Tech Moves: USAFacts president stepping down; Starbucks’ new COO; WSOS names leader

Steve Ballmer is hiring.

USAFacts, the data-sharing nonprofit founded by the former Microsoft CEO, is looking for a president to replace Poppy MacDonald, who is stepping down later this month. Ballmer will take the helm until a replacement is found.

The organization is seeking someone to harness the power of AI to expand access to the more than 90,000 sources of federal, state and local government data that’s combed by the nonpartisan clearinghouse and presented to the public.

That person needs to be smart “about working with engineers and envisioning where AI takes us,” Ballmer told Fast Company, which first reported MacDonald’s departure. But they also need to “have enough of that media flavor to understand how people want to consume information,” along with an “incredible marketing gene.”

USAFacts launched in 2017 in Bellevue, Wash., and MacDonald became president a year later. The organization has attracted 640,000 newsletter subscribers, 16 million monthly visitors, and more than 65 million views of its “Just the Facts” videos.

MacDonald was honored as one of GeekWire’s “Uncommon Thinkers” in 2023 for her leadership. At the time, Ballmer called her “a catalyst for positive change” and said she was “instrumental at USAFacts, fostering an environment where facts are paramount and data drives our narrative. Her approach to data in these divisive times is both refreshing and essential.”

Prior to this role, MacDonald was president of Politico USA, a news media company focused on policy and politics. She also led the National Journal and was a lead partner with the analytics and polling company Gallup. MacDonald’s early roles were in communications for two U.S. lawmakers.

MacDonald told Fast Company she’s taking a break before her next career move.

Other notable Pacific Northwest tech moves:

— Starbucks is making changes in its C-suite:

• Mike Grams is being promoted to chief operating officer after briefly serving as executive vice president, North America chief coffeehouse officer. Grams, who worked with Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol at Taco Bell, will add oversight of global coffeehouse development and global supply chain to his slate of responsibilities.

• Chief Legal Officer Brad Lerman will be leaving Starbucks “in the coming months,” Niccol announced. A replacement has not been named. Lerman came out of retirement to take the role at Starbucks. He previously worked for Medtronic, Fannie Mae and Pfizer, as well as practicing with private law firms. He was also an assistant U.S. Attorney with the Department of Justice.

— Isabel Muñoz-Colón is now executive director of the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS).

Muñoz-Colón has centered her career on education, public service and philanthropic work. She joins WSOS from the Gates Foundation, where she was a senior program officer focused on Washington state initiatives. Previous roles include working for the City of Seattle as an education policy advisor, positions with the Quality Education Council and Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and chairing the Washington State Board of Education.

“WSOS is at a pivotal moment. Isabel’s proven ability to build partnerships and her respected reputation in Olympia and across Washington are essential as we expand strategically and advocate for equitable workforce opportunities statewide,” said Brad Smith, WSOS board chair and Microsoft president, in a statement.

WSOS is a public-private partnership supported by state funding and private donations. The 14-year-old organization has invested in more than 22,000 students, providing them with scholarships, mentorship and career development opportunities.

Kimber Connors, WSOS’s past executive director, is leading the organization’s foundation.

— Costco is making multiple leadership changes, as disclosed in a new filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission:

• At the end of this month, Dan Hines is retiring as Costco’s senior vice president, corporate controller and principal accounting officer. Hines has served at the retail giant for 35 years and will remain an SVP until leaving the organization in January 2026.
• Tiffany Barbre will take over Hines’ roles, effective July 1. Barbre joined the company in 2005 and currently serves as vice president, assistant corporate controller.

— Govstream.ai, a Seattle startup empowering local government agencies with technology for streamlining urban development and permitting processes, has two new hires:

• Kevin Ruth was named a founding product manager for Govstream.ai. He previously held leadership roles at Seattle-area tech companies including Qualtrics; Hazel Analytics, which was acquired by Ecolab; Aduro; and Leviton.
• Ola Piętka is now founding AI engineer at the startup. Piętka, who hails from Poland, previously co-created a tool for using large language models to build interactive FAQs. She also worked for London’s Curvestone and WorkflowGPT.

— Evergreen Goodwill of Northwest Washington, a nonprofit selling used goods and providing workforce training, appointed five members to its board of directors:

• Shelley Salomon, vice president of global business for Amazon
• Greg LeClair, Seattle-area managing director for Morgan Stanley
• Linda Marzano, a clinical associate professor of Health Systems and Population Health at the University of Washington
• Rocio Castillo-Foell, community affairs manager for Puget Sound Energy
• Dennis Stillman, senior lecturer at the UW’s School of Public Health