Speakers

Dan Werth serves as Ste. Michelle Wine Estate’s Chief Operating Officer, leading Sales, Marketing and Information Technology & Business Processes. Dan joined Ste. Michelle from MillerCoors, where he most recently served as the Chief Customer Officer.

During his 17 years with MillerCoors, Dan held several sales positions, including Regional Vice President-Southeast, National Accounts Vice President‑Kroger, and General Manager‑California. Prior to that he was Sales Director, Trade Marketing Director and Finance Director at Philip Morris USA.

As a business-minded technologist and evangelist of self-service data, Ashley brings over a decade of experience leading cross-functional efforts to grow adoption of analytics platforms at Fortune 500 companies.

Ashley is a data and analytics thought leader who enjoys learning and sharing insights on how to transform large, global companies, to successfully leverage data platform investments and develop programatic support to build successful cultures of self‑service analytics.

Alejandro Grajal became the eighth leader of Woodland Park Zoo in its 117 year history, assuming the helm in May 2016. He is internationally known for his vision to define a new relationship between humans and nature by helping to restore the deep, affective bond between people and animals. He advocates for zoos as the best community institutions to create a social movement for conservation, to foster science learning beyond the classroom, and to ensure that all people have access to nature, regardless of socioeconomic background.

Reporting to the zoo’s Board of Directors and overseeing more than 350 full-time and seasonal staff, Alejandro is responsible for leading all zoo operations, programs, and exhibits as well as facilities, fundraising and partnership development to increase WPZ’s positive impact in the community and world.

Before joining the zoo, Alejandro served as senior vice president for conservation, education and training at the Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo, where he headed the Center for Conservation Leadership, oversaw field conservation and research programs for the Center for the Science of Animal Welfare, and supervised education programs.

Jeff Raikes is co-founder, with his wife Tricia, of the Raikes Foundation, which works toward a just and inclusive society, where all young people have the support they need to reach their full potential. The foundation focuses on youth-serving systems, seeking to make them work better on behalf of the most marginalized young people in our society. Based in Seattle, the Raikes Foundation focuses on using the science of learning and development to advance more equitable learning environments; preventing and ending youth and young adult homelessness; and improving the quality of expanded learning programs. The foundation recently launched an initiative focused on increasing the impact of giving by individual donors.

From 2008 to 2014, Jeff was the CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he was responsible for setting strategic priorities, monitoring results, and facilitating relationships with key partners for all of the foundation’s program groups including global development, global health and the U.S. program, which focuses on education and global policy. Before joining the Gates Foundation, Jeff was a member of Microsoft’s senior leadership team, which set overall strategy and direction for the company. Before joining Microsoft in 1981, Jeff was a software development manager at Apple Computer, Inc.

Brandon Lee was appointed as Consul General of Canada in Seattle in 2017, with accreditation for Washington State, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska. He joined the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFATD) in 2004. With a background leading management and innovation, Mr. Lee has held several executive and management positions within the department.

From 2007 to 2011, Mr. Lee oversaw reform activities to strengthen Canada’s international presence and became the Department’s first Director of Innovation.

As a physician-scientist, Dr. Olson cares for children with brain tumors and conducts research that focuses on discovering and developing new cancer therapies. His lab’s work has led to more than a dozen national clinical trials, of which he leads a Phase III trial through the Children’s Oncology Group.

Edward A. Smith was born in Los Angeles, California. He received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior in February 1973. He spent the first eleven years of his Christian life sitting under the teaching ministry of Dr. Frederick K.C. Price, Founder/Pastor of Crenshaw Christian Center, Los Angeles, California.

Edward Smith spent seven years as an instructor of Zoe Christian Leadership Training Center and served as an Elder and Executive Board member under the tutelage of Bishop Frank L. Stewart. Pastor Ed was ordained into the gospel ministry by Bishop Stewart in November 1982. In 1986 Bishop Stewart was led by the Lord to finance Pastor Ed and Vanessa’s first overseas missions’ trip. Bishop Stewart was also instrumental in preparing Pastor Ed for ministry, which led to Pastor Ed starting Zoe Christian Fellowship of Cerritos in 1989. This would be the first church plant to come from Zoe Christian Fellowship of Los Angeles with a prominent focus on missions’ outreach. In 1995, Pastor Ed and the members of Zoe moved to their present church complex in Whittier, thereby becoming Zoe Christian Fellowship of Whittier.

The NHL’s 32nd franchise will take the ice in October 2021, returning professional hockey to Seattle. At NHL Seattle, Todd Humphrey is responsible for all technology that will be integrated into the New Arena At Seattle Center, the Northgate Headquarters and practice facility, and the NHL Team. He is also responsible for Fan Experience at the New Arena for hockey, concerts, basketball, and other events.

Since January 2004, Austin Jenkins has been the Olympia-based political reporter for the Northwest News Network. In that position, Austin covers Northwest politics and public policy, as well as the Washington State Legislature for the NPR/public radio stations of the Pacific Northwest, including KUOW and KNKX in the Seattle/Tacoma market. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW’s (the C‑SPAN of Washington State) Emmy-nominated public affairs program “Inside Olympia.”

Prior to joining the Northwest News Network, Austin worked as a television reporter in Seattle, Portland, and Boise.