Washington Technology Industry Association Elects Dave Cotter as Board Chair and Kristen Forecki as Vice Chair

Technology industry leaders from Leafly and Convoy to guide organization on its mission to strengthen the Washington State technology sector

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Washington Technology Industry Association

Mar 01, 2021, 09:00 ET

SEATTLE, March 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA), a non-profit organization dedicated to building a strong, sustainable technology sector in a thriving community, today announced a series of leadership elections including Dave Cotter as the new Board of Directors Chair, and Kristen Forecki as the Board's Vice Chair. Cotter and Forecki will each hold their new positions over the next two years.

"Under the guidance of Heather Redman, WTIA has seen incredible growth over the past two years with the introduction of a new DEI Office and the development of the Anti-Racism in Tech Pact among other milestones," said Michael Schutzler, CEO of WTIA. "With Dave and Kristen at the helm, we are well-positioned to progress these initiatives forward and build a thriving tech sector in our State."

Dave Cotter is a veteran leader and entrepreneur in the tech industry. He provides a deep understanding of the talent acquisition and retention challenges facing the industry from his experience across both large enterprises and startups. Cotter has emerged as an active voice in the discussion of social equity and diversity in the Seattle tech community, providing a point of view into how business leaders can take active steps towards dismantling racism.

Cotter currently serves as Chief Product Officer at Leafly. Previously, he led product teams at Nordstrom, Amazon Web Services, RealNetworks, Microsoft, Oracle and other major technology companies. He has been a Board member of WTIA for the past four years.

"The Washington State tech sector plays a vital role in job creation, economic growth and the advancement of critical workplace priorities including diversity, equity and inclusion," said Cotter. "The role of the tech industry has become even more critical over the last year as we work to rebuild our cities and communities that have been ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. It's a privilege to step into this role and work with the WTIA team to foster a strong tech ecosystem that helps the State prosper."

A 2020 Puget Sound Business Journal "40 Under 40" member, Kristen Forecki has emerged as a dynamic leader in Seattle's tech industry. Forecki is VP of Supply at Convoy and has served on the WTIA Board for two years. Prior to joining Convoy, she quickly rose through the ranks of major companies including General Mills, Amazon and Rover where she developed and led core organizational teams.

"As a member of the WTIA Board of Directors, I've seen firsthand the organization's ability to tackle the challenges that truly matter to our member companies—everything from benefits for small startups to a central voice on equity in the workplace for companies of all sizes," said Forecki. "I'm ready to help steer WTIA through its next chapter as we continue to support the growth of our communities and advocate for policies that will create a strong and growing tech sector."

Former Chair, Heather Redman, will be Emeritus for a year. The full list of WTIA Board of Directors is available here.

About WTIA
The Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to building a strong and sustainable technology sector and supporting a thriving community. WTIA's transformative programs leverage the collective power of the technology industry for more than 1000 member companies and their employees. WTIA includes the 501c6 WTIA Member Trade Association, the 501c3 WTIA Workforce Institute dba Apprenti, and the for-profit company HR Benefits, Inc.

SOURCE Washington Technology Industry Association