Madrona, a venture capital firm based in Seattle, is expanding its presence in Silicon Valley by welcoming Jeff Mills as a partner and head of investor relations. Mills, who previously worked as a managing director at Gryphon Investors in San Francisco, brings over two decades of experience in fundraising roles at various firms. Starting his career in the U.S. Army as a helicopter pilot, Mills holds degrees from West Point and the Chicago Booth School of Business. He is also on the board of the National Childhood Apraxia of Speech, a nonprofit organization. Madrona has been one of the largest and oldest venture firms in the Pacific Northwest, and its Silicon Valley office is led by managing director Karan Mehandru.
Several key personnel changes have been noted across the Pacific Northwest tech industry in recent times. Nex, a motion-based entertainment company based in Silicon Valley, has brought on board Seattle-area executives Tom Kang as president and Stephen Saiz as head of publishing, both of whom previously held tech roles at Walmart and Amazon Games. At Amperity, CEO Barry Padgett is stepping down, with Chris Jones, the company’s customer and product officer, taking over as interim CEO. Stephanie Camp, formerly of SeekOut, has joined Zendesk as vice president of global demand generation, while Craig Martell, previously with the Department of Defense, Lyft, and Dropbox, has taken on the role of chief technology officer at Cohesity.
Forest Key, a longtime leader in the Seattle startup scene, has joined Code.org as vice president of international partnerships after previously founding Buuteeq, Pixvana, and Voodle. Amy Padgett, formerly of SAP Concur, has joined Center, a travel expense management startup based in the Seattle area, as senior vice president of travel ecosystem. Other notable appointments include Shiva Jayaraman as chief growth officer at Centific, Adam Anderson as senior vice president of growth marketing at Zscaler, Javier San Martin as chief medical officer at Athira Pharma, and Mike Frazzini as chief technology officer at Portland-based children’s apparel brand Hanna Andersson, following his tech leadership roles at FTD.
Overall, with the addition of Jeff Mills and other key personnel changes, the Pacific Northwest tech industry continues to see significant movement and growth. These appointments reflect the region’s vibrant ecosystem of startups and established companies, with professionals moving between roles to bring their expertise and experience to new challenges. As the industry evolves and adapts to changing market conditions and technological developments, the influx of talent and leadership into various organizations signals a dynamic and competitive landscape for innovation and growth in the region. By leveraging their diverse backgrounds and skills, these individuals contribute to the continued success and expansion of their respective companies, driving forward progress and shaping the future of the tech sector in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
