Meet the founding team
founding Operator
Michiel van Zyl- Co-founder & Co-CEO
After working with three primary care practices, Michiel saw doctors cramming charting between visits and fighting prior authorizations over lunch. He also witnessed burnout erode the joy of practicing medicine. The fault wasn’t with clinicians, but with a system that prioritizes coding gymnastics over patients. At Elevance and Humana, he vetted dozens of initiatives and observed the same flaw: care improves only when clinicians have time and a model that rewards care, not codes. Raised by social worker parents, he learned early that true service means removing barriers, not adding them.
Gladstone brings the capital and know-how to scale what already works. Chess taught him to think ten moves ahead; healthcare taught him to think in decades, because sustainable change outlasts private equity quarters. His goal: build 1,000 practices where physicians rediscover purpose and patients receive exceptional care.
founding Investors
Mark Baiada- Founding Member & Investor
Mark built BAYADA Home Health Care from a single office to over $2 billion in revenue, remaining the sole owner throughout its 47-year journey. His unwavering commitment to compassionate, excellent, and reliable care created a home care company that has served over one million clients across 23 states and foreign countries. In 2019, Mark converted BAYADA to a not-for-profit organization, ensuring its mission of compassionate care would continue for generations rather than being driven by profit motives. He brings this same long-term, patient-centered vision to Gladstone, where sustainable growth means never compromising on care quality.
Mel Baiada- Founding Member & Investor
Mel founded Bluestone Software, which had a successful nine-figure exit to HP, demonstrating his ability to build and scale technology companies to significant outcomes. As founder and CEO of Basecamp Venture, he continues to invest in and guide startups across various industries. His expertise in healthcare delivery, technology and growing businesses helps bridge the gap between innovation and practical implementation. At Gladstone, Mel ensures our technology investments and growth strategies enhance rather than complicate the physician-patient relationship.
Greg Bellomy- Founding Member & Investor
As a seasoned healthcare CEO, Greg has led multiple companies including CareATC, expanding primary care services to support hundreds of thousands of members while maintaining high care standards. His career has shown that relationship-based primary care can succeed at scale without sacrificing quality. Greg's leadership approach focuses on empowering physicians to practice medicine as intended, with time, autonomy, and authentic patient connections.
Dr. Dean Drizin- Founding Member & Investor
Dr. Dean Drizin serves as Senior Director of Physician Engagement at Priovant Therapeutics, where he partners with autoimmune and rare-disease specialists to support clinical development in areas of high unmet need. Previously, Dean led the Corporate Development Office at BAYADA Home Health Care, where he mastered the art of scaling care-first models the right way. Dean also continues to practice medicine as a flight surgeon in the U.S. Navy Reserve. His unique perspective as both a practicing physician and business strategist ensures that clinical excellence remains paramount in every growth decision. At Gladstone, he helps us navigate M&A and strategic partnerships that enable physicians to put the patient-physician relationship first.