David serves as Chief Storyteller for McKinstry, a national consulting, construction, energy and facility services firm based in Seattle. During his more than 40-year tenure at McKinstry, he has led the company’s brand development including strategic positioning, overseeing business development, community engagement and client services company-wide.

David is a respected thought leader and well known for his presentations on branding, business development, workforce strategies and regional economic development. He is a popular keynote speaker and guest lecturer for business, educational and community service organizations. He serves on the boards of several industry associations, trade groups, community organizations and government-business alliances.

Of note, David is a Trustee for the Rocky Mountain Institute, a Board Member and Founding Chair of the Clean Tech Alliance Washington, a Board Trustee On Peter Byck’s Carbon Nation, a founding member of Western Washington University’s Energy Advisory Board, a Board Member of the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and is active in The Seattle Chamber’s Community Development Roundtable and the Eastside Business Roundtable.

His career has seen David serve three terms as Board Chair of the Economic Development Council of Seattle/King County, terms on Board of the Seattle Chamber, Board Member and Chair of the Green Skills Panel for the Workforce Development Council of Seattle/King County, two terms as Board Chair of the Mechanical Contractors Association and more than 30 years as a Board Member of the Boys and Girls Clubs in Seattle, Bellevue and Portland.

Kendall Anderegg is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Mutual Materials. She came from Intel to join Mutual Materials in 2002 and advanced into leadership roles working across the company in Information Technology, Operations, Sales, and Marketing before being promoted to company president in 2014. Today, Kendall is responsible for running all facets of Mutual’s business and has been instrumental in driving the strategic plan determining Mutual’s future growth plans. Kendall is also a fifth generation shareholder of the closely held private company.

As a graduate of the University of Washington, Kendall has a BA in Creative Writing and an MBA with an operations emphasis. Active in national industry associations, Kendall is the Chair of the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI), the first woman to be elected to that role.

Locally, she serves on the board and executive committee for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, the board of the Northwest Concrete Masonry Association, and on the Advisory Board for Girls on the Run of Puget Sound. She is also a member of Vistage International and coaches for the Cascade Striders youth cross country and track teams. She was recognized by Puget Sound Business Journal as one of their Women of Influence in 2016.

Jared Axelrod is the Senior Manager of Public Policy for Amazon. He works with policymakers at the local, regional and state levels in Washington state. He also works with trade associations and policymaker organizations throughout the United States to better serve Amazon’s customers and advance Amazon’s public policy priorities and worldwide operations.

Prior to joining Amazon, Jared was the Government Affairs Manager for philanthropist Paul G. Allen’s Vulcan Inc. There, he was responsible for day-to-day government relations activities at the state and federal levels on a wide variety of projects, worked to implement legislative and public affairs initiatives for Vulcan and Vulcan-affiliated organizations, and represented Mr. Allen in various legislative, political, and business settings.

Prior to that, Jared worked at Ceis Bayne East Strategic, a local government relations and public affairs firm in Seattle, where he supported various public, private, and non-profit clients. He also previously served as a Legislative Aide for U.S. Senator Patty Murray in her Washington, D.C. office; handling the Senator’s defense, veterans’ affairs, technology, telecommunications, space, science, and judiciary portfolios.

Jared received his Masters of Public Administration from the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington, and his B.S. in Political Science and Economics from the University of Oregon. He currently resides in Seattle.

Patrick Bannon has been president of the Bellevue Downtown Association, a membership organization of business and civic leaders who champion a strong economic and cultural heart for Bellevue and the Eastside, since 2013. He was the communications and public affairs manager there for seven years before moving into his current role. Patrick and the BDA team support members with advocacy, marketing and major community events, and strategic programs to help the Downtown area thrive.

Prior to the BDA, Patrick was an account executive for the Seattle and Los Angeles offices of Hill+Knowlton Strategies. He also worked for a year in Hokkaido, Japan as an English teacher for junior high students. Patrick serves on the board of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, and he is a past chair and board member for Leadership Eastside. He graduated from Pepperdine University, where he also met his wife, Sunni. They are Eastside residents with two fast-growing kids and a yellow Lab.

Putter Bert joined KidsQuest Children’s Museum (KQCM) in 1999 as Executive Director and lead the plan to create a new children’s museum in Bellevue. KQCM opened in Factoria in 2005. Built to serve 60,000 visitors, KQCM served almost double the projected patrons in its first year. Putter then led a $12.7M capital campaign to secure a downtown Bellevue location for an expanded facility that opened in January 2017; it serves over 225,000 people annually welcoming families from King County as well as Snohomish, Pierce, and Kitsap Counties and visitors from across the country.

Putter Bert has over 30 years of experience serving in leadership roles at The Children’s Museum of Tacoma, The Children’s Museum of Arkansas, The Portsmouth Children’s Museum and The Boston Children’s Museum. As KidsQuest President & CEO she has been a leader in the museum’s community collaborations with partners such as the City of Bellevue, Boeing, Amazon, Microsoft, ACM (Association of Children’s Museums) and NWAYM (Northwest Association of Youth Museums). Putter Bert is active on boards for ACM, Eastside Pathways, Bellevue Downtown Association, Inspire WA, Washington State Leadership Board , and Visit Bellevue.

Jim serves as Senior Manager of State Legislative Affairs for T-Mobile, at its headquarters in Bellevue, WA. He is responsible for government affairs in several western states, including Washington. Prior to T-Mobile, Jim built the state government affairs program at Western Wireless and led that group until it was acquired by Alltel Wireless. He also led the public affairs practice groups at two communications agencies in Seattle—Edelman and Nyhus. Clients included Microsoft, PhRMA, the Washington State Department of Commerce, the Washington Lottery, Sapphire Energy, Fate Therapeutics, Allied Waste, the Innovation Alliance, and the Space Needle.

Jim also served as House Counsel to the Washington State House of Representatives and Legislative Counsel to U.S. Senator Slade Gorton. Early in his career, he clerked for Court of Appeals Judge, Gerry Alexander and practiced law at the law firm of Owens Davies Mackie in Olympia. Jim received his law degree from Santa Clara University and was Editor-in-Chief of the Santa Clara Law Review. He received a BA in Political Science from the University of Washington in Seattle

Stephanie Bowman currently serves as President of the Port of Seattle Commission. She’s also the Executive Director of Washington ABC, a statewide non-profit organization promoting policies and programs to help economically-disadvantaged communities build assets through investments in education, home ownership, savings, and small business development.

Stephanie has more than 18 years of experience working in the areas of transportation and economic development on the local, state, and federal levels; including at the Port of Tacoma and Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce. Stephanie has been active with the American Association of Port Authorities, the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors, and the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association. Locally she has served on the Boards of the Plymouth Housing Group and the Rainier Valley Food Bank. In 2007, Stephanie was selected as a Fellow with the American Marshall Memorial Foundation.

Raised in Hilo, Hawaii, Stephanie moved to Seattle in 1991. She lives in the Beacon Hill neighborhood in south Seattle and is an avid windsurfer.

