Nov 26, 2025

Department of Commerce

Chartock

Washington State Department of Commerce Director Joe Nguyen appointed Andrea Chartock to lead the state's Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness, a division of the state agency. Chartock was previously with the international development company DAI and has more than 25 years of experience in global economic development, spanning more than 30 countries. Chartock's experience includes supporting small and medium-sized enterprises to increase sales, jobs, exports, and attract investments. In her previous role, she implemented projects with U.S. Agency for International Development funding, and has led teams completing assessments to understand market opportunities and constraints to design and adaptively manage inclusive economic development programming. Chartock will lead the Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness teams at Commerce, including industry sector development, circular economy, rural and marketing services, small business export assistance, small business finance and community support, finance and grant services, and contracts and procurement. She will serve on the agency's Executive Leadership Team. Chartock has a master's degree in international policy studies and an undergraduate degree from Stanford University.

Maul Foster & Alongi

Hackett

Maul Foster & Alongi has promoted Audrey Hackett to principal environmental scientist in its Seattle office. Hackett has nearly 20 years of experience in environmental consulting, specializing in investigation and cleanup of contaminated properties throughout the Pacific Northwest. Her work includes managing Phase I and II environmental site assessments, developing cleanup strategies for complex upland and sediment sites under CERCLA and Washington's Model Toxics Control Act, and overseeing feasibility studies. Hackett also provides technical and strategic support for cleanup allocation and cost recovery litigation. She leads MFA's business development efforts for the ports sector and manages environmental support services for port clients, including an on-call contract with the Port of Tacoma. Originally from the Southwest, Hackett has lived in Seattle for more than 20 years.

Rolluda Architects

Queen

Rolluda Architects hired Gabrielle Queen as marketing & communications support. Recently graduated from the University of Washington's Industrial Design program, Queen joins Rolluda having earned baccalaureate honors for her academic achievements. She has a background in user-centered thinking, and blending technology and design. She has a passion for storytelling, visual communication, and sharing the narratives behind the firm's initiatives, mission, and values; showcasing the firm's projects and the people who bring them to life.

SEL

Balasu-
bramanian

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) has appointed Ashok Balasubramanian as vice president of engineering services. He will lead SEL engineering services teams in the U.S. and Canada, managing the development and implementation of new technologies while overseeing service quality for utility, industrial, commercial and government customers. Balasubramanian joined SEL in 2010 as a project engineer and has since held positions of increasing responsibility, including engineering services manager, director of Engineering Services and, most recently, senior engineering director of Technology & Development. Balasubramanian earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical and electronics engineering from the University of Madras, India, in 2004 and a master's degree in power systems engineering from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2006. SEL is headquartered in Pullman, and Balasubramanian is based in the Houston, Texas office.

Perkins Coie

Perkins Coie has promoted eight lawyers to partner or senior counsel in its Seattle office, effective Jan. 1. Kevin Zeck was promoted to senior counsel in the Patent Litigation practice. Eric Ashcroft, Ruben Tyler Kendrick, Michelle Maley, Christian Marcelo, Nisha Nariya, Geoffrey Palachuk and Christopher Wassman were appointed to partner. Ashcroft is a member of the Federal Tax practice. He counsels clients on federal income tax matters related to complex business transactions, advising strategic acquirers, private equity sponsors, venture capital funds, emerging growth companies, public and private issuers of debt and equity, and high net-worth individuals. Kendrick is a member of the IP practice. He focuses on patent litigation in federal courts, post-grant proceedings at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and investigations at the International Trade Commission. Kendrick also maintains an active pro bono immigration practice. Maley is a member of the Product Liability Litigation practice. She represents manufacturers, retailers, and clients in contract and product liability disputes, and has experience in alternative dispute resolution and pro bono advocacy. Marcelo is a member of the Trademark, Copyright, Internet & Advertising practice, and litigates business disputes focusing on contracts, trade secrets, trademarks, and copyright litigation, and manages large-scale enforcement programs protecting his client's IP rights. Nariya is a member of the Private Client Services practice. She advises high net-worth individuals and families on estate planning, tax strategies, fiduciary matters and family office structures. Palachuk is a member of the Construction practice. He represents public owners and private developers in all phases of commercial construction projects, managing disputes and developing risk mitigation strategies for large, complex developments. Wassman is a member of the Corporate practice. He counsels publicly traded and privately held companies on capital markets transactions, securities law compliance and corporate governance matters.

Nov 25, 2025

Ash Grove Cement

Southworth

Ash Grove Cement hired Phil Southworth as senior market manager. He will work from Ash Grove's Bellevue sales office, and his assigned territory will cover Western and Central Washington, along with the state of Alaska. Southworth comes to Ash Grove from Oldcastle Inc. CRH, where he was vice president of operations in charge of manufacturing concrete products. Southworth was awarded the Bronze Star for his leadership during military service in Iraq.

Washington State Court of Appeals

Hill

Gov. Bob Ferguson announced the appointment of Tyson R. Hill to the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division III — his first appellate appointment since taking office in January. Hill's appointment, effective Jan. 1, fills the position being vacated by Judge George Fearing's retirement that date. Hill has more than two decades of legal experience as a superior court and district court judge, judge pro tempore, appellate attorney and prosecutor. He has served more than four years in his current role as Grant County Superior Court Judge in Ephrata, appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee in 2021. He co-founded and presided over Grant County's first therapeutic drug court, and he has regularly served as a pro tem judge for the Court of Appeals, Division III. Prior to becoming a Superior Court Judge, Hill served more than seven years on the Grant County District Court bench. He also served four years as the Grant County Prosecutor's Office's lead appellate attorney, where he argued before Division III and the Washington State Supreme Court. Earlier in his career, he clerked for Washington State Supreme Court Justice James M. Johnson. Hill also worked as a consultant to the U.S. — China Economic & Security Review Commission. Hill earned his bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University and his law degree from the University of Washington.

Washington State Lottery

Gov. Bob Ferguson appointed Brian Bennett as the new director of Washington's Lottery. Bennett's experience spans more than three decades, including serving as mayor and a member of the City Council for the City of Burien and 16 years at the global technology company F5 Inc. Most recently, Bennett served as a vice president in F5's legal department, managing a team that supported sales and operations for the company. Bennett previously practiced law in Seattle, working with clients on technology, government, immigration and health care issues. He also worked as a legislative assistant in the Washington State Senate. Bennett is a graduate of the University of Washington, where he earned a degree in comparative literature. He earned his law degree from New York University. Outside of work, Bennett volunteers for the Ukrainian Association of Washington State, supporting Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees in Washington. Previously, Bennett chaired the Burien Shoreline Advisory Committee and served on Burien's Planning Commission. He also worked for a nonprofit environmental law firm in Ukraine and spent a year teaching English in Moscow, Russia.