LifeStance Health Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: LFST) is the largest outpatient mental health platform in the United States, providing therapy, psychiatry, and psychological testing through a network of over 7,400 licensed clinicians across 33 states. LifeStance Health CEO Michael Lester founded the company in 2015 and served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until his retirement in September 2022. A four-time healthcare entrepreneur, Lester built LifeStance from the ground up into a publicly traded company with over $1.25 billion in annual revenue. He led the company through its 2021 IPO on the Nasdaq and expanded operations to hundreds of locations nationwide before transitioning to a strategic advisory role.

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Michael Lester – Quick Facts

LifeStance Health Competitors

LifeStance Health operates in the rapidly growing outpatient mental health services industry. The key competitors of LifeStance Health include:

• Talkspace (Nasdaq: TALK) – virtual therapy and psychiatry platform
• Acadia Healthcare (Nasdaq: ACHC) – behavioral health facility operator
• Spring Health – employer-focused mental health benefits platform
• SonderMind – mental health care technology company
• Headway – mental health insurance and therapist network
• Alma – membership-based mental health practice network
• Two Chairs – personalized therapy provider
• Thriveworks – in-person and online counseling and psychiatry

Michael Lester Net Worth 2026 – LifeStance Health CEO Salary

As of 2026, Michael Lester’s net worth is estimated at approximately $115–165 million USD. This estimate is primarily based on his significant shareholdings in LifeStance Health. According to SEC filings, Lester held approximately 23.1 million shares of LFST stock, valued at over $116 million based on recent stock prices. His total wealth also includes proceeds from prior entrepreneurial ventures, real estate, and other investments accumulated over a 35-year career founding and leading healthcare companies.

Michael Lester Compensation Breakdown (FY2022)

LifeStance Health Net Worth 2026 – Is LifeStance Health Profitable?

LifeStance Health Group is not yet consistently profitable on a GAAP net income basis, though the company has shown dramatic improvement. For FY2024, LifeStance reported a net loss of $57.4 million, a major improvement from prior years. Revenue reached $1.25 billion, up 19% year-over-year, and Adjusted EBITDA more than doubled to $119.7 million. The company’s market capitalization stands at approximately $2.7–2.9 billion as of early 2026.

LifeStance Health Financial Summary (FY2024)

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LifeStance Health CEO Email | Michael Lester Contact

Below are the contact details and professional profiles for LifeStance Health founder Michael Lester:

Career & Education – Company, University, & College

Michael Lester is a serial healthcare entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience in the multi-site healthcare services and pharmaceutical life sciences industries. He has founded and led four successful companies from scratch to national scale. Below is his complete career timeline:

Michael Lester Career Timeline

Michael Lester built his career founding and scaling healthcare services companies. His first venture, ContinueCare Health Systems, was a high-tech home and alternate site infusion therapy company. He then founded Radiant Research, a comprehensive clinical research organization providing Phase I–IV drug development services to the biopharmaceutical industry.

After serving as a Venture Partner at Bain Capital and SV Life Sciences, Lester founded Accelecare Wound Centers in 2010, growing it into a leading wound care management company. In 2015, he founded LifeStance Health, which he built into the largest outpatient mental health platform in the United States, with thousands of clinicians providing therapy, psychiatry, and psychological testing across 33 states. Lester led LifeStance through its IPO on the Nasdaq in June 2021.

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Education

Lester is also an active supporter of the University of Texas College of Pharmacy, where the Lester Entrepreneurial Scholars program is named in his honor. He serves on the College of Pharmacy Pharmaceutical Foundation Advisory Council and has been a long-time advocate for entrepreneurial education in healthcare.

Michael Lester Wiki – Age, Family, & More

Michael (Mike) K. Lester, approximately 66 years of age, is a Texas-based healthcare entrepreneur and investor. He formerly served as a board member and president of the Texas State Board of Pharmacy. Lester is known for his entrepreneurial philosophy centered on creating long-term value for employees, customers, and shareholders. He keeps his personal and family life private.

Notable Achievements & Recognitions

• 4-Time Healthcare Founder – Successfully created ContinueCare, Radiant Research, Accelecare Wound Centers, and LifeStance Health from scratch
• LifeStance IPO (2021) – Led LifeStance Health to a successful Nasdaq IPO, one of the largest mental health company public offerings
• Texas Board of Pharmacy President – Served as board member and president of the Texas State Board of Pharmacy
• Lester Entrepreneurial Scholars – Established the Lester Entrepreneurial Scholars program at the University of Texas College of Pharmacy
• 35+ Year Healthcare Career – Over three and a half decades building multi-site healthcare services organizations
• Senior Advisor, Silversmith Capital Partners – Currently advises the growth equity firm on healthcare investments

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About LifeStance Health Group

LifeStance Health Group, Inc. is the largest outpatient mental health company in the United States, headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Founded in 2015 by Michael Lester, the company provides outpatient mental health services through a network of licensed therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and nurse practitioners.

LifeStance Health trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol LFST. The company operates across 33 states with over 7,400 clinicians and served 7.9 million patient visits in 2024. LifeStance focuses on providing in-network care, making behavioral health services more accessible and affordable for patients. The company is led by CEO Dave Bourdon, who assumed the role in March 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is the founder of LifeStance Health?

Michael (Mike) K. Lester is the founder of LifeStance Health Group. He established the company in 2015 and served as Chairman and CEO until his retirement in September 2022. Lester is a serial healthcare entrepreneur who previously founded ContinueCare Health Systems, Radiant Research, and Accelecare Wound Centers.

What is Michael Lester’s net worth in 2026?

As of 2026, Michael Lester’s net worth is estimated at $115–165 million USD. The majority of his wealth comes from his approximately 23.1 million shares of LifeStance Health stock (LFST), valued at over $116 million based on recent market prices, plus proceeds from his prior healthcare ventures.

What was LifeStance Health CEO’s salary?

Michael Lester’s total compensation for fiscal year 2022 (his final year as CEO) was approximately $9.8 million, including $288,000 in base salary, $9.24 million in stock awards, and $278,000 in other compensation. In FY2021, his total package was $147 million, primarily due to IPO-related stock awards.

What is Michael Lester’s email address?

Michael Lester can be contacted via email at [email protected]. He also maintains a LinkedIn profile at linkedin.com/in/michael-lester-8296a06. For general LifeStance Health inquiries, visit lifestance.com.

Who is the current CEO of LifeStance Health?

The current CEO of LifeStance Health is Dave Bourdon, who was appointed on March 3, 2025. Bourdon previously served as LifeStance’s Chief Financial Officer. He succeeded Ken Burdick, who served as CEO from September 2022 to March 2025. Read more about LifeStance Health CEO Dave Bourdon here.

Is LifeStance Health a profitable company?

LifeStance Health is not yet profitable on a GAAP net income basis, reporting a net loss of $57.4 million in FY2024. However, the company has shown significant improvement, with Adjusted EBITDA doubling to $119.7 million and revenue growing 19% to $1.25 billion. Management targets 15–20% margins in future years.

Article last updated:January 2026March 2, 2026