Randi (Brooks) Brazen was a well known actress in the 80’s appearing in over 60 TV shows and movies during her 11 year career in Hollywood.  She starred in Murder She Wrote, Magnum PI, Designing Women, and Mancuso FBI just to name a few.  After moving to Bellevue in 1993 with three young daughters and her husband Joseph, their family has become pillars in their West Bellevue community.  They are one of the dominant forces in the residential real estate market with their Brazen@Windermere team; their legendary 520 Bar and Grill on Main Street, a place where Bellevue has gone for the past 15 years for Food, Fun & Cocktails; and most recently opened their newest venture Central Bar + Restaurant located at the base of the W Hotel.  Serving on numerous boards and charities, the Brazens are deeply entrenched in Bellevue and great ambassadors of this amazing place they call home.

John Carlson has long worked in Seattle radio, where he hosts “The Commute with Carlson” on 570 KVI during morning drive from 6am to 9am weekdays. Starting in 2014, John Carlson on The News debuted on sister station KOMO Newsradio, FM 97.7. Before radio, he was a television commentator on KIRO-TV(CBS) and KCTS (PBS). An award winning writer, John’s work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, USA Today, and every major daily paper in Washington State.

During the 90s, he co-authored and led the drive for America’s first “Three Strikes, You’re Out” initiative (he coined the term), and co-authored the state’s landmark anti-gun violence initiative, “Hard Time for Armed Crime”. In 1998 he led the campaign to qualify and pass Initiative 200, which prohibits discrimination preferences based on race and gender in public hiring and college admissions.

In the mid-80’s, he co-founded the Washington Policy Center, serving as its president from 1985 – 1993, and later as Board Chairman. WPC has received national and local bipartisan recognition as one of the Northwest’s most respected policy research centers.

John, his wife Lisa and two sons live in Bellevue, where he chairs the city’s Planning Commission. He also serves on the local boards of the Boy Scouts and the Salvation Army, and has raised over $200,000 to support the “The Climb to Fight Breast Cancer”.

He is listed as one of the University of Washington’s most influential graduates of the 20th century by the university’s Alumni Magazine, and their “Wondrous 100” alumni in 2008. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1981.

John’s very proud of his family! Here’s a slide show including Matthew’s 15th Birthday at Safeco Field, John and Lisa enjoying love in the Middle East, and an outdoor adventure at Lake Colchuck!

Jennifer Clark is General Manager of specialty sales at Alaska Airlines. A Pacific Northwest aviation professional, she is directly accountable for steering the strategic and tactical efforts of Alaska Airlines’ corporate sales efforts with a staff of professionals. She is responsible and accountable for all sales and revenue for Alaska’s private charter agreements, wholesale business, group sales, seafood customers and small and medium-sized business customers. Jennifer works in tandem with other business sales leaders to drive incremental revenue through the business travel community and travel management companies, leveraging aspects of Alaska’s commercial offerings and alliance partnerships.

Jennifer was born and raised in Bellevue, Washington. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications at the University of Washington. Prior to joining Alaska Airlines, she worked in the telecommunication industry from 1989 – 2015 where she worked for McCaw Cellular Communications which was later acquired by AT&T. During this time, Jennifer became a Director of Sales and developed and hired a large, national sales team across the country.

Jennifer stayed with AT&T until 1999. She then joined Nextel Communications as a Sales Director and worked to build their first national accounts team. Nextel was later acquired by Sprint in 2005 where Jennifer served as Director of Sales over a 10-state region in the Pacific Northwest and Desert Mountain area managing a team of over 75 sales professionals.

Jessica Clawson is a land-use attorney with McCullough Hill Leary.

Her focus is land use entitlements in complex urban regulatory environments. Born and raised in the Puget Sound area, she has assisted in permitting thousands of residential units and several million square feet of office space in the region.

Jessica enjoys spending weekends on Hood Canal with her husband, two young children, and a very large cat.

Terry Cook is the Managing Principal of Parcion Private Wealth; an independent multi-family office that partners with business owners, entrepreneurs, and their families to optimize wealth events and beyond through smart planning, strong advocacy and prudent investment management. With more than 28 years of experience, Terry has designed Parcion Private Wealth as the next step in helping his clients preserve the legacy they’ve built to support their families and communities.

Prior to founding Parcion, Terry was a managing director and founder of the Cascade Group of UBS Private Wealth Management. Throughout his career, Terry has focused on providing advanced planning around cash flow modeling, wealth transfer goals, customized investment policies and guiding through major liquidity events.

As a leader in the community, Terry serves on the national board for the Institute for Functional Medicine and is a board member and past board chair for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound and the Ducks Unlimited Seattle Chapter.

He also supports Seattle Children Hospital, Hopelink, and lectures regularly for the Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon. Terry has a son and two daughters. A resident of Yarrow Point, Washington, Terry is an avid cyclist, is committed to fitness and nutrition, and enjoys hunting and fishing.

Ray is an accomplished and charismatic Arts Management professional with an international reputation & industry connections, and extensive experience with both commercial and not-for-profit artistic programming/production and venue senior management positions
.
Core competencies include high-level achievement in the following areas:
* Venue Management
* Fundraising and Sponsorship Development
* Artistic Programming
* Strategic Planning
* Construction and Project Management
* Marketing
* Production Management
* Staff Leadership
* Contract Negotiation
* Budgeting
* Building Operations
* Theatrical Production

Dr. Catherine Cushinberry is the CEO of Hopelink. A native of Memphis, she received her Ph.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia in Human Development and Family Studies in 2004. Her Master of Arts, from the University of Memphis, and Bachelor of Science from Murray State University, are in Organizational Communication. She is a seasoned nonprofit executive with over twenty five years of experience in the education and nonprofit sectors. Prior to her current role, she served for almost four years as the Vice-President/Executive Director of City Year Memphis where she founded the site for the national office. She has served as the National Executive Director of Parents for Public Schools. Prior to that role, she served for five years as the Director of Research for the National Office of Girls Inc. where she created and led research and evaluation initiatives for the more than 80 affiliates in the U.S. and Canada. For four years she led as the Executive Director of a Boys and Girls Club in Tennessee. She has worked in other nonprofits such as Children’s Home Society of California in Los Angeles and for the Missouri State 4-H. Additionally, she owned a consulting business and worked with clients in the U.S. and the Philippines, where she lived for a year. During her career, Dr. Cushinberry has published regularly on a wide variety of topics, including community engagement, diversity and STEM. She remains connected to the academy and serves on dissertation committees and will teach graduate level research methods courses and classes in sociology and family science. Dr. Cushinberry is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

With a career focus of enabling business growth through technology solutions, Sue DeFlorio is currently the VP of Operations for GMI. Sue focuses on business leadership to drive innovation. She is experienced deploying and managing the technology and personnel for datacenters, hosting environments, switching centers and consulting. Located in Bellevue, Washington, she leads the service delivery and system integration.

Prior to this role, Sue’s experience includes being the COO of General Microsystems Inc., providing IT and security solutions and at FiberCloud, an early stage cloud-based service provider. Throughout her career, Sue has supported innovation and business development, including her work nationally to enable a competitive telecommunications industry. She serves on the Executive Boards of Eastside Baby Corner and the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce where she focuses her energy supporting economic vitality and the infrastructure required for business success.

Melissa deVita is the Deputy Superintendent for Financial Services and Operations. Melissa is responsible for the financial and general business operations of the district including finance, budget, payroll, information/ technology infrastructure, building projects, maintenance, custodial services, transportation, and nutrition services. Her role involves general oversight for the financial health of the district as well as the general business operational structure which impacts Bellevue’s ability to offer quality educational services.

