exiting overwhelm in the workplace: Amber Simonsen - Alaska Airlines & A Better 40
About guest Amber Simonsen - Commercial Portfolio Director, Alaska Airlines & Founder, A Better 40
Amber has spent the bulk of her career as a professional project manager, and being the go-to person for getting the big ideas turned into a reality. And while she loves the thrill of synthesizing complex information, building a great plan and getting things done, she likes helping others succeed even more.
That’s why she started A Better 40. The lessons she's learned from consulting in the tech field, leading major system design change for government organizations, and delivering game changing products for one of the country’s favorite airlines are TOO good not to share.
Learn more https://abetter40.com/
Host Rachel Horgan:
Rachel is an independent event producer, emcee and entrepreneur. She worked for the Business Journal for 5 years as their Director of Events interviewing business leaders on stage before launching the weekly podcast. She earned her communication degree from the University of San Diego.
Show Links:
Tamara Murphy Passing
New Starbucks CEO
Burnout
Contact:
Email: info@theweeklyseattle.com
Instagram: @theweeklyseattle
Website: www.theweeklyseattle.com
Contact:
Email: info@theweeklyseattle.com
Instagram: @theweeklyseattle
Website: www.theweeklyseattle.com
week of aug 12: Marjorie Thomas - Allen Institute
Top Stories:
1. Seattle's minimum wage
2. City of Seattle's budget issues
3. Effect of caregiving in the workplace
4. Brain studies at Allen Institute
About guest Marjorie Thomas - CFO, Allen Institute
Marjorie joined the Allen Institute in 2017. As Chief Financial Officer she leads all accounting financial
functions including grant administration. Previously Marjorie was CFO and Treasurer of RealNetworks. Before that, she held senior financial positions at Intuit, Sony Electronics, and Hewlett Packard. She served on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Northern CA and currently serves on the board of MoPop.
Host Rachel Horgan:
Rachel is an independent event producer, emcee and entrepreneur. She worked for the Business Journal for 5 years as their Director of Events interviewing business leaders on stage before launching the weekly podcast. She earned her communication degree from the University of San Diego.
Contact:
Email: info@theweeklyseattle.com
Instagram: @theweeklyseattle
Website: www.theweeklyseattle.com
week of aug 5: Marc Berger - DH
Top Stories:
1. AAA Washington brand makeover
2. The Stranger is bought
3. New Boeing CEO
4. Everett company ponzi scheme
5. LimeGlider coming to Seattle
About guest co-host Marc Berger – Executive Vice President and Puget Sound Market Lead, DH
Prior to this role Marc was the President and Partner of Nyhus Communications which was bought by DH about 2 years ago. Before that he worked for the National Committee on US China Relations and he earned his masters in East Asian Languages and Cultures at Columbia University.
week of july 29: Fran Dunaway - tomboyx
Top Stories:
1. CrowdStrike outage
2. LevelTen raises $65M in Series D
3. Target cuts back on LGBTQ vendors
4. New CEO at Providence
5. Homegrown closing stores
About guest co-host Fran Dunaway - Co-Founder, tomboyx:
Fran was one of the inaugural Forbes 50 over 50, she is a media executive turned fashion entrepreneur. She co-founded tomboyx, a Seattle-based gender neutral underwear and apparel brand in 2013 with her wife. As former CEO, she led the company to double in growth year over year and found themselves on many fastest-growing lists. Prior to this, Fran spent 25 years in media production. She also served as the Executive Director of Equal Rights Washington, a nonprofit focused on LGBTQ rights.
week of july 22: Kathy Surace-Smith - formerly NanoString
Top Stories:
1. NanoString update
Previous articles: PSBJ article 1 & PSBJ article 2
2. MOD Pizza sells
3. Aquarium to open
4. Discrimination lawsuit
5. Costco raising fees
About guest co-host Kathy Surace-Smith - former SVP, Human Resources & Legal Affairs, NanoString:
Kathy has over 35 years of experience working in high-growth private and public companies in US and Europe including over 20 yrs working in life sciences industry. She was the board chair for Fred Hutch and now remains a member of the board. She is a member of the UW Medicine advisory board, a trustee of Columbia University and an advisory board member and former co-chair for the Behavioral Health Catalyst – which seeks to improve investments and polices in Washington State’s behavioral health system.
Host Rachel Horgan:
Rachel is an independent event producer, emcee and entrepreneur. She worked for the Business Journal for 5 years as their Director of Events interviewing business leaders on stage before launching the weekly podcast. She earned her communication degree from the University of San Diego.
