Category: Working Geek

Working Geek: How Chris Capossela went from Bill Gates’ speechwriter to Microsoft’s chief marketer

by Lisa Stiffler on June 21, 2018June 21, 2018 at 5:52 pmComment

About six years into his career at Microsoft, one of Chris Capossela’s colleagues suggested that he apply for a very unusual gig: speech writer for then-CEO Bill Gates. His friend… Read More

Working Geek: Lizza Miller believes in the smart use of tech to make people healthier

by Lisa Stiffler on June 7, 2018June 6, 2018 at 3:17 pmComment

“I’m still just floored by how little technology is actually used in the entire healthcare market,” said Lizza Miller, co-founder and president of Seattle-based DatStat. More than 20 years ago,… Read More

Working Geek: Long-time techie Raghu Murthi of GoDaddy aims for a big impact in massive markets

by Lisa Stiffler on May 31, 2018May 31, 2018 at 9:19 amComment

Over Raghu Murthi’s career, he’s worked for leading tech companies in key sectors, including hardware-maker Intel, software giant Microsoft and enterprise and consumer behemoth Amazon. Most recently he’s taken the… Read More

Working Geek: HR guru Mikaela Kiner says #MeToo has triggered lasting workplace change

by Lisa Stiffler on May 24, 2018May 24, 2018 at 8:33 pmComment

After nearly 20 years in the HR trenches, Mikaela Kiner is confident that the #MeToo movement has at last triggered a meaningful, irreversible change when it comes to sexual harassment.… Read More

Working Geek: Female Founders Alliance CEO Leslie Feinzaig wants to help women score capital

by Lisa Stiffler on May 18, 2018May 18, 2018 at 1:33 pmComment

Getting pregnant doesn’t usually inspire bold career moves like launching your first startup. But Leslie Feinzaig had a good reason for embracing her inner entrepreneur. “I always wanted to try… Read More

Working Geek: How OpenMarket CEO Jonathan Morgan gets fresh perspectives from employees

by Lisa Stiffler on May 10, 2018May 10, 2018 at 7:47 amComment

As the recently appointed CEO of Seattle’s OpenMarket, Jonathan Morgan travels the globe for all kinds of high-level, big-deal meetings to advance his company, which provides mobile messaging tools that… Read More

Working Geek: Artificial intelligence engineering leader Michael Schmitz loves GitHub, Google Pixel and list making

by Lisa Stiffler on May 3, 2018May 2, 2018 at 5:31 pmComment

For Michael Schmitz, working at the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI2) is arguably the best of all worlds. Schmitz, who is a director of engineering at the Seattle-based organization,… Read More

Working Geek: Privacy chief Ginger Armbruster guards Seattle’s data from surprising threats

by Lisa Stiffler on April 27, 2018April 30, 2018 at 4:42 pm 2 Comments

Open records laws that let people keep an eye on their government are generally seen as a net social good. But with privacy concerns top of mind — see Facebook… Read More

Working Geek: Textio co-founder Jensen Harris taps musical skills to orchestrate harmonious code

by Lisa Stiffler on April 20, 2018April 20, 2018 at 4:11 pmComment

Jensen Harris, co-founder and chief technology officer for Seattle’s Textio, has a passion and talent for classical music — and a music degree from Yale to back it up. But Harris… Read More

Working Geek: iDatalabs CEO Lokesh Dave says startup life actually supports a work-family balance

by Lisa Stiffler on April 12, 2018April 5, 2018 at 4:32 pm 2 Comments

Since college, Lokesh Dave had an itch to start his own tech company. But a Microsoft internship led to a software engineering job, and that cozy bubble proved tough to… Read More

Working Geek: M3 Biotechnology CEO Leen Kawas on shifting from academia to startups

by Lisa Stiffler on April 5, 2018April 18, 2018 at 4:03 pmComment

What do babies and startups have in common? “When you think everything is perfect, the next day something happens,” said Leen Kawas, CEO and president of Seattle’s M3 Biotechnology —… Read More

Working Geek: Nintex CEO Eric Johnson says lemonade, hard knocks, discipline led to success

by Lisa Stiffler on March 29, 2018April 1, 2018 at 3:10 pmComment

Sure, you’ve heard the tales of business execs as youthful capitalists, setting up lemonade stands. But I bet you haven’t heard this twist: When he was an elementary-age entrepreneur, Eric… Read More

Working Geek: Usermind security officer Ted Bardusch on why diverse teams are more functional

by Lisa Stiffler on March 23, 2018March 23, 2018 at 6:57 am 2 Comments

Ted Bardusch remembers the good old days of the 1980s when men and women were more equally represented in the tech field. He sounds wistful when he recalls running engineering teams… Read More

Working Geek: Gensler architect Karen Thomas says Seattle’s the hub of a modern Renaissance

by Lisa Stiffler on March 15, 2018March 14, 2018 at 9:44 amComment

When architect Karen Thomas surveys Seattle’s transformative growth, she sees something even more profound taking place. “What I see happening in Seattle is the closest thing to a modern-day era… Read More

Working Geek: ‘Startup whisperer’ Gillian Muessig shares tips for scoring VC while juggling family life

by Lisa Stiffler on March 8, 2018March 8, 2018 at 4:00 pmComment

Gillian Muessig seems to have acquired more than one life-time’s worth of connections, venture capital experience and insights into how to help women — and really anyone else — succeed… Read More

