Executive Leadership Team
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Gene Boes, President & CEO
Gene Boes joined Northwest Center as CEO in 2018, after serving on the Northwest Center Board of Directors for three years. Previously, Boes was a management consultant serving as Principal for the Seattle office of the North Highland Company. In addition to his consulting duties, Gene also served as an Adjunct Professor at Seattle Pacific University and Seattle University, and is a Mentor for the Albers School of Business. Prior to joining North Highland, he was Managing Director at Loft9 Consulting, a Bellevue-based Management Consulting Firm. His career also includes nearly 14 years at Microsoft, two years with Deloitte Consulting, and nine years serving as a Naval Flight Officer in the US Navy. Throughout his career, Gene has been an active participant in community and non-profit organizations, and served on the Board of Directors for Cure Autism Now, prior to their merger with Autism Speaks. Gene and his wife June are parents of two adult children: son Andrew and daughter Tori. Tori, who has autism, is also a client of Northwest Center Employment Services. |
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Robyn Brown, Chief Development Officer
Robyn Brown joined Northwest Center as Chief Development Officer in 2018. She is charged with laying the foundation for philanthropic sustainability while building out an impending capital campaign. Brown’s passion for helping underserved individuals achieve their potential led her to leave the corporate sector in 2006; she has been working to create social change ever since. Her nonprofit experience spans from program development to strategic planning, building a social enterprise, and advising nonprofit startups. Most recently, Brown served as CDO for Big Brothers Big Sisters Puget Sound, where she co-led the process for the five-year organizational strategic plan, created new funding strategies that helped the organization to recover from financial downturn, achieve 12% growth, and strengthen its impact. She also served on the national rebrand task force for the 115-year-old brand. Brown earned a BA in Communications from California State University Fullerton, holds a fund development certification, and is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She and her husband have two children and are active leaders in the community. |
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Laura Kneedler, M. Ed. - Chief Mission Officer
Laura joined Northwest Center in 2013 as the director of one of our Early Learning programs and was promoted to her role as Vice President of Education & Therapy services in 2016. With more than 15 years of experience, Laura has worked in a variety of settings including public schools, therapeutic childcare centers, and as an early childhood classroom teacher for more than 10 years. Laura holds a Bachelor of Science in Education/Health & Human Development from Montana State University and a master’s degree in Special Education from Concordia University, as well as a certification in infant/toddler development. She is passionate about Northwest Center’s mission and about providing support and advocacy to the children and families enrolled in our programs. |
Tess Connor, Chief Growth Officer
Tess Connor was named Northwest Center’s Chief Growth Officer in June 2022, tasked with accelerating growth of our social enterprise businesses and maximizing the achievement of commercial performance objectives to benefit the NWC mission. In this role, she leads the organization’s Sales, Business Development, Marketing, and Product Development functions.
Tess brings an exceptional record of exceeding business goals, building high performing teams, and solving business problems, all driving accelerated growth and performance. She spent more than 15 years at Microsoft, most recently as Senior Director, U.S. AI & Sustainability Strategy & Partnership, and earlier as Director of Marketing, U.S. Partner Strategy & Programs. In that role, she led a team responsible for Microsoft’s U.S. Partner Experience and Channel Incentives including U.S. partner communications through owned and paid digital channels, relationship marketing, and channel incentives aligned to drive Microsoft strategies. Previously, she served as Strategic Marketing Manager for Los Angeles marketing agency Ignited, where she was responsible for market research, product feasibility and concept testing, research, and analysis of industry landscape, competitors, and customer profiling.
A native of Australia, Tess has also held Strategy Analyst and Consultant positions in her home country with AMP, Perpetual Investments, and Deloitte Australia. She earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Sydney.
Tess Connor was named Northwest Center’s Chief Growth Officer in June 2022, tasked with accelerating growth of our social enterprise businesses and maximizing the achievement of commercial performance objectives to benefit the NWC mission. In this role, she leads the organization’s Sales, Business Development, Marketing, and Product Development functions.
Tess brings an exceptional record of exceeding business goals, building high performing teams, and solving business problems, all driving accelerated growth and performance. She spent more than 15 years at Microsoft, most recently as Senior Director, U.S. AI & Sustainability Strategy & Partnership, and earlier as Director of Marketing, U.S. Partner Strategy & Programs. In that role, she led a team responsible for Microsoft’s U.S. Partner Experience and Channel Incentives including U.S. partner communications through owned and paid digital channels, relationship marketing, and channel incentives aligned to drive Microsoft strategies. Previously, she served as Strategic Marketing Manager for Los Angeles marketing agency Ignited, where she was responsible for market research, product feasibility and concept testing, research, and analysis of industry landscape, competitors, and customer profiling.
A native of Australia, Tess has also held Strategy Analyst and Consultant positions in her home country with AMP, Perpetual Investments, and Deloitte Australia. She earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Sydney.