Prior to Bellevue, Melissa was the Chief Operations Officer and Chief Financial Officer for the Mesa County Valley School District in Grand Junction, CO. Her career in education follows a 16 year career as a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting—leading global resource planning and management projects for Fortune 50 clients such as McDonald’s, Eli Lilly, Caterpillar, Abbot Laboratories, and Proctor and Gamble. Melissa has a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Administration from Kettering University and a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Melissa joined the district in 2013.

Melissa and her husband Jeff are parents to Gabriella and Nico. An active mom, Melissa spends her spare time traveling with her family, cooking and juggling the wide range of duties of an active hockey and dance mom.

Karen Doherty is the Northwest Pacific District Manager for WSP USA. As Senior Vice President, she oversees business activities for over 450 staff in six states and Guam. WSP is a global professional service firm specializing in providing technical expertise and strategic advice to clients in the Transport & Infrastructure, Property & Buildings, Environment, Industry & Energy sectors. WSP is passionate about doing purposeful, sustainable work that helps shape communities and the future.
Karen was the 2019-2020 Chair for the Washington American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). She is a member of the Seattle Chamber’s Community Development Roundtable and also served on the Advisory Board for the Puget Sound Chapter of Women’s Transportation Seminar. A supporter of the Sound Transit 3 infrastructure funding package, Karen was on the steering committee to pass Puget Sound’s largest transit funding package. She has been involved in several regional organizations’ activities to attract more businesses to the Puget Sound. A licensed civil engineer in several states, Karen is a proud graduate of Gonzaga University in Spokane and is a native of Southeastern Washington.
Karen and her husband Pat have one daughter, Megan, who is a Cadet 1st Class (senior) at the United States Air Force Academy. Karen and Pat both hold Board positions in the Academy’s Parents’ Association of Washington State. Karen enjoys triathlons and spends much of her free time with her family training for that sport.

Joe Fain is the President and CEO of the Bellevue Chamber. He previously served two terms in the Washington State Senate where he worked extensively on economic development, transportation, and education issues.

He was a leading negotiator of Washington’s 2015 statewide transportation package. He also led the negotiations and prime-sponsored Washington’s Paid Family Leave legislation, which passed in 2017.

Joe has also worked managing a boutique law and consulting firm in Seattle speciailizing in technology and healthcare; at the University of Washington office of technology transfer and commercialization; as a prosecutor for King County; and as Chief of Staff to a member of the King County Council.

Joe was selected in 2012 as one Puget Sound Business Journal’s 40 under 40 and was a 2017 Rodel Fellow with the Aspen Institute.

He has a Joint JD/MBA from Seattle University and an undergraduate degree from the University of Washington.

Chris is a founding partner of Falco Sult. He heads the firm’s management advisory services and consulting functions.

Chris’s clients cover a wide range of industries including printing and graphic arts, real estate, construction, high tech, property management, wholesale distribution, manufacturing, professional services and service organizations.

Chris is a member of several professional organizations which include the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants, the International Business Brokers Association, the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts, Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors, Vistage International and the Printing Industries of America and Southern California.

He participates as an active member of the Board of the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and a Trustee for the Eastside Business Alliance. He is also a member of the Washington State Department of Revenue Business Advisory Council. Chris is also a board member for the Bridge of Promise and the UW Bothell Business Advisory Board.

In the past, Chris has served as Chairman of the Board for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and as Vice Chair of the Bellevue Entrepreneurs Center, as well as the Chair of the Seattle Humane Society. He has also served as Board President of Sahalee Country Club and General Chairman for the 2010 US Senior Open at Sahalee and Assistant General Chair of the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. He recently served as the Chair of the Eastside Business Roundtable. Chris is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Greater Redmond Chamber of Commerce and has also been a volunteer in the Lake Washington School District “Lunch Buddy” program. Recently, he was appointed and participated on the City of Redmond’s Homeless Task Force.

In addition to his undergraduate work at the University of New Mexico where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Chris also holds insurance licenses and is a Registered Investment Advisor. He is also a certified M&A advisor and business broker, holding credentials as a Certified Business Intermediary and as a Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor.

Brian Franklin joined PMF Investments in 2009 and now serves as the company’s President. He specializes in large-scale project management, marketing and operations.

Carrying on the legacy created by his father, Nat Franklin, Brian’s focus is on expanding PMF’s portfolio of retail and mixed-use properties as well as the company’s geographic footprint. He prides himself on a commitment to structuring deals that benefit all parties involved. This means thinking creatively, balancing recognized national brands and unique local businesses as tenants, and always taking a team-oriented approach with each project partner.

Brian has led some of the firm’s highest profile development and redevelopment projects, including Bellevue’s Kelsey Creek Shopping Center, which is anchored by Washington State’s first Walmart Neighborhood Market. He has played central roles in revitalizing underdevelopment properties and creating new community gathering places that contribute vibrancy and economic activity to cities and neighborhoods.

Brian is a graduate of the University of Arizona where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. Brian lives in Bellevue with his wife Ashley and their two Golden Retrievers.

Carl Gipson is director of External and Legislative Affairs for AT&T in the state of Washington. He has two decades of policy, legislative and regulatory experience. Carl works regularly with organizations such as chambers of commerce, nonprofit organizations, and various trade associations to advocate on behalf of AT&T, its employees, and customers. Previously, Carl worked for Frontier Communications NW (now Ziply Fiber) in regulatory affairs, and before that spent almost a decade at Washington Policy Center, working on economic development and technology/telecommunications policy. A graduate of Western Washington University, he lives in Shoreline with his wife and three daughters.

Gary Guenther, a shareholder and senior vice president at Kidder Mathews, is an expert in developing & implementing successful commercial real estate strategies for corporations, individuals, and investors in the greater Puget Sound region, with an emphasis on the Eastside market. His clients range from large corporate headquarters, healthcare organizations, startup to scaleup technology companies, and local & institutional investors.

In his 20 year career, Gary has been involved in hundreds of leasing and sale assignments worth billions of dollars, including corporate relocations, sale leasebacks, lease renewals, subleases, acquisitions/dispositions, and build-to-suits. His market knowledge, longstanding relationships, and creative strategic planning help his clients achieve maximum value and flexibility with all their commercial real estate needs.

Prior to joining Kidder Mathews, Gary worked with the real estate affiliate of the Government of Singapore. He previously served on the Kidder Mathews board of directors, is regularly asked to present on market real estate trends as a CRE expert, and has earned the title of CoStar Power Broker.

Dave Hamilton is President of Delivery Express, Inc. The company manages high priority freight around the US with a concentration in the NW. The company specializes in supporting healthcare, retail, and distribution supply chains that have critical deadlines.

Whether the shipment is a lab specimen that needs to move across town in an hour or hospital supplies that need to move during the night or parts that need to be delivered into a retail location before it opens for business in the morning, Delivery Express manages the entire process from beginning to end with a constant focus on on-time delivery.

Delivery Express also operates distribution/operations centers in Tukwila and Spokane and a warehouse in Kent.

Dave was born in Everett and moved to the Eastside as a youngster where he has lived ever since. He and his wife, Kristian, are guiding their youngest of 6 through his final 2 years of high school and live in Bellevue. Dave is active in philanthropic work and community service and currently serves as the Vice Chair of Bellevue’s Parks and Community Services Board.

