Tech Moves: Amazon PR leader joins Bastion; Accolade SVP steps down; Elevate Capital names partner
— Former Amazon communications leader Rebekah Nicodemus is now the head of Bastion America, the newly launched U.S. office of Bastion, a marketing agency based in London focused on the video game industry. The company expects to have a Seattle hub while recruiting employees based around the nation.
Nicodemus was at Amazon for nearly a decade, most recently in the role of communications lead for Amazon Web Services. The majority of her tenure was with Amazon Games. Prior to Amazon, Nicodemus was with the Los Angeles office of the PR firm Grayling.
“We’ve worked closely with Rebekah while she was at Amazon and know that her drive to achieve is perfectly compatible with the Bastion client-first approach,” Ravi Vijh, Bastion’s managing director, said in a statement.
— Joseph Williams, a longtime Seattle-area leader at the intersection of tech and public service, is now governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) practice director at Artemis Connection. Artemis is a strategy consulting firm serving leaders across business sectors.
Williams most recently served as interim director of the Washington State Broadband Office within the Department of Commerce. He is also of the volunteer executive director of Northwest Quantum Nexus, a group supporting quantum research.
— Seattle startup mpathic announced new C-suite additions as it expands product offerings. The company provides software to AI developers and companies to better ensure the safety of artificial intelligence platforms that serve young people seeking mental health and medical support.
- Rebekah Bastian is now chief marketing officer at mpathic. Bastian is the founder and former CEO of the career and life navigation platform OwnTrail and former vice president of community and culture at Zillow Group. She was most recently senior VP of marketing and product at Glowforge.
- Alison Cerezo, who has been with mpathic since 2023, was promoted to chief science officer. Cerezo was previously a principal investigator at the California Department of Public Health and an associate professor at University of California, Santa Barbara.
— Ben Nahir is now a partner at Elevate Capital, a venture capital firm based in Hillsboro, Ore. Nahir, who lives in the Seattle area, has been with Elevate since 2018 and previously worked at TiE Oregon, an organization supporting entrepreneurs through mentorship and angel investment.
“Ben has played an integral part in expanding Elevate’s portfolio and advancing its mission to empower underrepresented founders,” Elevate said in a statement. “Over the past four years, he has excelled as a venture principal after three years as a senior associate.”
— Liz Ferega has left her role as SVP of revenue and growth leadership at Accolade. Ferega was with the company for more than six years. Accolade provides healthcare delivery, navigation and advocacy services through employers. The company, which went public in 2020, is based in Seattle and the Philadelphia area. Ferega was working from St. Petersburg, Fla.
— Lisa Chin was named CEO of Juma, a San Francisco-based nonprofit working to break the cycle of poverty by empowering youth in Seattle and California tech hubs. Chin was the founding executive director of Year Up Seattle, a workforce training program focused on IT, software, business and customer experience roles.
— Samantha Temple Neukom, a longtime Seattle-area corporate strategist with clients including Microsoft, Apptio and others, is making a career move — but she’s mum on what it’s going to be. Her most recent role was founder and CEO of the brand strategy firm Northbound, which she operated for more than 13 years.
“This ending has come with clarity, which I could not have reached had it not been for the many leaders, clients, and friends who offered their experience, network, and wisdom as I inquired about my own growth, purpose, and next chapter,” Neukom said on LinkedIn.
— Megan McNally, a longtime legal advisor to startups, opened a new law practice called Edgewater Business Law PLLC. McNally founded the FBomb Breakfast Club, a peer support community for women founders and business owners, and runs the FBomb Angels Investment Club.
— The Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) appointed Brianna Rockenstire as events manager. Rockenstire was previously director of the Center of Excellence for Information & Computing Technology, a Bellevue, Wash., organization focused on supporting workforce development through community and technology colleges.
— Kory Mathews, a recently retired Boeing executive with nearly 40 years with the company, joined the board of directors at Natilus. The San Diego-based aerospace manufacturer is building highly efficient aircraft to carry passengers and cargo. Natilus on Tuesday announced $28 million in new funding.
— B.C.-based General Fusion appointed Wendy Kei as a strategic advisor. The energy company recently announced a deal to go public via a $1 billion SPAC agreement. Kei serves on multiple boards, including as board chair for Ontario Power Generation and was most recently CFO of a Canadian diamond mining company.
