Starbucks Welcomes New Cybersecurity VP Amid Leadership Changes at Major Tech Companies

Denise Mamaril has stepped into a new role as Starbucks’ vice president of cybersecurity, governance, risk and compliance, and international operations. After spending nearly a decade at Nordstrom as senior director of security architecture and engineering, Mamaril expressed enthusiasm about joining a security team she already respects for “their integrity, deep expertise, and ability to get things done.” Her impressive career includes leadership positions at williamsworks, Headsprout, and Kaplan. This appointment comes during a period of transition for the Seattle-based coffee giant, which recently saw the resignation of CTO Deb Hall Lefevre amid layoffs and various technology-related changes. Mamaril’s cybersecurity expertise will likely be crucial as Starbucks navigates these organizational shifts.

Amazon is also experiencing significant leadership changes with the retirement announcement of Rob Williams, vice president of device software and services and a member of CEO Andy Jassy’s senior leadership team. Williams, who has been with the company for 12 years, timed his departure to follow the completion of Amazon’s 2025 products, the launch of Alexa+ and VegaOS, and participation in the recent product launch event in New York City. Panos Panay, senior vice president of devices and services, praised Williams’ significant impact “on the software and experiences of nearly all of the products we’ve created and shipped.” In another major transition at Amazon, Alice Shobe is stepping down as global director of community impact after nearly nine years. Shobe, who brought Amazon’s innovative approach to challenges in housing, education for under-served students, and disaster relief, will be succeeded by Bettina Stix, a 27-year Amazon veteran credited with conceiving the company’s disaster relief program.

Seattle Children’s Hospital is preparing for new leadership with the appointment of Dr. Christopher Longhurst as its next CEO, effective January 5, 2025. Longhurst brings extensive experience from UC San Diego Health, where he served as chief clinical and innovation officer for over a decade, and from his previous work at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford. Kurt Shintaffer, chair of the hospital’s board of trustees, highlighted Longhurst’s “unique ability to merge clinical operations, research and digital strategy, while enhancing patient safety and quality” as qualities making him the ideal leader to guide the institution’s future. Meanwhile, Acumatica, the Bellevue-based enterprise software company recently acquired by Vista Equity Partners, has named Jordan Weitzen as its new chief financial officer. Weitzen, who previously held CFO roles at Pacvue and FabFitFun and senior finance positions at NBCUniversal and Hulu, succeeds Wayne Kimber, who is retiring after serving as CFO since 2023. Acumatica CEO John Case praised Weitzen’s track record of “building modern, data-driven finance strategies in fast-moving environments.”

The Seattle startup ecosystem is seeing notable leadership appointments as well. Padmashree Koneti has joined Yoodli, an AI-powered communication skills platform, as chief product officer. Koneti comes from Salesforce subsidiary Tableau, where she served as senior vice president of product management for the analytics platform, adding to her impressive background that includes senior product leadership roles at Limeade, Puppet, eBay, and Cisco Systems. Yoodli CEO and co-founder Varun Puri called Koneti’s appointment “a huge validation of both Yoodli’s momentum and our vision for the future.” The startup, which recently raised $13.7 million, had also recently brought on experienced financial leader Andy Larson as CFO. In sports innovation news, Todd Humphrey is departing his role as Seattle Kraken founding executive team member and senior vice president of innovation and fan experience after seven years with the NHL team. Humphrey has launched Highmark Sports Group, a startup focused on helping professional sports teams and leagues enhance fan engagement, expressing excitement about “building, innovating, and elevating the fan experience” in Seattle and beyond.

The financial and investment sector in Seattle is also experiencing leadership transitions. Cascadia Capital, a Seattle-based investment bank with global reach, has made two significant hires: Jonathan Cantwell as head of the firm’s new Technology Investment Banking group who will also lead their Silicon Valley office, and Nathan Gordon as director of the Technology Investment Banking group based in Los Angeles. Cantwell, previously a partner at GP Bullhound where he led the firm’s software practice, will spearhead the recruitment of approximately 20 bankers to expand the team. In other notable appointments, the University of Washington School of Medicine has named Dr. Jennifer Davis as director of the Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, where she has been serving as interim director since 2024. Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, a Woodinville-based global marketing company, has appointed Kelly Bengston as chief operating officer following his 15-year leadership tenure at Starbucks. Additionally, Kartik Talamadupula has joined Oracle as a distinguished architect in AI, bringing experience from Wand AI, Symbl, and IBM to focus on building scalable foundations for intelligent systems.

Other noteworthy transitions include Sarah Studer stepping in at the University of Washington’s Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship as program manager for the Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership program while Winona Kantamaneni is on family leave until June. Studer brings valuable experience from her previous roles as assistant director of the Buerk Center and managing director of Impact Hub Seattle. In a surprising career move, Barbara Hulit has abandoned her retirement to take on a role as senior managing director at the financial firm Blackstone. Hulit, who retired in 2023 from the Everett-based manufacturing company Fortive after nearly seven years, will now lead the development of an operating system and serve as an operating executive in Blackstone’s industrials space. These leadership changes across various sectors in the Pacific Northwest reflect the dynamic nature of the region’s business landscape and highlight the continuous evolution of its corporate and institutional leadership.