Jennifer is Executive Vice President, Managing Director and Head of Corporate & Institutional Banking at PNC Bank, one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the U.S. with over $560B in assets and a strong commitment to supporting Washington’s businesses and communities. Based in Bellevue, she is responsible for leading PNC’s corporate banking expansion and growth. In this role, she leads a team of seasoned bankers that provide lending, capital markets, treasury management, asset management and corporate advisory services to companies across Washington including specialized expertise across industries including Technology, Food & Beverage, Pharma/Life Sciences, Chemicals & Plastics, Transportation and Heavy Equipment.
Recognized as a financial services veteran, Jennifer has served the Pacific Northwest business community for over 20 years within the Banking, Communications and Technology sectors. Prior to this role, Jennifer served in a variety of leadership roles at JPMorgan Chase, U.S. Bank, Microsoft and AT&T Wireless.
She earned an MBA from the Albers School of Business at Seattle University and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Washington. She holds FINRA Series 24, 79 and 63 securities licenses.
Jennifer is actively involved in the community serving as Finance Chair and Board Director for Washington STEM, a non-profit organization focused on advancing excellence, innovation and equity in science, technology, engineering and math education for all Washington students. She is also active in the business community serving on the Bellevue Chamber Board as Director. Jennifer is also an advocate for entrepreneurship, serving as advisor, mentor and speaker to business owners and executives throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Azmeena Hasham leads Verizon’s Community Engagement program in Western Washington, where she works to support the missions of nonprofits and community leaders across the state. She also actively advocates for Connected Communities, which enable smart cities and connected vehicles in order to save lives and prevent injuries, reduce harmful emissions, enhance public safety, and improve transportation and digital equity. Azmeena aspires to build deeper relationships with communities across Washington and ensure that Verizon employees have meaningful volunteer opportunities to give back and strengthen their community.

Azmeena has a background in both the business and technical divisions of Verizon. She has held multi-functional roles in R&D, Product Management, Enterprise Architecture and Public Policy. She has lived and worked in six countries and speaks four languages. She holds an MBA from Cambridge University, UK; MSc Computer Science from Carleton University, Canada; BSc Mathematics and Computer Science from McGill University.

Azmeena has two sons and is an avid fan of the outdoors. She can be found year-round hiking and trekking in the mountains.

Nancy Heen is a seasoned executive who, prior to founding Axelerate in 2003, spent 17 years in the aerospace industry leading large, cross-functional technical teams responsible for the successful design and implementation of complex projects. She launched Axelerate with a focus on providing comprehensive project management support to organizations large and small in both the public and private sectors.

Over the years, she has expanded the company’s mission to include on and off premises contract support for business intelligence, content management, and information technology, as well as outsourcing, temp-to-hire, and direct placement services. Her ability to understand and successfully match the client’s needs and business culture with corresponding consultant skills and experience has resulted in Axelerate’s continuing growth and success.

A natural leader, Nancy has an inclusive communication style that allows multiple opinions to surface from which she can determine the essential problem to be solved and select the best consultant for the job. She is able to consume large amounts of information and winnow out the relevant pieces needed to understand what a client needs and what kind of resources will bring success. In order to ensure success for both her clients and for Axelerate, Nancy seeks out the most highly qualified and experienced people to fill Axelerate’s professional roster, putting them through a significant vetting process before assigning them to a client. The combination of her successful project completion stats, professionalism, and integrity has bred loyalty to Axelerate from both her client base and her staff.

Nancy takes great pride in giving back to the community. She has been a long-time year-round supporter of Hopelink and its mission to provide stability to those in crisis while equipping clients to exit poverty on a permanent basis.

Jill Jamison, CPA, provides audit, accounting, and financial advisory services to closely held businesses and their owners since joining Sweeney Conrad, P.S. in 2015. She serves clients in a multitude of industries including not-for-profits, construction, recycling and refuse collection, retail and wholesale, manufacturing, distribution, professional services, and employee benefit plans.

Jill has a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Washington State University and is an alumni from the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce Young Executives. She is also a past board member for The American Marketing Association – Puget Sound Chapter.

Brad Jones is the Executive Director of Visit Bellevue. Visit Bellevue serves as Bellevue’s official Destination Marketing and Management Organization and exists to stimulate economic growth and development by attracting visitors, convention + event business and inspiring memorable visitor experiences.

Brad has a rich 26-year history as an Executive Director with Destination Management Organizations, most recently prior to Visit Bellevue serving 13-years as the Executive Director with Experience Rochester in Rochester Minnesota and before that 10-years as Executive Director with the Mackinaw Area Visitors Bureau in Michigan.

Brad was born and raised in Michigan and received his formal schooling at Ferris State University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management with other degrees in Food Service Management / Culinary Arts and Marketing.

Brad has been married to his wife Shelly for 29 years: they have two children Samantha (age 22) and Max (age 21). Brad is an Eagle Scout and still enjoys being involved in the scouting program and enjoys hockey, golf, kayaking, and is an avid backpacker and wilderness explorer. Brad is also a former hockey player and USA hockey official and was fortunate to officiate and compete at high levels of hockey during his ice hockey career. Over the years, Brad has coached many youth and high school hockey & lacrosse teams.

Brad serves on several business, civic and organizational boards including currently as Vice President of the Washington State Destination Management Organization Association. In Minnesota, he was appointed to the Minnesota Tourism Council by Governor Tim Pawlenty and reappointed by Governor Mark Dayton. Brad was the 2016 recipient of Minnesota’s Outstanding Individual in Tourism.

A sales, marketing and business development executive with experience building teams, leading sales professionals, growing brand loyalty, and managing advertising campaigns for SMB’s as well as Fortune 500 companies across diverse industries.
Tactical, goal oriented thinker prepared to address emerging and ever changing markets.

Betsy Kippenhan is currently the Vice President of Human Resources for the Washington Region. Prior to relocating to Washington in 2018 she served as the Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Management since 2015. Betsy joined Comcast in 2012 as the Director of Talent Operations. Before joining Comcast, Betsy served as the Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition for the US at Wolters Kluwer North America, which is a global leader in professional information services. She began her professional career in 1997 with Advantage Resourcing, where she spent 13 years in a number of HR roles with increasing responsibility, and last served as the Vice President of Field Solutions.

Betsy holds a Master’s of Science in Management with an emphasis on Organizational and Leadership Development from Regis University in Denver, Colorado and a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science from The Ohio State University.

Outside of work, Betsy enjoys spending time with her family, golfing, hiking and fly-fishing.

As Bank of America’s Pacific Northwest Credit Executive, Brandon Kirkbride is responsible for leading a regional organization and delivering a broad range of credit solutions to commercial customers in ten U.S. states.  Brandon’s organization is focused on structuring, underwriting, documenting, and delivering debt related transactions for private and public businesses.  He has regional accountability for all existing and new commercial lending for companies ranging from $5 million to $2+ billion in annual revenues.  Brandon has expertise in complex and structured transactions for clients in a broad range of industries.  He has delivered a full suite of debt and related solutions including working capital, real estate, leveraged lending, acquisition finance, and syndicated finance solutions. 

Matthew Klutznick, a native of Chicago, holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Columbia College and is a licensed real estate broker in California, Oregon and Washington state. He is currently the General Manager of The Bravern. Over his 30 years in the shopping center industry, he has developed, redeveloped and managed luxury and airport retail throughout the United States.

