Our Work

2019 Annual Conference


CASCADIA INNOVATION CORRIDOR: INVENTING TOMORROW TOGETHER

4th Annual Cascadia Innovation Corridor Conference
October 2-3, 2019 | Westin, Seattle, Washington
Brought to you by Challenge Seattle and the Business Council of British Columbia

Business, academic, non-profit, and government leaders from British Columbia, Washington state, and Oregon convened October 2-3 at the fourth annual Cascadia Innovation Corridor Conference to discuss a 2035 vision for life in the Cascadia region. This year’s conference both highlighted and solicited feedback on the new strategies underway for the region to come together, maximize shared competitive advantages, and elevate its global economic position.

Propelled by the Cascadia Innovation Corridor Steering Committee, the partnership is actively working to position Cascadia as a global innovation hub by actively addressing issues important to the region and the world. This includes helping to facilitate cross-border knowledge exchange, supporting strategies that accelerate the Pacific Northwest economy, jointly advancing and integrating common infrastructure needs, and building a network of connected people, companies, capital, universities, colleges, and researchers.

SPONSORS

Presented By

Microsoft

Platinum Sponsors

Alaska Airlines

Amazon

Boeing

Hudson Pacific Partners

WSP

Gold Sponsors

Government of British Columbia

Clark Wilson LLP

Costco

Deloitte

Kaiser Permanente

Northeastern University, Vancouver

Port of Seattle

Puget Sound Energy

The Research Universities’ Council of British Columbia

Tableau

Talgo

University of Washington

Supporting Sponsors

British Columbia Institute of Technology

Fred Hutch

Harbour Air Seaplanes

Seattle University

Washington Roundtable

In-Kind Support

Chateau Ste. Michelle

GeekWire

Puget Sound Business Journal

Starbucks

Chris Gregoire, CEO, Challenge Seattle
Chris Gregoire
CIC Co-Chair

Christine Gregoire is the CEO of Challenge Seattle, which is an alliance of CEOs from 22 of the region’s largest organizations who work together to tackle some of our most pressing civic challenges, such as homelessness and racial equity. As CEO of Challenge Seattle, Chris serves as the Washington co-chair for the Cascadia Innovation Corridor.

Previously, Chris served for two terms as Governor of the State of Washington with a $32B biennial budget and over 60,000 employees. In her first term as Governor, she created the Department of Early Learning and led on reforms to the K-12 system and investment in higher education.  Chris led the state in a historical investment in infrastructure including the building of the largest floating bridge in the world and the largest transportation tunnel to open up Seattle’s waterfront.  She addressed the water wars in the state and established the Puget Sound initiative to restore one of the nation’s major estuaries.  She led an historic number of trade missions, reformed the foster care system to protect children, and was among the first to lead in health care reform. During her second term, Chris led the state in major reforms, management, and budgeting to position the state as one of the most financially secure to come out of the “Great Recession”.

Prior to becoming Governor, Chris served for three terms as Attorney General for the State and prior to becoming Attorney General, Chris served four years as the Director of the State Department of Ecology.

In addition to being CEO of Challenge Seattle, Chris is a former chair of the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center and former Member of the National Bipartisan Governor’s Council.

Gail Murphy, Ph.D., VP Research & Innovation, UBC
Shwetak Patel, Ph.D., WRF Endowed Professor, Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, UW
Irem Tumer, Ph.D., Vice President for Research at Oregon State University
David Hoff, Senior Vice President, Government Relations and Community Investment, Ledcor
Paula Hammond, Senior Vice President, National Transportation Market Leader, WSP
Rickey Y. Yada, Ph.D., Academic Dean of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems, UBC
Rickey Y. Yada, Ph.D., Academic Dean of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems, UBC
Molly Jones, Vice President, Government Affairs, Payactiv
Pamela Saunders, Director of Communications & Engagement, Microsoft Vancouver
Laurie Trautman, Ph.D., Director, Border Policy Research Institute, WWU
Matt Morrison, CEO, Pacific Northwest Economic Region
Tom Roemer, Ed.D., Principal, Tioga Communications Inc.
Sonya Doucette, Ph.D., Professor, Bellevue College; Climate Justice Faculty Development Lead
Angela Becker-Dippman, Director, Energy & Environment Directorate’s Program Development Office, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)
Andrew Hoan, President & CEO, Portland Metro Chamber
Bill Tam, Co-Founder, Canada’s Digital Technology Supercluster​
Ken Macartney, Executive Director, International Relations, Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat (IGRS) Office of the Premier, Government of British Columbia
Steve Mullin, President, Washington Roundtable
Rachel Smith, President & CEO, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
Kris Peters, Chairman, Squaxin Island Tribe
Ian Campbell, Hereditary Chief, Squamish Nation
Mike Fong, Director, Washington State Department of Commerce
Staci Simonich, Ph.D., Dean and Reub Long Professor, College of Agricultural Sciences, OSU Director, Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station
Laura Jones, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Business Council of British Columbia
Dave Robertson, Chief Public Affairs Officer, Port of Portland Co-Chair, PPP for Climate
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