An insightful and provocative event, this year’s featured innovator, Sally Jewel, served as US Secretary of the Interior from 2013-17, following 8 years as CEO of outdoor retailer REI. Her 45-year career spanned engineering, banking, retail, government, and academia, all interconnected through her volunteer service. Jewell is currently the Fritzky Chair in Leadership for the University of Washington Foster School of Business and has focused her work over the last 20 years on aligning economic interests with environmental sustainability, with a particular interest in supporting the next generation of diverse leaders.

Innovation Exchange will be moderated by Chris Voorhees, President, and CEO of First Mode, and MOHAI Trustee.

Join the conversation with some of the key figures from leading institutions in the community, including:

• Lylianna Allala, Climate Justice Director – City of Seattle, Office of Sustainability & Environment, Co-founder of Growing Old Project
• Cody Birkland and Amy Swanson – ULTROPIA
• Esther Min, Ph.D. Clinical Assistant Professor – University of Washington, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
• Brian Pinkard, Ph.D. Co-founder, and CTO – Aquagga Inc.

The Innovation Exchange is co-chaired by MOHAI Trustees Harald Becker, Maren Higbee and Hilary Laney. Proceeds from this annual fundraiser support MOHAI’s mission to highlight our regional tradition of innovation and imagination, including our K-12 education programs serving nearly 30,000 students, teachers, and families each year.

Watch the 2021 Innovation Exchange

Featured presenters included:

• Ali H. Mokdad, PhD, Chief Strategy Officer, Population Health, University of Washington
• Ana Pinto da Silva, Chief Executive Officer, Minka
• Chris Voorhees, President and CEO, First Mode

A special thank you to all Innovation Exchange virtual event sponsors:

• Gold Sponsors | Amazon, The Boeing Company
• Silver Sponsors | B2Launch, First Mode, GM Nameplate
• Advocate Sponsors | ISOutsource, Mike Repass

Generous in-kind event support was provided by Mighty Media Studios and Translated.

Watch the 2020 Innovation Exchange

Featured presenters included:

• JEileen Aparis, Vice President of Job Training & Education at Seattle Goodwill
• Jane Broom, Senior Director, Microsoft Philanthropies
• JEdouardo Jordan, Chef and Owner, Salare, JuneBaby, and Lucinda Grain Bar
• JChris Odell, Engagement Officer, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)
• JBrad Root, President, GM Nameplate

A special thank you to our Innovation Exchange virtual event sponsors:

• Gold Sponsors | Amazon, The Boeing Company
• Silver Sponsors | B2Launch, First Mode, GM Nameplate
• Advocate Sponsors | ISOutsource, Mike Repass
• Generous in-kind event support was provided by Mighty Media Studios and Translated.

The event, moderated by civic leader Maggie Walker and MOHAI Executive Director Leonard Garfield, shined a spotlight on the dramatic transformation of South Lake Union as one of the world’s great hubs for innovation and explored how the neighborhood, and the larger Seattle community, can stay completive in the global marketplace.

MOHAI is grateful to the event’s featured speakers, which included:

• Ada Healey, Chief Real Estate Officer, Vulcan
• Dr. Christof Koch, Chief Scientist and President, Allen Institute for Brain Science
• Dr. Paul Ramsey, CEO, UW Medicine
• John Schoettler, Vice President of Global Real Estate and Facilities, Amazon
• Matthew Trunnell, Chief Data Officer, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

A special thank you to our Innovation Exchange event sponsors:

• Presenting Sponsor: Vulcan Real Estate
• Gold Sponsors: Amazon and Google.
• Silver Sponsors: B2Launch, Evia, Mike Repass, Product Creation Studio, Seneca Group, and The Boeing Company.

During the event, Featured Innovators from some of the area’s most influential companies and institutions, like the Allen Institute for Brain Science, City of Seattle, Google, Facebook, GeekWire, and Puget Sound Energy, led table conversations on what’s hot in Seattle innovation.

Thank you to the 2018 Innovation Breakfast sponsors: B2Launch, The Boeing Company, Google, Product Creation Studio, and Michele and Stan Rosen. Generous in-kind support was provided by CORT Party Rental and Kaspars Special Events and Catering.

Moderator Matt McIlwain of Madrona Venture Group led a panel discussion about fostering innovation as a community characteristic. Panelists were Chelo Picardal, Chief Technology Officer of the City of Bellevue; Preeti Shridhar, Deputy Public Affairs Administrator of the City of Renton; and Hannah Hill, Program Manager of Innovation Team at the City of Seattle. These local leaders spoke about their roles and projects that are improving the lives of their community members.

Thanks to the 2017 Innovation Breakfast sponsors: the Boeing Company, Google, and Michele and Stan Rosen. Generous in-kind support from Kaspars Catering & Events.