Tech Moves: Amazon VP is now Chewy CTO; Smartsheet names CFO; Microsoft exec joins NetApp

— Yunyan Wang has left Amazon to become chief technology officer at Chewy, the leading online pet retailer. Wang spent more than 12 years at the Seattle-based tech giant, most recently as vice president of Commerce & Supply Chain Services.

“(Wang’s) track record driving innovation at world-class companies makes her the perfect addition as we double down on making Chewy ‘the’ trusted and convenient destination for pet parents and partners, everywhere,” said Chewy CEO Sumit Singh on LinkedIn.

At Amazon, Wang helped expand customer access to Prime Fulfillment, Multi-Channel Fulfillment, Amazon Supply Chain Services and other products — work that fed into the company’s broader push to commercialize its internal logistics capabilities. Amazon took a major step in that direction Monday, launching a business that makes its entire logistics network available to outside companies.

Wang also served two years as technical advisor to Jeff Wilke, Amazon’s first CEO of Worldwide Consumer. She began her tech career in 2001 as a software engineer at Microsoft and later was a director at Expedia.

— Enterprise software company Smartsheet has named Josh Schauer as chief financial officer. The Bellevue, Wash.-based company, which helps businesses organize and track work, last week announced four C-suite changes — two hires and two promotions — and appointed Rajeev Singh as CEO in October.

Schauer will be responsible for building Smartsheet’s revenue model and supporting strategic investments, the company said. He previously served as CFO at insightsoftware and has held leadership roles at Longview Solutions and Verisae. He will work remotely from Minneapolis.

— NetApp has named Alvaro Celis, a longtime Microsoft executive, as chief partner and ecosystem officer, a position in which he will lead the company’s World Partner Organization and build customer relationships.

Celis spent more than three decades at Microsoft before departing in 2024, where he held a series of vice president roles in global sales spanning devices, independent software vendors, education and other areas.

In the new role, Celis said he will focus “on strengthening the ecosystem that will help organizations succeed in this new era by connecting the right technologies, expertise, and outcomes.”

— Greater Seattle Partners (GSP) appointed Shannon Braddock as president and CEO of the regional public-private economic development organization. She succeeds Rebecca Lovell, who has served in an interim capacity since December.

Braddock most recently served as King County executive following Dow Constantine’s resignation to become CEO of Sound Transit. She spent eight years with the county in roles including deputy executive and chief of staff, and has held board positions for organizations focused on transit and homelessness.

At GSP, Braddock will lead efforts “across economic development, international relations, global marketing and research to drive jobs, investment and talent to the Greater Seattle region,” the organization said.

— K&L Gates has named Jake Bernstein to the newly created role of global AI and innovation partner, in which he will lead the Seattle-based firm’s artificial intelligence strategy, governance and innovation operations.

“It’s not every day that one’s professional life transforms from a stately drive around town into a rocket-assisted speed run straight into the Great Unknown,” Bernstein said of the appointment.

Bernstein has been with K&L Gates for more than five years, focusing on data privacy and cybersecurity law. He also teaches as an adjunct professor at Seattle University School of Law. Bernstein previously spent nearly eight years as an assistant attorney general in Washington state’s Consumer Protection Division.

— Robb Monkman is now chief marketing officer at Centegix, an Atlanta-based safety technology company. Monkman is the founder and former CEO of Seattle’s React Mobile, a startup that sells safety software and “panic button” devices primarily to hotels looking to protect their workforce. He joins Centegix from Teal Communications, which provides technology to connect devices to data networks worldwide.

— Following a national search, Seattle’s Fred Hutch Cancer Center named Dr. Christopher Li as director of its Public Health Sciences Division and promoted him to senior VP. Li, who has been with Fred Hutch for more than 15 years, will take the role on July 1. He succeeds Dr. Garnet Anderson, who has led the division for more than 13 years.

— Amazon‘s Marie Carlton has been promoted to director, taking on a new role leading AWS Applied AI Solutions partner go-to-market strategy. Carlton has been with Amazon Web Services for a decade. Her previous role focused on working with AWS partners, and she has led multiple women-in-tech initiatives.

— F5 has named Anand Eswaran to its board of directors. The Seattle-based security company said Eswaran will also serve on the board’s Audit and Talent and Compensation committees. Eswaran is CEO of Veeam, a Kirkland, Wash.-based data protection and ransomware recovery company.

— Yoodli, the AI speech coaching platform, has appointed Georgia Gier as director of customer success. Gier joins the Seattle startup from Kirkland, Wash.-based Enlyft. Past employers include Moogsoft, which was acquired by Dell Technologies, and Seattle’s BrandVerity.

— Aaron Altabet launched Shoal Events & Design, a Seattle-based professional events company that organizes conferences, summits, retreats and other meetups. Altabet has held internship roles at organizations including Pack Ventures and Pioneer Square Labs.

— Sara Dutta is now founder of Ocilisni, a life sciences consultancy based in Kirkland. The firm offers AI strategy, business development and program management. Clients include the Allen Institute and Synthesize Bio.

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