Join University of Puget Sound for an engaging panel discussion about the ever-changing business landscape of the Greater Seattle Area. Discover how the pandemic has influenced the way companies operate, explore best practices for implementing diversity and inclusion programs, hear from industry leaders from diverse sectors, and gain valuable insights into the trends that will shape the region’s economic recovery.
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Bell Harbor International Conference Center
2211 Alaska Way, Pier 66
Seattle, WA 98121
11 a.m.–1 p.m.
$45 Puget Sound Affiliates | $60 General Admission
No Charge for Students, Faculty, and Staff
Agenda
11 a.m. Check-in & Networking
11:30 a.m. Lunch
Opening Remarks by President Isiaah Crawford
Business Panel Discussion:
"Insights into the Changing Business Landscape of the Greater Seattle Area"
1 p.m. Wrap-up & Networking
Panelists
Maya Mendoza-Exstrom, Puget Sound Class of 2003
Chief Operating Officer, Seattle Sounders FC
James Oppenheimer, Puget Sound Class of 2014
Vice President, Business Development, Columbia Hospitality
Nani Vishwanath, Puget Sound Class of 2009
Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Innovation Lead, REI Co-op
Lynnette Claire, Moderator
Professor of Business & Leadership, University of Puget Sound
Join us for a thought-provoking conversation and network with the key players in the local business community. Whether you're an entrepreneur, small business owner, or simply curious about the future of Seattle's regional economy, this event is for you.
Please RSVP by Wednesday, April 10.
For questions about Puget Sound Business Insights, please email events@pugetsound.edu.
Speaker Profiles
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Maya Mendoza-Exstrom
Maya enters her 11th season with Seattle Sounders FC in 2024 and third as COO, previously serving as general counsel. She provides leadership over club operations, strategic initiatives, legal and external affairs, people and culture, social justice and impact, government affairs, civic relations, growth, and major projects. She was chair of the successful bid for Seattle to host the World Cup and serves on the local organizing committee board. Prior to Seattle Sounders FC, Maya was in private practice. A former All-American soccer player and coach at Puget Sound, Maya is an advocate for education and access to sports and the arts.
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James Oppenheimer
James oversees business development at Columbia Hospitality which includes creating partnerships with hospitality investors, onboarding incoming properties to CH’s portfolio, and pre-opening advising for properties in development. James also oversees financial planning & analytics for hospitality assets in development. Prior to joining Columbia Hospitality, James worked at Northern Trust in Chicago in commercial lending and strategy. James serves on the board of IslandWood in Bainbridge Island. He is a graduate of the University of Puget Sound with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. James lives with his wife, Tess in Seattle and enjoys spending time with family & friends, snow skiing, water skiing, golf, and cooking.
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Nani Vishwanath
Nani Vishwanath is a consultant, speaker, educator, writer and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) professional with experience ranging from higher education to the tech and retail sectors. She currently leads REI Co-op’s Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Innovation initiative, which aims to create a more inclusive outdoor industry. She is also a consultant and facilitator with The Courage Collective, a consultancy with a focus on organizational transformation. A proud first-generation American with South Asian roots and working parent, Nani’s writing has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, Washington Post, Business Insider, Forbes, and other publications.
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Lynnette Claire (Moderator)
Lynnette earned a B.A. in English and a B.S. in Botany at the University of California Davis, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Management from the University of Oregon. She is a Professor in the School of Business and Leadership at the University of Puget Sound where she teaches a senior research seminar in Strategic Management and Consulting, Principles of Management, and electives in entrepreneurship and sustainability. Prof. Claire's expertise in entrepreneurship combined with her teaching skills and interest in applying research to help students, organizations, and communities become more entrepreneurial and sustainable.
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Event Sponsor
John & Deanna Oppenheimer
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Media Sponsor
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