State Senator Joe Nguyễn has been appointed as the next director of the Washington State Department of Commerce, taking over from current director Mike Fong. Nguyễn is known for his work in economic and community development programs, as well as his advocacy for issues such as clean energy deployment, electric vehicle adoption, and affordable housing. Prior to his political career, Nguyễn worked at Microsoft for nearly a decade and was recognized as the Public Policy Champion for Innovation at the 2024 GeekWire Awards. Nguyễn, the first Vietnamese American senator in the state, has been a strong advocate for legislation addressing climate change, clean energy, and technology education.
Rene Yoakum, the executive vice president of customer and culture at Remitly, is stepping down from her role after more than six years with the company. She will continue to provide consulting services for Remitly until the end of 2026. Nancy Norton has been appointed as the chief legal officer of Banzai International, bringing her experience in licensing, privacy, regulatory matters, M&A, and commercial transactions to the role. Banzai, a marketing technology company that recently went public, has been expanding through acquisitions and sees Norton’s leadership as instrumental in driving growth and exploration of new opportunities.
Seattle-based lawyer Matthew Bogdan will become a partner at the law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, focusing on energy-related issues in industries such as infrastructure, clean tech, and project development. Bogdan’s expertise includes renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, energy storage, electric vehicle charging, and more. Additionally, two assistant professors at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Christina Termini and Sanjay Srivatsan, have received awards to support their research on leukemia and glioblastoma, respectively. Termini’s award from the V Foundation for Cancer Research will fund her investigations into biological processes related to acute myeloid leukemia, while Srivatsan’s award from the Sontag Foundation will support his research into the cellular origins of glioblastoma.
Banzai International recently announced the appointment of Nancy Norton as its chief legal officer, a role she has held since June. Norton has experience working with technology and biotech companies in the Pacific Northwest, including Novartis and Johnson & Johnson. Banzai’s founder and CEO, Joe Davy, highlighted Norton’s leadership in licensing, privacy, regulatory matters, and commercial transactions as valuable assets for the company as it continues to scale and pursue new growth opportunities. The company recently made two acquisitions, OpenReel and Vidello, expanding its capabilities in digital video creation and hosting.
Next gen nuclear company NuScale Power has added Diana Walters to its board of directors. The company, based in Corvallis, Oregon, is developing small modular reactors and has plans to potentially build devices in Ohio and Pennsylvania to support data center operations. NuScale recently faced layoffs, reducing its workforce by 28% at the beginning of the year. Walters, who has a background in the natural resources sector and has served as president of Liberty Metals and Mining, brings her experience to the board as NuScale continues to advance its nuclear energy technology.
