Michael Bernstein, ’85, is a highly regarded executive with decades of experience in the healthcare sector. Most recently, he served as an Operating Partner at Arsenal Capital Partners, a private equity firm with a focus on industrial and healthcare investments. 

Bernstein’s professional journey began as Regional Vice President at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin, a position he held from 1987 to 1995. He then advanced to become Executive Vice President and President of the University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation, where he led the organization from 1995 to 2000. Following this, Bernstein worked at Cobalt Corporation as President and later Chief Operating Officer from 2000 to 2003. 

From 2004 to 2007, Bernstein was the CEO of Innovative Health Strategies Inc., where he played a key role in the company’s growth and its successful sale to a private equity firm. He continued his leadership as CEO of Leprechaun LLC from 2008 to 2009 and then as President of CAE Healthcare from 2009 to 2014, where he advanced healthcare simulation technology. 

Bernstein’s transition into private equity began with his role as a Partner at Baird Capital’s U.S. Private Equity Team from 2014 to 2019, where he specialized in healthcare investments. He also served as CEO of MaxHealth from 2020 to 2022, a network of primary care clinics for adults and seniors, before joining Arsenal Capital Partners. 

He holds a JD degree from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law and a BA degree in rhetoric and political science from the University of California, Davis. Bernstein is an active supporter of the McGeorge Virtual Food Pantry and has a personal connection to his alma mater, where he met his wife, Sarah Skebba ’85, on the first day of law school.  

Throughout 2024, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law will celebrate members of its vast alumni network in honor of the school’s 100-year anniversary. This post is part of a series highlighting 100 exceptional McGeorge School of Law alumni. 

Stay tuned for more blog posts as we celebrate the law school’s centennial anniversary.