BizQuest: The Business of Learning

Pearl Leung is the Senior Manager of External Affairs at Amazon where she heads external engagement with local community stakeholders to foster relationships and partnerships in support of Amazon’s presence in Bellevue and the Eastside region. Prior to her current role at Amazon, Leung spent over 14 years at Vulcan Inc. as their Director of External Affairs and built deep partnerships with over 150 non-profit and community organizations across the Puget Sound impacting areas of community development, economic empowerment, social equity, affordable housing, arts, and transportation.

Leung also helped the Harlem 125th Street Business Improvement District with its district expansion, served as campaign manager for former State Representative Velma Veloria, and worked at the University of Washington’s Upward Bound Program to help low-income students of color towards college entrance. Leung holds a Masters in Urban Planning and a B.A. in American Ethnic Studies from the University of Washington. She currently serves on the boards of the Low Income Housing Institute and Housing Connector.

Megan leads the airline’s government and community affairs work, having started in the company’s Washington DC office in 2005 as Director of Government Affairs. Prior to joining Alaska Airlines, Megan was responsible for air transportation and homeland security issues for a congressional office. An attorney, she previously worked in the law office of Winterbauer & Diamond PLLC, Seattle.

A member of the Washington State Bar Association, Megan earned a Juris Doctor degree (cum laude) from Seattle University School of Law. She also studied international and comparative law at Trinity College, Dublin and received a bachelor’s degree (cum laude) in political science from the University of Washington.

Ally Svenson and her husband Scott co-founded MOD Pizza, opening the first location in downtown Seattle in 2008. With explosive growth over the past few years, MOD has been named the fastest growing restaurant chain in the U.S. by Technomic for four years running, and has earned a spot on the Inc.500 list.

As chief purpose officer, Ally helps guide and protect MOD’s people-first culture. MOD recently earned a spot on the Fortune Magazine’s “Change the World” list, for its purpose-led culture and commitment to provide opportunities to individuals with barriers to employment.

MOD has earned a spot on the Inc.5000 list and been named by Fortune as one of the “20 Best Workplaces in Retail,” a “Best Workplace for Women,” a “Best Workplace for Millennials,” and a “Best Workplace for Diversity.” The company has also been named the most loved pizza brand by Foodable Network. Today, with more than 495 locations across 28 states and Canada, Ally and Scott are pursuing an aggressive national and international expansion of the brand, excited by the notion of “Spreading MODness” into new communities.

Prior to MOD, Ally and Scott co-founded Seattle Coffee (SCC) in 1994, the first gourmet coffee retailer and wholesaler in the UK. They grew the business to 75 retail locations in under three years, eventually selling SCC to Starbucks in 1998. The Svensons were also instrumental in the launch of Carluccio’s Ltd (UK), a thriving London based operator of Italian deli/cafes, along with various additional ventures in the US and UK.

Ally has been an active volunteer within the Bellevue and Seattle community for the last 20 years, currently serving as an advisor to Rainier Athletes and as board co-chair of Evergreens, a Seattle based salad and bowl concept. Ally is an honor graduate of Wellesley College, and has been recognized as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year, named a Women of Influence by the Puget Sound Business Journal and a Women to Watch by 425 Magazine. Above all, Ally’s greatest and most sacred role is that of mother to her four amazing boys and as wife to Scott!

Jeff Webster joined Oak View Group in March of 2019 as Vice President of Corporate Partnerships with a focus on building out and overseeing the team responsible for growing the brand partnership portfolio of the Seattle Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena. Before joining OVG the Seattle Kraken, Jeff served as Senior Director of Global Partnerships at Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), where he created best in class deals for the LA Kings, STAPLES Center, LA Live, the LA Galaxy and music properties such as the Coachella music festival among others.

His career has also included time in the NFL with the Detroit Lions and in motorsports with NASCAR in Daytona Beach. Jeff is originally from Seattle and is proud to have returned home to bring the NHL’s 32nd franchise to the Pacific Northwest.

Putter Bert joined KidsQuest Children’s Museum (KQCM) in 1999 as Executive Director and lead the plan to create a new children’s museum in Bellevue. KQCM opened in Factoria in 2005. Built to serve 70,000 visitors, KQCM served almost double the projected patrons in its first year. Putter then led a $12.7M capital campaign to secure a downtown Bellevue location for an expanded facility that opened in January 2017; it serves over 200,000 people annually welcoming families from King County as well as Snohomish, Pierce, and Kitsap Counties and visitors from across the country.

Putter Bert has over 30 years of experience serving in leadership roles at The Children’s Museum of Tacoma, The Children’s Museum of Arkansas, The Portsmouth Children’s Museum and The Boston Children’s Museum. As KidsQuest President & CEO she has been a leader in the museum’s community collaborations with partners such as the City of Bellevue, Boeing, Microsoft, ACM (Association of Children’s Museums) and NWAYM (Northwest Association of Youth Museums). Putter Bert is active on boards for ACM, Eastside Pathways, Bellevue Downtown Association, Inspire WA, Washington State Leadership, and Visit Bellevue.