WEDA Leadership

About WEDA

Our Leadership

WEDA is managed by economic development professionals from around the state who represent a diverse group of organizations.

The Executive Committee’s objective is to turn WEDA’s mission and goals into reality in partnership with the Executive Director, who manages the day-to-day operations of the organization. Executive Committee meetings are held via video conference on the third Thursday of each month.

Our Board of Directors is comprised of 20 members from public and private organizations from across Washington. Board nominations are sought prior to the Summer Conference and an election is conducted at the annual meeting during the Summer Conference. Board members serve for a term of three years.

Executive Committee of the Board of Directors

The Executive Committee provides strategic guidance to the Executive Director and makes major decisions between the meetings of the Board of Directors. The Executive Committee takes the mission and goals of the Board and works to make it a reality in partnership with the Executive Director.

chair

Betty Capestany

Director

Pierce County Economic Development

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR

Alisha Benson

Chief Executive Officer

Greater Spokane Incorporated

Alisha Benson is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Greater Spokane Incorporated (GSI). Alisha has been with GSI for 12 years. During her time at GSI, she has held roles as Chief Strategy & Business Development Officer, COO, VP of Education & Workforce, Executive Director of Spokane STEM, and Membership Director.

GSI is the regional business development organization in the Spokane region whose mission is to lead transformative business and community initiatives to build a robust regional economy. As CEO, Alisha provides organization wide leadership, strategy, and management.

Benson serves on the Board of the Association of Washington Business, Washington Economic Development Association, and the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. She also serves on the WSU Health Spokane Advisory Council, UW Business Advisory Council, Multicare Community Partnership Fund and Spokane County United Way. She graduated with a BA from Washington State University. She is married and a mother to 9-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son. She loves sports, hiking, camping and anything that involves the outdoors.

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR, INCOMING CHAIR

Gina Stark

Economic Development Project Manager

Port of Bellingham

Gina spent 16 years working for Washington state government. Prior to starting her career at the State Legislature she spent a summer working at TVW under the tutelage of former Congressman Denny Heck who helped prepare her for her many years of public service. In the House of Representative, she started as and an Executive Assistant under James L. McIntire then worked on policy issue such as housing, infrastructure, health care, capital and operating budgets. She then served as the Director of External Affairs at the Washington State Treasurer’s Office for 8 years. She worked on banking relations, banking policies, financial education and empowerment. As a representative of the Treasurer, she served on the Washington State Housing Finance Commission. Gina currently, works at the Port of Bellingham as an Economic Development Project Manager. The economic development division is the Regional Economic Partner for all of Whatcom County and serves as the designated ADO for the Department of Commerce. Gina works with the technology, recreation, clean energy, opportunity zones, broadband, supporting BIPOC businesses and workforce housing. She is also the Project Manager for the Whatcom Country Rural Broadband Project whose goal is to provide affordable, quality broadband access to all of Whatcom County. She is Board Chair for Habitat for Humanity Whatcom County, Steering Committee Chair of the Whatcom Housing Alliance, serves on the advisory committee for Technology Alliance Whatcom STEM, and the planning committee for the Racial Equity Commission. Gina has a B.A in Political Science from Western Washington University and a Master’s Degree in public policy from the Evans School of Public Policy at the University of Washington.

Secretary

Michael Cade

Executive Director

Thurston EDC

Michael began his tenure with the Thurston County Economic Development Council (EDC) as Executive Director in January 2004. Prior to joining the EDC, Michael was the Vice President for the Snohomish County Economic Development Council from 1992 – 2003. His career in economic and community development began in 1987. His 30-year career has primarily been focused on the recruitment of investment into the community, and the retention of companies; and the development of community based economic development plans and the strategic implementation. He has worked on numerous community-based community development task forces emphasizing the creation of quality communities. He is a graduate of Western Washington University with a degree in Geography and English Literature.

He currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council, Thurston Regional Planning Council, Morningside, Thurston County Chamber of Commerce and the Washington Economic Development Association (WEDA).

The Thurston EDC, as the lead economic development agency for the county is dedicated to creating a vital and sustainable economy throughout the county that supports the livelihood and values of our residents.

Vice chair

Chris Green

Assistant Director, Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness

Washington State Department of Commerce

Chris joined the Department of Commerce in 2015 as assistant director for the Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness, which includes the international trade, business recruitment/retention and rural economic development units. Chris previously served for seven years as vice president for business retention and expansion at the Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County, a private, non-profit organization focused on recruiting and retaining businesses in Pierce County. While at the EDB Chris worked with hundreds of firms helping them to identify tax incentives, workforce training options, financing packages and a variety of other resources to help them grow and create jobs. Chris also served as Co-Chair of the Tacoma-Pierce Aerospace Partners, a group focused on growing and improving the local aerospace industry.

Prior to that, he worked in government relations and was on the staff of several elected officials, including former U.S. Congressman Norm Dicks, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and U.S. Congressman Derek Kilmer. Chris earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Pacific Lutheran University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Washington. He and his wife Shannon live in Tacoma with their three children.

VICE CHAIR, CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE CHAIR

Mandy Wallner

Economic Development Manager

City of Richland

Mandy is the Economic Development Manager at the City of Richland. Growing up in the Tri-Cities she has watched the growth of our area, both in population and development. She has always had an interest in the community, networking, meeting new people, planning events, and working for local business. In her current role, she gets to put that history and experience to work to better her community, a passion of hers since she was young. She is also a proud Coug, graduating WSU with her MBA.

Those who know her know she always has a ‘side-hustle’ or two in the works from small business consulting to wedding officiating, event planning to her Tastefully Simple business and everything in between.

When she is not at work (in its many forms), she enjoys creating, visiting wineries and points of interest throughout our region with her friends and family. She also has a thriving plant collection that she has made into a hobby.

Treasurer

Jen Baker

President & CEO

CREDC

Jennifer Baker is president and CEO of CREDC, where she leads the development and execution of business attraction and community engagement efforts. Jennifer holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies and modern languages from Pacific University and a master’s degree in international policy studies from Monterey Institute of International Studies.