Several key leadership changes and appointments were announced across the Pacific Northwest tech sector this week, with notable moves at multiple companies.
Tola Capital welcomed former Microsoft executive Vahé Torossian as venture partner. Torossian brings over 30 years of Microsoft experience, where he most recently served as corporate vice president of worldwide business applications before departing in 2023. He subsequently held leadership positions at Builder.ai, including deputy CEO and chief revenue officer, before leaving in May. At Tola Capital, which manages $700 million in assets focused on AI-powered enterprise software startups, Torossian will work alongside managing director Sheila Gulati, his former Microsoft colleague.
The Allen Institute appointed Sarah Norris Hall as CFO following her 16-year tenure at the University of Washington, where she held positions including vice provost of planning and budgeting and senior VP. The institute highlighted her experience implementing financial systems and improving operational efficiency.
Boeing is strengthening its communications team with the addition of Ryan Cudney as vice president of a newly formed external
communications and analytics division. Cudney joins from Edelman, where he spent over 12 years leading the Pacific Northwest team and working closely with aviation industry clients, including Boeing.
In other moves, Microsoft AI gained Tanvi Tushar Shah as a product manager in London, focusing on voice and vision experiences for Copilot. Shah previously spent six years developing voice AI agents at Google.
Customer data platform Amperity named Grigori Melnik as chief product officer, leveraging his 25-year product leadership background with companies like Microsoft, Splunk, and MongoDB. The Seattle-based unicorn recently expanded into new downtown offices in the Qualtrics Tower.
Additional appointments include Richard Harris taking dual roles at Expertlancing Research Services, former Avanade executive Florin Rotar joining Pay-i as strategic advisor, and Mark Hadland becoming CEO of Vancouver-based CommonX. Flora Ku moved to AI startup Vercept as head of operations from Madrona Venture Labs, while Jeff Wallace joined the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass as CFO after his tenure at Starbucks.
Kate Wilson, previously with Highspot, announced co-founding a stealth mode venture focused on AI-enabled performance and career development. WestRiver Group added Brian Huang as an investment associate from Piper Sandler.
The Washington State Academy of Sciences made several board
appointments, including Doug Call as president-elect from Washington State University, and Ljiljana Paša-Tolić as secretary from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The organization also welcomed 36 new members.
These leadership changes reflect the dynamic nature of the Pacific Northwest’s technology ecosystem, with experienced executives moving between established companies and startups, particularly in areas like artificial intelligence and enterprise software. The movements also highlight the region’s continued growth in technology innovation and investment.