Contact:
Email: info@theweeklyseattle.com
Instagram: @theweeklyseattle
Website: www.theweeklyseattle.com
week of july 15: Jamila Conley - WeRise Wines & formerly F5
Top Stories:
1. Microsoft layoffs
Geekwire article
2. New interim Police Chief
3. Increase in scammers
4. Wine deal
5. Kroger merger update
About guest co-host Jamila Conley - Founder & CEO, WeRise Wines:
Jamila was most recently the VP of Global Talent Acquisition at F5 and held VP roles in the company prior to that including Mergers & Acquisitions and IT Products. She worked in senior leadership at T-Mobile in software development. Jamila currently sits on the board of the Technology Access Foundation, the Seattle Chamber and is on the One Seattle Civic Partnership committee working to revitalize downtown. She is an adjunct professor at UW teaching program management. She left the corporate world behind to launch WeRise Wines which will be a wine bar and shop with the aim of highlighting diverse winemakers.
week of july 8: Jaebadiah Gardner - GardnerGlobal
Top Stories:
1. New housing in Central District
2. WA program for first time homebuyers
3. Plastic surgeon office fakes reviews
4. Idaho investment company buys First Hill tower
5. Warren Buffet's financial plans after he dies
About guest co-host Jaebadiah Gardner - Founder & CEO, Gardner Global:
Jaebadiah is an African-American, Mexican-American businessman, multi-family real estate developer, fund manager, author and is the Founder & CEO of GardnerGlobal, Inc. a privately held holding company here in Seattle. Prior to development, Jaebadiah worked for Turner Construction building commercial high-rises in downtown Seattle.
week of july 1: Kathi Lentzsch - Board Director & formerly Bartell Drugs
Top Stories
1. HomeStreet Bank & FirstSun merger
2. The future of pharmacies
3. Electrician strike ends
4. Costco lawsuit
5. Getty Images co-founder leaves board
Guest co-host Kathi Lentzsch - Board Member and former CEO of Bartell Drugs:
Kathi is the co-chair for the Women Corporate Directors Foundation, a board member of Skagit Valley Malting, a board member for UW's Center for Leadership and Strategic Thinking. Prior to this, she was a board member for 4Front Ventures which dealt with cannabis cultivation, board member of Pharmacy Value Alliance, CEO of Bartell Drugs, interim CEO of Gump's in San Francisco, President of Enesco Gift Division, CEO of Elephant Pharmacy in California, and leadership roles at Pottery Barn, WorldMarket, and Pier1 Imports.
week of june 24: Return of Emily Parkhurst - Formidable
Top Stories
1. Farestart is reopening
2. Seattle startup scene
3. New museum to open
4. Saltchuk buys a company for $430M
5. Boeing CEO is under fire
Guest Co-Host Emily Parkhurst - Founder & CEO, Formidable
Emily Parkhurst is the Founder & CEO of media company Formidable launched in 2024. Prior to this she was the VP of Content at 6AM City, and before that the Publisher and Market President of the Puget Sound Business Journal. She was a Senior Reporter at The Forecaster where she won the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi Award for Investigative Reporting in 2010. She is also the Chairman of the board for Cornish College of the Arts. www.beformidable.com
mid-year economic outlook: Skylar Olsen - Chief Economist, Zillow
In this special episode we sit down with Dr. Skylar Olsen - Chief Economist of Zillow who gives us a mid-year economic outlook. We talk about interest rates, inflation, recession, and so much more!
Dr. Skylar Olsen - Chief Economist, Zillow
A Ph.D. housing economist with over a decade studying U.S. housing markets and consumers, Skylar is passionate about ensuring policymakers, journalists, housing professionals, and her colleagues have the data and understanding they need to make better decisions.
Skylar has testified before Congress about fair housing issues and regularly shares her housing-market expertise on stage, in print, and on local and national television and radio stations. She also teaches Real Estate Evolution and Disruption at the University of Washington, where she earned her PhD, and was a Visiting Scholar to the College of William and Mary during Fall 2023.
Host Rachel Horgan:
Rachel is an independent event producer, emcee and entrepreneur. She worked for the Business Journal for 5 years as their Director of Events interviewing business leaders on stage before launching the weekly podcast. She earned her communication degree from the University of San Diego.