Sandeep Krishnamurthy is the first Dean of the AACSB-accredited School of Business at University of Washington, Bothell. This role involves managing the School of Business as its chief academic, and, administrative officer, with primary responsibility for faculty, students, curriculum, budgets, and external engagement. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in marketing with a minor in Economics in 1996.

Kenneth (Ken) Krivanec is the President of Tri Pointe Homes Washington. He has held other roles at the division, including Executive Vice President and Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Kenneth has significant experience in strategic planning, consumer research, land acquisition, product design and development, operations, project/corporate finance, sales/marketing, organizational development, and mortgage operations.

He developed his homebuilding expertise with Ivory Homes, Ryland Homes, and KB Home. He currently serves as a Board Member and Executive Committee Member of the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust and the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce. Kenneth attended the University of Utah, Baylor University, and the University of Washington Business School.

Matt Laukaitis is the Senior Vice President and General Manager of SAP’s Consumer Industries practice in North America and is responsible for the division’s strategy, partner ecosystem, and revenue performance throughout the region.

Since joining SAP in 2004, Matt has been a leader within SAP’s U.S. consumer industries organization and a hands-on strategic partner for customers; helping them solve their most critical business challenges. He has also led SAP’s corporate citizenship program in the U.S., Pacific Northwest, connecting SAP volunteers with local community organizations, placing an emphasis on K-12 education, and family support organizations. Prior to SAP, Matt worked at IONA Technologies, Netfish, RR Donnelley, and Apple, where he served in sales and sales leadership positions.

Matt holds a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix, Arizona.

David is Managing Partner of Inslee Best. His practice encompasses a broad spectrum of civil issues with an emphasis in civil trial work, real estate and business transactions.

He has represented a wide range of clients in varied industries and market sectors. This includes automobile dealers, consulting firms, individual consumers, contractors and developers, franchisees and franchisors, journalists, property owners, homeowners’ associations, manufacturing companies, restaurant and bar owners, importers, retail store owners, and software developers.

To meet the unique needs of each client, David routinely provides a diverse and customized set of services — from business structuring and organization, and business transaction matters, to property, consumer, lease, construction, trademark, and commercial contract disputes, among others.

David’s nearly 30-year legal career representing such a broad client base provides his clients with the benefit of drawing on his deep insight, knowledge and experience to apply to the wide variety of issues, challenges and needs they face.

Dr. Locke is the Ambulatory Pharmacy Manager for the Clinic
pharmacist team and medication use management projects at Virginia Mason Medical Center. She is a graduate of Purdue University, completed a general PGY1 residency program with Providence Health and Service in Portland, OR and a Health Administration PGY2 program with Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, WA. Amanda and her team of 20 clinic pharmacist providers support six departments at eight different locations with clinical pharmacy services. She currently practices within the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation clinic in downtown Seattle. In addition to her clinical work, Amanda is part of the organizational group responsible for ambulatory quality metrics and partners with contracted payer groups on process improvement. She is currently serving a three year leadership term in the Ambulatory Care Academy, which she helped to initiate, and is an Associate Professor with the University of Washington. Dr. Locke has set the stage for improved and advanced pharmacy practice in the Ambulatory Setting. She has led in the development of quality metrics modeled after those used in medicine, and openly shared these techniques with colleagues in Washington State.

Gary Locke is the President of Bellevue College.

Locke is a former two-term Governor of Washington State (the first Chinese American to be elected governor in United States history and the first Asian American governor on the mainland), U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and most recently as America’s envoy to China, Gary Locke has been a leader in the areas of education, employment, trade, health care, human rights, immigration reform, privacy, and the environment.

As Washington’s 21st Governor from 1997-2005, the nation’s most trade dependent state, Mr. Locke expanded the sale of products and services by leading 10 productive trade missions to Mexico, Europe, and Asia. He successfully strengthened economic ties between China and Washington State, more than doubling the state’s exports to China to over $5 billion per year.

During his tenure, he achieved bipartisan welfare reform and oversaw the gain of 280,000 private sector jobs, despite two national recessions. Mr. Locke also had the most diverse cabinet in state history. And in filling judicial vacancies, more than half of his appointees were women and 25% were people of color. His accomplishments, management skills and innovations in government efficiency have won him acclaim by nationally recognized authors and organizations, including Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. During his time in office, Washington was ranked as one of the four best managed states in America.

Serving as the 36th Commerce Secretary from 2009-2011, he aggressively led the effort to implement President Obama’s National Export Initiative to double American exports in five years; assumed a troubled 2010 Census process but which under his active supervision ended on time and substantially under budget, saving taxpayers $2 billion; and achieved the most significant reduction in patent application processing in the agency’s history: from 40 months down to one year. Mr. Locke also oversaw a significant first step in the president’s export control reform effort that strengthened national security, while making U.S. companies more competitive by easing their licensing burden for high-tech exports to partners and allies.

As America’s 10th Ambassador to China from 2011-2014, he opened markets for made-in-USA goods and services; reduced wait times for visa interviews of Chinese applicants from 100 days to 3 days; and through the Embassy’s air quality monitoring program, exposed the severity of the air pollution in China, causing the Chinese people to demand action by the government and the government in turn beginning to address the issue.

Mr. Locke began his career in public service upon his election to the Washington State House of Representatives serving from 1983-1994. He was then elected as King County Executive, serving from 1994-1997.

Mr. Locke graduated from Seattle’s Franklin High School. He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout and is a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America. He attended Yale University, graduating with a Bachelor degree in political science and received his law degree from Boston University.

Kari Magill directs Rowley Properties vision, strategy and real estate activities in the Pacific Northwest and leads the re-development of approximately 80 acres in Issaquah’s Hyla Crossing and Rowley Center neighborhoods. Under her leadership, Rowley Properties negotiated a 30-year development agreement with the City of Issaquah which sets the framework for smart, sustainable growth envisioned in Forterra’s Cascade Agenda – transforming existing properties into a denser, more livable, walkable community that celebrates the unique and special character of Issaquah. The Homewood Suites Seattle/Issaquah® and the new, urban streets that border it (Hyla Avenue and Skipper Way) were the first projects to be officially delivered within this new framework. Prior to that was the development of the Hilton Garden Inn Seattle/Issaquah and the 28,000 square-foot, LEED Gold certified, John L Scott office building. More recently, construction of a 70,000 square-foot four-story mixed-use office building featuring Issaquah’s first commercial use of mass-timber and the urbanization of its I-90 frontage road, NW Poplar Way, will be complete by October 2020.

Founded in 1954, and through three generations of mainstay leadership, Rowley Properties has deep roots in Issaquah; nobody knows Issaquah better. In total, Rowley Properties owns, develops, leases and manages 65 buildings representing almost a million square feet in a wide assortment of uses – commercial, residential, retail, flex, light manufacturing, medical, storage, and two hotels. Approximately 900 tenants are represented within the Rowley portfolio.

J. Michael Marsh joined Overlake Medical Center in April 2014 to serve
as the organization’s president and CEO. With 33 years of experience
in strategy, business development and operations supporting hospitals
and health systems, Marsh has demonstrated success at all levels of
management within different markets and across the entire continuum
of care.

Josh Marti is the Co-Founder and Chairperson of Bellevue based Point Inside, Chairperson of the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Member of the United Rentals Advanced Solutions Group.

