enabled strategy for high-exposure litigation and contributed significantly to a post-drug-withdrawal defense during the 3rd-largest multi-district litigation in history (at the time) and oversaw 2 crucial initial trials that led to defense verdicts.
While Assistant General Counsel and VP Market Development at STRATEGIC ENERGY, LLC, a $1.5B, top 3 retail electricity supplier serving 11% of Fortune 500s, Julie championed regulatory compliance in 12 states, 6 electricity system grids, and FERC within a complex, post-Enron regulatory convergence period. While launching a Strategic Energy PAC and renewable energy-certificate business, she led successful legal defenses against FERC and other agency investigations; converted a $16M liability in a complex transmission-pricing case into a $2M gain; and proved 100+ tariff violations by a utility that prevented customers from switching.
Julie is also a dedicated member of the Board of Directors of the Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh.
What is your proudest achievement?
Learning that I have made a meaningful impact when I mentor other women.
What is the most influential piece of advice (professional or personal) you have received?
Love your job.
Where do you see the legal profession in 10+ years?
The commodity work will be done by AI and the strategic work will be in very high demand.
What is/are your favorite extracurricular activity/activities?
The work I do for the Humane Animal Rescue.
What is one thing people should know about you but don't?
I love preserving old homes. I'm working on one now. It is 140 years old.
Name your hometown/where you were born/where you grew up and where you live now.
Hometown: Pittsburgh PA. I live in Phoenix, AZ but will always consider Pittsburgh my home.
If you were not a legal professional, what other line of work would you pursue?
Much of my role involves driving business strategy and I enjoy that immensely.
Anything else you'd like to share?
Thank you so very much for this honor and for supporting women in the profession.
Published December 20, 2023.