Contact:
Email: info@theweeklyseattle.com
Instagram: @theweeklyseattle
Website: www.theweeklyseattle.com
week of june 10: Greg Kunst - Aurion Biotech
Top Stories
1. Microsoft CEO leaves Starbucks board
2. Seattle startup wins lawsuit against Boeing
3. VC backed biotech raises $71M
4. Lightrail SLU location debate
Opinion 1: The Stranger article
Opinion 2: PSBJ article
5. New record store on Vashon
About guest co-host Greg Kunst - Founder & CEO, Aurion Biotech:
Greg Kunst founded Aurion Biotech which is a company that develops cell therapies for the treatment of serious eye disorders. He is on the board of Pr3vent, Inc tackling vision health for babies. He's strategic advisor for Oculogica. Prior to this, he held leadership positions at Glockos Corporation and Alcon, both companies tackling eye health.
Host Rachel Horgan:
Rachel is an independent event producer, emcee and entrepreneur. She worked for the Business Journal for 5 years as their Director of Events interviewing business leaders on stage before launching the weekly podcast. She earned her communication degree from the University of San Diego.
Contact:
Email: info@theweeklyseattle.com
Instagram: @theweeklyseattle
Website: www.theweeklyseattle.com
week of june 3: Andrea Anderson - Girl Scouts
Top Stories:
1. T-Mobile buys most of US Cellular
2. MultiCare & Overlake affiliation
3. Melinda French Gates announces plan
4. Startup helping with bereavement
5. Seattle CEO returns
About guest co-host Andrea Anderson - CEO, Girl Scouts of Western Washington:
Andrea is the proud daughter of immigrants from Denmark, a Girl Scout alum (having been a Brownie while growing up in Michigan), and is the first member of her family to graduate college. She Was on Board on Coalition to End Gender Based Violence, the CEO of the IF project – an organization that works with justice impacted women, the Director of Foundation and Corporate Relations at the United Way of King County, Executive Director for Equality Hawaii Foundation, CEO of Planned Parenthood and has her own non-profit consulting company.
Host Rachel Horgan:
Rachel is an independent event producer, emcee and entrepreneur. She worked for the Business Journal for 5 years as their Director of Events interviewing business leaders on stage before launching the weekly podcast. She earned her communication degree from the University of San Diego.
Contact:
Email: info@theweeklyseattle.com
Instagram: @theweeklyseattle
Website: www.theweeklyseattle.com
week of may 27: Coral Garnick Ducken - Madrona
Top Stories:
1. Expedia leaders are out
Geekwire article/Seattle Times article
2. Synapse bankruptcy affects Seattle startup
3. Amazon AWS CEO change
PSBJ article (CEO leaving)
PSBJ article (new CEO)
4. OpenAI's new voice product
5. Local VC to launch startup community hub
About guest co-host Coral Garnick Ducken - Digital Editor, Madrona:
Prior to her current role as Digital Editor for Seattle VC firm Madrona, she was a content writer for Blueprint Technologies. Before that she was the Associate Editor at Puget Sound Business Journal after leaving Seattle Times as a business reporter. Coral earned her masters degree in Journalism from Columbia University.
Host Rachel Horgan:
Rachel is an independent event producer, emcee and entrepreneur. She worked for the Business Journal for 5 years as their Director of Events interviewing business leaders on stage before launching the weekly podcast. She earned her communication degree from the University of San Diego.
Contact:
Email: theweeklyseattle@gmail.com
Instagram: @theweeklyseattle
Website: www.theweeklyseattle.com
week of may 20: Eduardo Penalver - Seattle University
Top Stories:
1. Seattle CEO guilty of fraud
2. Melinda French Gates steps down
3. Kaiser Permanente to sell land
4. Chateau Ste Michelle over the years
PSBJ article (Jen Belle leaving)
Seattle Times article (background)
5. Amazon's new Project Kuiper
About guest co-host Eduardo Penalver - President, Seattle University:
Eduardo M. Peñalver became the President of Seattle University on July 1, 2021. From 2014 until 2021, he served as the Dean of Cornell Law School.