At Point Inside, we’ve built the most flexible and advanced indoor mapping and location technology but, mapping is not what we do – it’s how we do it.

Our mission at The Bellevue Chamber of Commerce is to foster a healthy business environment by providing strategic leadership, advocacy, tools, and resources for business success.

United Rentals Advanced Solutions Group works to connect man, machine, material and environment for its customers by using innovative technologies to disruptively increase job-site productivity and safety.

Considered an expert in wireless location based systems, I was responsible for several of the largest consumer GPS deployments prior to co-founding Point Inside in 2009. I’m blessed to have so many cool colleagues, a beautiful wife, four rambunctious daughters and the funnest job on the planet!

Honored as a Seattle 40 under 40, I hold a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering from Seattle University and sit on EE & CE Advisory Board as Past Chair.

Dave Masin is the current Director of Sales, Marketing and New Business Development at Catalyst Workplace Activation, a commercial furniture company providing workplace solutions to companies both locally and nationally. Dave is a fourth generation Seattle-lite, growing up on Mercer Island, having attended Mercer Island High School and the University of Washington (aka – the Harvard of the West). Dave is a former President of Masin’s Fine Furnishings & Interior Design in Bellevue, Washington, a fourth generation, family-owned retail furnishings store and interior design firm. Dave has served on numerous boards and is an active volunteer. When he isn’t playing duck, duck goose with his three young children, Dave enjoys cooking, running, watching football (go Seahawks!), entertaining, and great wine.

Scott McClellan is Vice President for University Affairs at Seattle University and serves as a member of the university’s leadership team. From 2003 to 2006, he served as White House Press Secretary.

In his current role, Scott oversees marketing, communications and external affairs and provides strategic counsel to the university’s president and other university leaders. Prior to joining the university, he advised a variety of clients on public affairs and communications strategy.

Before being named press secretary, Scott served as the principal deputy White House press secretary from 2001 to 2003. Previously, he was the traveling press secretary for the Bush-Cheney 2000 presidential campaign.

Earlier in his career, Scott spent several years working in Texas politics as a senior aide to then-Governor Bush, chief of staff to a state senator and campaign manager for three successful statewide campaigns.

A native of Austin, Scott is a graduate of the University of Texas. In 2005, he received the Outstanding Young Texas Ex Award, which recognizes graduates under 40 who have made significant achievements in their careers and in service to the University.

Tim joined Sellen in 1986 and has held a variety of field supervisory positions including superintendent and senior superintendent. A lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest, he recently completed the Leadership Tomorrow program and cares deeply about the development of the Puget Sound community. In 2014, he joined the Sellen Leadership
Team as Director of Field Operations, helping develop and manage our field team personnel and providing project teams with mentorship and building expertise. Today, he
serves as Sellen’s Chief Operating Officer of Field Operations, overseeing our project
operations and providing an operational perspective to strategic discussions as a member of Sellen’s executive team and our board.

Outside of work Tim enjoys bicycling, skiing, fishing, reading and travel.

Brad Miyake was appointed Bellevue City Manager by the council in 2013. Since then he has successfully guided the organization through a unique period of economic growth, increased demand for services, and long-term budget challenges.

Miyake has been instrumental in Bellevue’s focus on customer service through the One City/High Performance Organization program. In addition, he continues to champion the city’s Diversity Advantage Initiative which emphasizes equity, access, and inclusion for residents. Prior to his current position, Miyake served as a deputy city manager, director of the Utilities Department, and as a longtime budget manager for the city.

He is a member of the International City Management Association and the Washington City/County Management Association.

Elaina M. Morris is the CEO, President, co-founder, and co-owner of Ascend Hospitality Group, a premier hospitality company headquartered in the Northwest. Morris is an accomplished CEO, business owner, consultant, innovator, and community leader with over 20 years’ experience developing concepts and creating value in various industries and holds a master’s degree in Technology Management. Morris has launched several local businesses in the hospitality sector, including WiggleWorks Kids and Ascend Hospitality Group (AHG), with crown jewel, Ascend Prime, recently named one of Architectural Digest’s Most Romantic Restaurants in the World. Morris currently serves as trustee for the Washington Hospitality Associations’ Education Foundation, Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, Samena Club, and is a member of YPO Seattle.

Under the AHG umbrella, there are currently eleven restaurants in operation and eight concepts in development, ranging from fine-dining to fast-casual. Each of the restaurants aim to provide guests with a unique and elevated dining experience, from Bellevue’s 31st-floor Ascend Prime Steak and Sushi and Lincoln South Food Hall to five locations of award-winning Famous Dave’s BBQ, and four Stanford’s Classic American Steakhouse locations.

Ascend Hospitality Group employs more than 500 people in Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Utah. Through the restaurant company, Morris strives to create and provide an environment that brings people together through culinary experiences, raises the bar, and improves standards in the hospitality industry. She believes in investing wholly in both her team members and guests to take service to the next level. Through the company’s innovative approach to hospitality and ties to the community, Morris is also proud to support local education and associated charitable organizations.

Senior Executive, Quality Architect, and Leader with over 30 years of experience building and inspiring teams that delight customers with innovative solutions spanning many emerging and existing technologies in US and International market. After receiving his master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from University of Texas Michael started his career at Texas Instrument where he led various teams in designing and delivering ASIC chipset used in Military applications, later on Michael took the leadership in delivering advanced processors used in SPARC stations. Michael joined Microsoft in 1997 where he held many leadership positions including managing Microsoft Office International quality development for more than 9 years. He then joined Microsoft Windows Division where he managed quality teams delivering Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 along with many other deliverables such as Surface and IOT line of products. His last few years at Microsoft Michael worked as Partner Quality Manager and Architect in Windows Analog Division where he played a major role in developing HoloLens. Michael is a serial entrepreneur with proven track record in disruptive technologies. He’s passionate about learning new technologies and consider himself life-long student, researcher, challenging the unknown, and explorer. After 19-year Michael, left Microsoft to pursuer future challenges in Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality world. He is currently involved in training, consulting, developing, and innovation in Mixed Reality technologies in many industries such as Education, Medical, Automotive, manufacturing, and e-commerce.

Beth Osborne has over 18 years of experience in public policy, coalition-building, advocacy and community engagement through working in government, nonprofit and private sectors. As Director of Local Public Affairs at Bellevue-based Symetra, she leads the Symetra Empowers corporate giving program and manages the company’s local relationships with elected officials, business and nonprofit organizations within Symetra’s national footprint. She has worked on a variety of issues ranging from climate and energy, infrastructure, economy, education, and women’s issues while holding roles as Deputy State Director of Outreach for U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Senior Federal Government Relations Manager for the Port of Seattle and Deputy Chief of Staff for then-U.S. Representative Jay Inslee. She volunteers on the Boards of the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, The Sophia Way and the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce’s Policy Leadership Group. Beth loves travelling internationally and spending time at her family’s cabin on Whidbey Island.

