Leadership Transitions in Washington State and Seattle Tech Scene
In a series of key leadership appointments, Washington State and Seattle’s tech ecosystem are seeing significant shifts as experienced executives take on new roles in both public and private sectors. These changes highlight the dynamic nature of the region’s professional landscape and the crossover between government, technology, and economic development.
Jordan Arnold will step into the role of director for the Washington State Broadband Office within the Department of Commerce beginning January 2, bringing valuable experience from her position as a senior policy advisor in the Biden administration. There, she played a crucial role on the Infrastructure Implementation Team within the Office of the Chief of Staff, where she helped lead the $65 billion broadband portfolio including the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Commerce Director Joe Nguyễn praised Arnold’s appointment, noting that “her deep understanding of what it takes to help communities succeed in a digital world” combined with her high-level policy experience in the White House will be instrumental in Washington’s efforts to achieve universal internet connectivity. Arnold’s background positions her to make significant contributions to the state’s digital infrastructure at a time when broadband access continues to be a crucial component of economic and educational opportunity.
Greater Seattle Partners (GSP), a regional public-private economic development organization, is experiencing its own leadership transition with Rebecca Lovell taking over as interim president and CEO. Having served as the organization’s chief operating officer for nearly three years, Lovell brings extensive experience from previous roles including CEO of Denali Founder Consulting, executive director of Madrona Venture Group’s Create33, and Seattle’s interim director of Economic Development. Shane Jones, GSP’s board chair and a senior vice president at Alaska Airlines, expressed enthusiasm about Lovell’s appointment, stating that “she energizes the community, the GSP team and our investors.” Lovell succeeds Brian Surratt, who led the organization since 2022 and has recently accepted a position as deputy mayor of Seattle under Mayor-Elect Katie Wilson. Prior to his tenure with Greater Seattle Partners, Surratt led a community development group, served as VP at Alexandria Real Estate, and spent 13 years with Seattle’s Economic Development agency, including time as its director.
The tech sector is also seeing notable shifts as Jason Barnwell, a former Microsoft legal executive with over 15 years of experience at the company, takes on the role of chief legal officer at Agiloft, a California-based company specializing in contract and legal agreement management software. During his time at Microsoft, Barnwell held various legal positions, most recently serving as general manager and associate general counsel for Monetization and Business Planning. Agiloft CEO Eric Laughlin highlighted Barnwell’s unique qualifications, noting his ability to “unlock the potential of legal teams, harness AI and data, and make contracting a true driver of business value.” Despite the move to a new company, Barnwell will continue to be based in the Seattle area and expressed gratitude to his Microsoft colleagues on LinkedIn, noting that he remains “a cheerleader for Microsoft and its people.” His transition represents the ongoing interchange of talent between established tech giants and growing companies in the legal tech space.
Elena Winters represents another significant move as she joins Brazil’s Elea Data Centers as vice president of international business. The Seattle-based executive previously spent more than eight years at Meta in infrastructure organization roles focused on data center and site selection. In her new position, Winters will remain in Washington while leading Elea’s U.S. and international expansion strategy. Sharing her thoughts on the career shift via LinkedIn, Winters expressed excitement about “gaining experience on the other side of the business, partnering closely with hyperscalers (not working for them!) to help accelerate the growth of AI infrastructure in LATAM.” Her move highlights the growing international connections between Seattle’s tech ecosystem and Latin America’s developing data infrastructure market, particularly in the rapidly expanding field of AI computing resources.
In additional leadership news, Seattle startup Aarden AI has appointed Michael Gleason as its staff data scientist. The company, which recently emerged from stealth mode, provides an AI platform designed to assist landowners in researching and navigating deals with developers interested in building data centers, clean energy installations, housing, and other land uses. Gleason brings relevant experience from his previous position as a geospatial data scientist at a national laboratory. This appointment reflects the continued growth of AI-focused startups in the Seattle region and the increasing application of artificial intelligence to solve practical business challenges in land development and resource planning. Aarden AI represents the intersection of technology with traditional real estate and infrastructure development, showcasing how Seattle’s tech talent is being deployed to innovate across diverse sectors of the economy.
These leadership transitions collectively illustrate the vibrant professional ecosystem in Washington State and particularly in the Seattle region, where talent flows between government, economic development organizations, established tech companies, and emerging startups. The appointments highlight the region’s continued importance as a hub for technology innovation, economic development, and public-private collaboration. As these leaders take on their new roles in early 2026, their diverse backgrounds and cross-sector experiences position them to address complex challenges in broadband access, regional economic growth, legal technology, data infrastructure, and AI applications in the built environment.