Working Geek: Bryce Smith, CEO of LevelTen Energy, helps stoke the demand for solar and wind

by Lisa Stiffler on March 2, 2018March 2, 2018 at 8:30 am1 Comment

Microsoft, Amazon, Walmart and other corporations are not only the big dogs in their respective fields, but they also use their size and resources to dominate the use of renewable… Read More

Working Geek: For Avanade’s Pam Maynard, changing time zones is a source of inspiration

by Lisa Stiffler on February 23, 2018February 22, 2018 at 8:41 pmComment

Pam Maynard has some sound advice for globetrotting workers. As president of strategic solutions and innovation for Avanade, a Seattle-based company focused on business technology solutions and managed services provider… Read More

Working Geek: Bryan Mistele, INRIX CEO and traffic expert, has a surefire way to beat congestion

by Lisa Stiffler on February 15, 2018February 15, 2018 at 12:58 pmComment

If your career is focused on transportation and traffic analysis, how are you going to spend your free time? On a boat, of course! When he’s off the clock, Bryan… Read More

Working Geek: Loftium CEO Yifan Zhang defies expectations, eschews workplace egos

by Lisa Stiffler on February 7, 2018February 8, 2018 at 9:15 amComment

Loftium pitched a novel approach to the real estate market last year by offering down payments to home buyers willing to rent out a spare room, and this month the… Read More

Working Geek: CIO Luke Friang’s need for speed keeps pace with Zulily’s quick deals

by Lisa Stiffler on January 30, 2018January 30, 2018 at 10:45 amComment

It’s little surprise that a guy who likes to move fast is helping lead a shopping site that pulses with urgent deals for customers. For seven years, Luke Friang has… Read More

Working Geek: The Climate Corporation’s Brian Zimmer digs helping farmers through digital tools

by Lisa Stiffler on January 26, 2018January 25, 2018 at 5:41 pmComment

With increasing demands to feed the world’s growing human population and the tumult of climate change as a backdrop, farming is a daunting business. There are shifting weather conditions, soil fertility,… Read More

Video

Working Geek: When Seattle’s ’90s rock scene failed him, Geocaching’s Sean Boots found lasting success with the next hot ticket

by Lisa Stiffler on November 22, 2017November 22, 2017 at 11:40 amComment

Back in the 1990s, Sean Boots thought he was on the path to a promising musical career. He was the front man for a pop quartet called the Amateur Lovers.… Read More

Working Geek

Working Geek: How Chris Capossela went from Bill Gates’ speechwriter to Microsoft’s chief marketer

Working Geek: Lizza Miller believes in the smart use of tech to make people healthier

Working Geek: Long-time techie Raghu Murthi of GoDaddy aims for a big impact in massive markets

Working Geek: HR guru Mikaela Kiner says #MeToo has triggered lasting workplace change

Working Geek: Female Founders Alliance CEO Leslie Feinzaig wants to help women score capital

Working Geek: How OpenMarket CEO Jonathan Morgan gets fresh perspectives from employees

Working Geek: Artificial intelligence engineering leader Michael Schmitz loves GitHub, Google Pixel and list making

Working Geek: Privacy chief Ginger Armbruster guards Seattle’s data from surprising threats

Working Geek: Textio co-founder Jensen Harris taps musical skills to orchestrate harmonious code

Working Geek: iDatalabs CEO Lokesh Dave says startup life actually supports a work-family balance

Working Geek: M3 Biotechnology CEO Leen Kawas on shifting from academia to startups

Working Geek: Nintex CEO Eric Johnson says lemonade, hard knocks, discipline led to success

Working Geek: Usermind security officer Ted Bardusch on why diverse teams are more functional

Working Geek: Gensler architect Karen Thomas says Seattle’s the hub of a modern Renaissance

Working Geek: ‘Startup whisperer’ Gillian Muessig shares tips for scoring VC while juggling family life

Working Geek: Bryce Smith, CEO of LevelTen Energy, helps stoke the demand for solar and wind

Working Geek: For Avanade’s Pam Maynard, changing time zones is a source of inspiration

Working Geek: Bryan Mistele, INRIX CEO and traffic expert, has a surefire way to beat congestion

Working Geek: Loftium CEO Yifan Zhang defies expectations, eschews workplace egos

Working Geek: CIO Luke Friang’s need for speed keeps pace with Zulily’s quick deals

Working Geek: The Climate Corporation’s Brian Zimmer digs helping farmers through digital tools

Working Geek: Vehicle Research Institute’s Eric Leonhardt is driven to innovate

Working Geek: Microsoft’s Harini Gokul looks for women to have more impact, but not more pressure

Working Geek: Amazon’s Cynthia Williams wants to help female entrepreneurs as leader of marketplace business

Working Geek: Each day is different for Megan Dahlen, incubating Microsoft’s new ventures

Working Geek: Neal Myrick, head of Tableau Foundation, helps NGOs do good with data

Working Geek: Zillow VP Rebekah Bastian uses aerial acrobatics to help balance kids and career with social-issue focus

Working Geek: Kymeta CEO Nathan Kundtz, satellite internet pioneer, schedules every minute of his day

Working Geek: Redfin chief economist Nela Richardson believes data science can help with affordable housing challenges

Working Geek: When Seattle’s ’90s rock scene failed him, Geocaching’s Sean Boots found lasting success with the next hot ticket

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