Craig Pankow joined The Partners Group in 2016 with over 30 years of experience under his belt in the insurance field, including extensive expertise in team and operational leadership, strategic planning, and sales management. Craig draws from his insurance experience as President & CEO of PointSure Insurance Services, Western Region Marketing Officer of Willis of North America, Executive VP/Co-Founder of Penhurst Insurance Services, and Regional Marketing Officer of Eagle Pacific Insurance Company. Craig is a graduate of City University, with both a BA and Master’s degree in Business Administration and Management. Craig also has an Associate’s degree in Risk Management from the Insurance Institute of America. Craig was one of eight founding members of the Rick Pankow Foundation, an all-volunteer that is designed to help cancer patients and their families deal with the financial challenges of the disease. He stays busy raising funds for this organization through an annual golf tournament, a 5K run/walk, and the Trees of Hope campaign. In his free time, Craig enjoys the outdoors by hiking and boating with his wife and four daughters.

Benjamin Petter is the Founder and President of Avara Construction.

Avara was founded on the promise that creating an environment of support and trust leads to a better client experience. Ben works to foster a culture which promotes innovation, which empowers the team to make the best decisions for their clients, and which creates an alignment of priorities at every layer.

Ben is actively engaged in various community efforts which promote the freedom to pursue individual, voluntary choices in the market as well as create incentives for investments in our communities.

He resides in Kirkland with his wife and stepdaughter.

John began his career with KeyBank in 2005 as Senior Vice President of Retail for the Seattle Cascades District. Previously at Wells Fargo, he was the Community Bank President for Marin County and San Francisco, California. In 2013, John was promoted to the Regional Retail Leader responsible for 143 retail branch locations as well as KeyBank Mortgage in the state of Washington. John is very involved in a diverse selection of civic and community boards and councils including serving on the Executive Board of Directors for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce where he’s Vice Chair of Finance, Board Member on the Academy of Finance, and Chair of the Board for the March of Dimes, Washington chapter. John has served as a mentor for at risk teens, and for the Executive Development Institute (EDI) focused on Asian and Hispanic leadership development. John grew up in Northern California’s Sonoma County and graduated from the University of California at Davis with a degree in Management and Economics.

Alex Rule is the Area Vice President, Sales for Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.’s Northwest employee benefits consulting practice, where he supervises and supports a team of senior consultants serving more than 500 local, national and global companies.

With over 25 years experience in the health care and insurance field, Alex is an expert in employee benefits and an astute observer of health benefit trends and issues. He understands the challenges employers face in today’s market, including the need to balance increasing costs while maintaining high-quality benefit programs. He helps clients navigate complicated questions, including impacts of regulatory mandates, technology, a changing workforce and consumer demand, while finding solutions to best meet their needs.

In addition to his consulting work, Alex has held key management positions with insurance companies with a special focus on payer/provider relations, network and product development, and the delivery of cost and quality transparency initiatives. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College, has earned CLU, ChFC and CEBS designations and is an active volunteer with Rotary International.

Partner Greg Russell has been a business transactional attorney for more than 25 years. Much of his practice consists of serving as the functional equivalent of an external general counsel for businesses, ranging from “mom and pop” companies to those having more than $500 million in annual revenue. By learning about the business and operations of clients, Greg is able to provide alternatives and solutions to businesses consistent with their objectives in response to legal matters that arise.

With a broad-based corporate advisory and transactional background, Greg’s practice includes advising businesses and business owners concerning succession planning, shareholder and partner agreements, commercial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, commercial real estate matters (including project financing and real estate syndications), asset and stock purchases (including purchases and sales of businesses), and commercial finance and related transactions (including private placements of securities under Regulation D). He also represents clients in the negotiation, drafting, and review of complex business agreements.

Greg also frequently advises businesses on executive compensation (including deferred compensation through option and other incentive programs) and shareholder disputes (including shareholder “divorces”).

Greg’s real estate practice includes representing buyers and sellers of real property, forming special purpose entities to hold and manage property, representing promoters and developers in raising capital, syndicating real estate transactions, and helping clients obtain project financing through Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the SBA.

Aside from practicing law and family matters, Greg is passionate about helping to improve the community. He has been instrumental in a number of community programs, many for more than ten years. He has served as a volunteer lawyer at the Eastside Legal Assistance Program since 1991, and, since 1991, has been a board member and/or officer with the Downtown Action to Save Housing (where he is currently Chairman of the Board).

Matthew Samwick serves as the Operating Manager of Innovation Realty Partners, overseeing it, STCA and other related development entities. Matt began his career as an attorney in Portland, Oregon. For seventeen years, his practice focused on corporate, real estate and construction law. During his career, he represented one of Oregon’s largest local builders. In 2010, after selling his law practice, he founded and managed a partnership which acquired and sold hundreds of finished or near-finished lots in the Metro Portland area. Out of that business, he founded and managed an apartment development company. His experience with those companies led to the founding of Innovation Realty Partners, LLC and STCA, LLC. Matt also serves on the Board of Directors of the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, including its Eastside Business Alliance Committee, its land use and policy committee (PLUSH) and its transportation committee. Matt also has been selected to chair the Bellevue Chamber’s Affordable Housing Steering Committee, which, together with the University of Washington, will address affordable housing issues facing the Seattle Metro area. Matt graduated cum laude from Duke University and holds a J.D. from UCLA School of Law.

Barney Silver is the Vice President, Finance & Operations, for BitTitan, Inc., a Bellevue based SaaS software company. He is responsible for business operations including finance, legal, real estate, and corporate development. He began his career in New York in the investment banking division of Morgan Stanley and has over 20 years of experience as a financial leader and CFO in the technology industry. He has advised businesses on capital raising (debt and equity), and complex mergers and acquisitions. He has worked for and advised early stage companies as well as large multinationals in Asia, Europe, and the U.S.

Barney holds an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College.

Gary Smith is a 29-year veteran in the media industry and has been involved with our industries digital technology and digital publishing since its inception. Gary is a graduate of Eastern Washington University with a BS in Computer Science.

He spent his first 14 years in the industry at The News Tribune in Tacoma, WA. While in Tacoma, he led the newspapers development efforts first with Audiotext which migrated to bulletin board services and then the internet. Gary’s last role there was Interactive Media Director.

In 2003 Gary moved to Raleigh NC, where he became the Vice President of Interactive Media. Over the next 13 years, Gary continued to lead the N&O in digital publishing advancements while growing the business side of the operation. He became VP of IM and Classifieds in 2006 and VP of Advertising in 2014.

At the start of 2017, Gary joined The Seattle Times in Seattle, WA as Vice President of Advertising.

Leslie Smith is the Director of Public Policy at Vulcan Inc. and an integral member of the government and community relations team. In addition to building strong relationships with elected and civic leaders, she participates in regional policy deliberations on issues ranging from transportation infrastructure to homelessness and housing.

Prior to joining Vulcan, she was the founder of the Alliance for Pioneer Square; the economic development organization credited with the transformation of Seattle’s oldest neighborhood.

In addition to her roles in leading non-profits, Leslie has run her own consulting firm, served as COO of the Bainbridge Graduate Institute, CEO of the Washington Initiative for Supported Employment, and as the executive in residence for the Center for Disability Policy and Research. Leslie brings a track record of vision, strategy, and effective execution in senior leadership positions across sectors. She has a MA in organizational systems and is a certified executive coach.