Professor Peñalver’s legal scholarship focuses on property and land use, as well as law and religion. His work explores the way in which the law mediates the interests of individuals and communities. His writing on property has appeared in numerous leading law journals.
week of may 13: Troy Anderson - Visit Seattle
Top Stories:
1. Visit Seattle updates
(no article)
2. Top Pot Doughnuts expands
3. Docusign acquires Lexion
4. Starbucks ex-CEO weighs in
5. Redfin settles in lawsuit
About guest co-host Troy Anderson - Director of Sales, Visit Seattle
Troy has been with Visit Seattle for close to 12 years and currently serves as the Director of Sales specifically focusing on bringing convention business to the city. Prior to this role he worked in sales at hotels in Vegas including the Mirage, Treasure Island and New York New York.
week may 6: Cate Goethals - Better Boards Initiative
Top Stories:
1. Sue Bird joins Storm ownership group
2. Amazon Q1 numbers are up
3. REI reports 2023 loss
4. FTC sues Doxo
5. Downtown properties owe $16M for waterfront
About co-host: Cate Goethals - Founder, The Better Boards Initiative
Cate is the Founder of The Better Boards Initiative, an organization with the goal of making corporate boards more diverse. She is also the Founder & Director of the Women Board Director program at UW and is an executive coach for women on the cusp of entering their next act and interested in sitting on a board. Cate is on the board of Sound Generations.
Host Rachel Horgan:
Rachel is an independent event producer, emcee and entrepreneur. She worked for the Business Journal for 5 years as their Director of Events interviewing business leaders on stage before launching the weekly podcast. She earned her communication degree from the University of San Diego.
Contact:
Email: theweeklyseattle@gmail.com
Instagram: @theweeklyseattle
Website: www.theweeklyseattle.com
week of april 29: James Falzone - Cornish College of the Arts
Top Stories:
1. Nanostring is bought
2. Non-compete clauses are banned
3. Cornish is selling Kerry Hall
4. Music venues opening/re-opening
Seattle Times article (Carnation)
Seattle Refined article (Conor Byrne)
5. President of Wizards of the Coast resigns
About co-host: James Falzone - Dean at Cornish College of the Arts
James Falzone is a clarinetist, composer, and improviser whose work in the jazz and creative music scenes has won him international acclaim. A veteran contemporary music lecturer and clinician, as well as an award-winning composer. He was the Chair of the music program for about six years before becoming Dean for the past two years.
Host Rachel Horgan:
Rachel is an independent event producer, emcee and entrepreneur. She worked for the Business Journal for 5 years as their Director of Events interviewing business leaders on stage before launching the weekly podcast. She earned her communication degree from the University of San Diego.
Contact:
Email: theweeklyseattle@gmail.com
Instagram: @theweeklyseattle
Website: www.theweeklyseattle.com
week of april 22: Jen Barnes - Rough & Tumble
Top Stories:
1. Bumbershoot will open arts venue
2. Fremont Brewery has a new owner
3. Styrofoam containers to be banned
4. ZoomCare will accept Medicare
5. Affordable housing project in U district
Other sources:
Low Income Housing
Brewery Rankings
About co-host: Jen Barnes - Founder & Owner, Rough and Tumble:
Jen opened Rough & Tumble, the first ever pub for women's just about a year and a half ago. The pub prioritizes women's sports on tvs and sound, but still plays men's sports. Prior to this she worked as the VP of Operations and Communications for OneEnergy, was the CEO of two other companies and has a long history of working in management and operations for law firms.
Host Rachel Horgan:
Rachel is an independent event producer, emcee and entrepreneur. She worked for the Business Journal for 5 years as their Director of Events interviewing business leaders on stage before launching the weekly podcast. She earned her communication degree from the University of San Diego.
Contact:
Email: theweeklyseattle@gmail.com
Instagram: @theweeklyseattle
Website: www.theweeklyseattle.com
week of april 15: Ilona Lohrey - GSBA
Top Stories:
1. Landmark Events Co takes over Columbia Winery tasting room space
2. Lululemon leaves Pacific Place
3. US-Japan investment in AI education
4. Providence Swedish buys naming rights
5. Google pauses construction in Kirkland
About co-host Ilona Lohrey - President & CEO, GSBA:
Ilona is the President and CEO of the GSBA, Washington state's LGBTQ+ chamber of commerce. Prior to this she was the CEO of an industrial cleaning services company in Germany before selling it and returning to the US. Before that she worked in finance.
week of april 8: Will Niccolls - Green Latrine
Top Stories
1. Minimum wage for delivery app workers
2. Unique building opens in SLU
3. Amazon ditches “just walk out” tech
4. Microsoft unbundles Office & Teams
5. Bonuses for Alaska Airlines’ C-suite
About co-host Will Niccolls - Founder & CEO, Green Latrine
Will founded Green Latrine in 2015 and has landed large deals like the Special Olympics USA games and the closing of the viaduct and opening of the tunnel. He currently serves on the board for the Seattle Sports Commission and is the Chairman and Founder of a program called Sports in Schools. For the past 33 years he has been a soccer referee for MLS and Pac-12. He was also the Referee Program Director for Washington State.