— Steven Maheshwary, a former generative AI chief at Amazon, is now a go-to-market lead in strategic partnerships at Anthropic, the AI big behind Claude and backed by Amazon.
On LinkedIn, Maheshwary described AI as “a catalyst for important transformation and a uncooked power that should be formed, guardrailed, and democratized to be genuinely helpful.”
“I consider Claude represents a definite imaginative and prescient of what AI will be: highly effective and succesful, whereas remaining secure and aligned with human values,” he added.
Maheshwary was with Amazon for 12 years, most just lately as head of development for AI startups and basis fashions on AWS. Throughout his tenure, he additionally served as former Gov. Jay Inslee’s know-how sector lead, working to develop Washington state’s tech and AI financial system, and was a Fulbright grantee for the U.S. Division of State.
— Irene Plenefisch, a longtime authorities affairs chief at Microsoft, is retiring after greater than 15 years on the Redmond tech firm. Plenefisch, most just lately a senior director at Microsoft, beforehand labored at SonoSite for 12 years.
“I’ve been proud to symbolize Microsoft, an necessary and wonderful firm, in its residence state and across the nation,” she wrote on LinkedIn, including: “I’m not going to lie; the trail for channeling all of the power, competitiveness and enthusiasm for being in the midst of all of it shouldn’t be fully clear. However I’m assured in my determination.”
— Nikhil Hasija left his function as vice chairman of engineering at Okta. Hasija joined the safety firm following its acquisition of Azuqua, a Seattle startup he based in 2011. Hasija additionally spent greater than 4 years at Microsoft.
“I’m beginning to consider what’s subsequent,” he wrote on LinkedIn. “I’m more and more drawn to issues centered on leverage, pace, and new methods of working. To everybody who made this journey worthwhile, I’m glad our paths crossed, and I welcome that once more.”
— Caitlin Rollman is again at Microsoft as a associate product supervisor. She was beforehand on the tech big for practically a decade ending in 2020, leaving the function of principal PM supervisor for the Workplace platform.
Rollman stated on LinkedIn that she acquired a name from Microsoft and was “provided the chance to construct one thing new from the bottom up, at an organization I respect, with folks I am keen on. I couldn’t say no.”
Rollman left Microsoft to work as senior director of product administration for Highspot, a Seattle firm that sells enterprise software program to assist make salespeople extra environment friendly.
Earlier this 12 months she co-founded and was CEO of Talvita, an AI-native human assets administration platform.
— Brian Surratt is now formally deputy mayor on the Metropolis of Seattle in new Mayor Katie Wilson’s administration.
Surratt spent practically 4 years main Larger Seattle Companions, a public-private sector initiative that seeks to draw funding, firms and jobs to the Seattle area. He additionally beforehand led the Metropolis of Seattle’s financial growth arm and was a vice chairman at Alexandria Actual Property Equities.
Wilson was sworn in on Friday, turning into the town’s 58th mayor.
“Seattle has formed my perception in what is feasible when public service, neighborhood engagement, and financial alternative come collectively,” he wrote on LinkedIn final week. “To step again into Metropolis Corridor at this second — when our metropolis is concentrated on restoring belief and constructing civic pleasure, tackling our homelessness disaster, increasing housing and financial alternative, and constructing a extra inexpensive, inclusive, innovation-driven future — is each humbling and energizing.”
— Dr. Emma Rocheteau has taken the function of clinician scientist at Microsoft AI in London.
“All through 2025, I couldn’t shake the sensation that we’re at an inflection level the place medication and AI are lastly coming collectively to resolve a few of healthcare’s hardest challenges,” Rocheteau stated on LinkedIn. “To have the ability to contribute to this can be a dream come true for me, and it represents precisely what I’ve been working in the direction of for the previous 12 years.”
Rocheteau joins Microsoft from NHS, the UK’s publicly funded Nationwide Heath Service. She was briefly a analysis intern for Microsoft in 2019 throughout which she centered on well being intelligence.
— Ashlee Drake Berry joined Seattle-based immigration tech firm Casium as head of authorized. Berry is leaving a task as principal company counsel at Microsoft the place she centered on authorized compliance within the hiring of immigrant and non-immigrant staff globally.
“This function has stretched me, challenged me, and given me the prospect to work with among the most gifted and beneficiant colleagues I’ve ever identified,” Berry stated on LinkedIn.
Berry beforehand labored on immigration employment points at Vialto Companions and Envoy International. Casium spun out of the Seattle-based AI2 Incubator in April 2024.
— Sage Ke’alohilani Quiamno is now the communications and advertising lead at Yoodli, a Seattle startup that sells AI-powered software program to assist folks apply real-world conversations akin to gross sales calls and suggestions classes. The corporate final month introduced $40 million in new funding.
Quiamno has been operating a public relations consultancy over the previous 12 months. She was beforehand the worldwide range, fairness and inclusion chief at Amazon’s Prime Video and Amazon Studios for greater than three years, ending in January 2025.
Quiamno was co-founder and CEO of Future for Us, a corporation selling skilled growth for girls of coloration that was acquired.
— Adam Stern, an environmental and clear power chief, is co-executive director of the Seattle-based electrical automobile nonprofit Coltura. Stern, who resides in San Francisco, joins Janelle London within the shared function.
Former co-executive director Matthew Metz based Coltura in 2014 to advertise EV adoption by analysis, evaluation and coverage assist. He’s transitioning to a full-time function as CEO of EVQ, a public profit company and tech platform that spun out of Coltura to assist customers and organizations within the buy of EVs.
“Whereas Matthew is stepping away from his day-to-day function at Coltura, his impression will proceed to be felt for years to come back — within the insurance policies handed, the concepts normalized, and the momentum constructed towards a cleaner transportation future,” the nonprofit stated in asserting the adjustments.
— Joseph Williams has stepped down from his put up as interim director of the Washington State Broadband Workplace inside the Division of Commerce. Williams, who has held management positions for presidency companies and was with Microsoft for practically a decade, stated on LinkedIn that he’ll be sharing information of his subsequent function later this month.
Jordan Arnold was appointed in December because the everlasting Broadband Workplace lead, efficient Jan. 2.
And in case you missed it, Commerce Director Joe Nguyen is leaving his put up this month to turn out to be the president and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber. A brand new Division of Commerce director has not been named.
— Carter Rabasa, an entrepreneur, investor and former worker of a number of Seattle-area tech firms, joined Field as head of developer relations. Rabasa beforehand held comparable roles at IBM, DataStax, and Courier. He was additionally with Twilio for greater than 5 years.
— Spend money on Washington Now, a nonprofit selling tax reform, shared that Treasure Mackley is resigning as govt director, efficient Jan. 9. Mackley was within the function for greater than 5 years, serving to cross the state’s capital positive factors tax. She beforehand held management positions with Deliberate Parenthood.
— The Washington Know-how Trade Affiliation introduced 5 inner promotions, together with Nick Ellingson, now vice chairman of innovation and entrepreneurship.
— Rhizome Analysis, a Seattle biotech startup, introduced that John Proudfoot, a former U.S.-based director within the Medicinal Chemistry Division at Boehringer Ingelheim, has joined as a scientific advisor.