Mike Sotelo grew up in East Los Angeles and moved to Seattle in 1985. Mike’s rags to riches story began one day when he was driving on Hwy 99 to buy a map at Seattle Auto Club. He got lost and ended up turning around in the parking lot of W.G. Clark Construction. While asking directions, Mike applied for a job and was hired by the construction firm as a carpenter. At the time, he lived in his car near Denny Park until he could save up enough money for a place to stay. Mike eventually worked his way up to being Vice President of Field Operations and partner of the Seattle-based construction firm. In 2000, while at W.G. Clark Construction, Mike started Approach Management Solutions, which now serves over 6000 companies in Washington State. Today, Mike is a nationally recognized leader in work place safety and workforce development and a visible leader in the Pacific Northwest construction industry.

After retiring at 55, Mike soon became restless and went on to create a new Seattle based business called, Consolidar. It is at the center of a larger network helping to build thriving communities of culture in Washington State. Consolidar is primarily concentrating on the Latino community, but Mike feels strongly to help anyone who wants to make a commitment to better themselves. Therefore, Consolidar is open to all. Partners include religious organizations, businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits. Consolidar’s focus is on three areas Mike sees as critical to success: education and training, workforce development, and healthy living. Consolidar has recently formed a unique partnership with Sea Mar Community Health Centers, providing computer kiosks to assist job seekers with high quality employers across the state.

Mike has always been active in service organizations and after his second retirement in 2010, Mike dedicates more of his free time volunteering in the community. He’s the Founder, organizer, and Board Member of Plaza Bank, Past Chair of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Former Chair of the Seattle Police Foundation, Board Member of Regence, and is a member of the Board of Director of the Washington Business.

Justin’s extensive knowledge and expertise of the construction trades comes from growing up in the family business and the depth of experience gained over the last 25 years in the industry. He has extensive experience managing and supervising everything from podium mixed-use and other multi-unit projects to general commercial buildings and healthcare projects. Today, Justin leads Synergy Inc. as CEO with a commitment to operational excellence and developing innovative solutions to industry problems. Under Justin’s direction, the company launched Synergy Modular, Inc. to solve the cost and trade shortage issue prevalent industry wide. By partnering with offsite suppliers to provide full modular construction services, they are able to offer a single source contract for turn-key buildings with a fixed cost in 40-50% less time. Synergy now has the ability to deliver projects of all types for our select developer partners using the best technology available for the unique needs of each to ensure our client’s success.

As a Principal, Vice President, Benefits Elite Manager, and Account Executive in our Employee Benefits Department, Brandon is responsible for leading the strategic planning, gathering resources, and coordinating overall account services for our benefits elite team. He also provides the design, implementation, and administration of his clients’ employee benefits programs.

Brandon has worked in employee benefits for more than 17 years. He specializes in employing tailored benefit strategies and problem solving for clients located in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. He is an expert in benefits technology resources, including benefits administration platforms. Additionally, Brandon specializes in consulting with mid to small businesses on a variety of subjects, including consumer-driven health plans, benefits education, technology, and client advocacy. Brandon has extensive experience helping countless clients navigate the complexity of the Affordable Care Act and the implications for their benefits programs, particularly those with fluctuating workforces.

Brandon joined Parker, Smith & Feek in 2008. He began his employee benefits career in 2003 with Navia Benefit Solutions (formerly Flex-Plan Services), a national TPA, where he was responsible for large key accounts as well as program management. Brandon is an active member of the Parker, Smith & Feek construction, technology, healthcare, and real estate practice groups.

Brandon is a member of the Employee Benefits Planning Association, Washington Association of Health Underwriters, Western Pension & Benefits Council, and the Pacific Northwest Insurance Council. He serves as the firm’s representative of the Assurex Global Employee Benefits Technology Solutions Group. Brandon also volunteers with Summit Assistance Dogs, a local non-profit organization, and serves on the board for his local little league.

Andy is the Commercial Banking Team Leader providing financing, Treasury Management, International and other needs for successful and growing businesses with local decision making and a knowledgeable and responsive support team.

Stephen Uy is the Head of Public Policy and Community Engagement for Facebook. In this role he oversees public policy in over 11 states and territories in addition to executing meaningful community engagement strategies in areas where Facebook has a physical presence.
Prior to Facebook, he served as Deputy Director of External affairs for Governor Jay Inslee where he oversaw outreach for underrepresented communities. In his 6 years with the Governor, he played a pivotal role in assisting communities devastated by the Oso Landslide, Eastern Washington complex fires, and helped establish the first LGBTQI employee resource group for the State.

Stephen is a graduate of the University of Washington Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies and the Harvard Business School Young American Leaders Program.

Kevin Wallace oversees all development and acquisition activities for Wallace Properties. Kevin is also responsible for all legal matters for the company’s three divisions: Brokerage, Property and Asset Management and Investment/Development.

Kevin began his career as a Real Estate Attorney at K&L Gates in 1997 then moved to Foster Pepper in 2001. Active in a variety of civic endeavors, he is a native of Bellevue, where he serves on the Bellevue City Council and lives with his wife Natalie and three sons: Gabe, Garrett, and Zachary.

Andy Wappler is vice president, Customer Operations & Communications for Puget Sound Energy.

Andy leads the company’s customer care, customer engagement, communications, community engagement, and strategic business intelligence teams.

His groups are charged with coordinating outreach with customers, communities and stakeholders; enhancing our data capability; and developing our customer service platform.

Andy is also the chairman and president of the Puget Sound Energy Foundation, dedicated to promoting safety and emergency preparedness within PSE’s service territory.

Alison Washburn is an avid hiker, traveler, cyclist and kayaker. She’s also a mediocre skier, a terrible runner and is passionate about the outdoors. It was this love of adventure that inspired her career at REI, where she has been connecting co-op members to the outdoors in a variety of different communities for more than 20 years, most recently as General Manager at REI Coop’s Bellevue store since 2016. Alison also serves on the Board of Directors at Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust and the Advisory Board at Visit Bellevue.

Leshya is a partner at Wig Properties and leads the development of mixed use and retail projects. Ms. Wig has worked in real estate development for over 10 years at companies including Colliers International, IDS Real Estate Group, and Blake Hunt Ventures. While at Wig Properties, Ms. Wig has led the development of 230K SF of retail property, and during her tenure at IDS Real Estate Group, she managed in excess of 500K SF of industrial and office properties. Ms. Wig holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in economics and psychology from Claremont McKenna College.

As W2A’s Chairman, Tony has helped resolve public policy challenges for almost every major industry in the Pacific Northwest. He specializes in executive counsel, serving as a strategic advisor to several elected officials, CEOs and top managers. Tony is known for his keen ability to diagnose, resolve and articulate sensitive internal and public issues.

Tony helped launch W2A after a 15-year career on Capitol Hill, where he managed political campaigns, worked as a press secretary and served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Slade Gorton. The Capitol Hill newspaper, Roll Call, twice placed him on their “Fabulous 50” list of congressional staffers. He saw first-hand how public policy can positively or negatively impact our economy, environment and Northwest way of life.

An Oregon State University alumnus, Tony serves on the OSU Foundation’s Board of Trustees and is Chair of the Beaver Caucus, a volunteer-led group that advocates for higher education and OSU’s interests in Salem, He also serves on the boards of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce and the Bellevue Downtown Association.

Cindi and Tony live in Clyde Hill and are active in their community. Their oldest son, Joshua, 20, is in his second year at The University of Iowa’s inclusive college program for young adults with intellectual disabilities. Their youngest son, Jacob, is 14 and is an 8th grader at Chinook Middle School.