Microsoft AI leader jumps at OpenAI; Former AI2 executive joins Meta; and more – GeekWire
– Pamela Bhattacharya left his role as senior director of AI at Microsoft to join OpenAI as a member of its technical staff, where he leads an AI safety project focused on child safety. Bhattacharya spent nearly nine years at Microsoft as a senior scientist and manager before leaving in 2021, worked at Meta and Lacework, and then joined Microsoft in 2024.
The computer scientist holds more than 30 patents and is an expert in machine learning and human-in-the-loop programming. “I’m most motivated by problems where getting it wrong has real consequences – and by developing the next generation of AI leaders who can tackle those difficulties,” he said on his LinkedIn profile.
– Aniruddha Kembhaviformer executive director at the Allen Institute for AI (AI2), has joined MetaAI Research Team in London. Kembhavi spent nearly a decade at the Seattle-based agency before leaving in December 2024, then joining private car company Wayve as a director. He is also an associate professor at the University of Washington.
After a few weeks at Meta, Kembhavi said on LinkedIn that she was already “incredibly impressed by the level of people, the energy, and the passion of what’s being created.”
– Diego Panama takes over as CEO of LogicGate in July, succeeding co-founder Matt Kunkel. Panama joined the Chicago-based risk management software company last year as chief executive officer, having previously served as chief revenue officer at Olo, a Bellevue-based SaaS company.
Although LogicGate is headquartered in Chicago, it has been operating out of a Bellevue co-working space since January and plans to move to a permanent office this summer, the Puget Sound Business Journal reports. Chief Marketing Officer Michael Schultz and about 4 other employees are also based in the Seattle area. The company expects to increase its Bellevue number to 20 by the end of the year.
– Veterans of public relations Kent Hollenbeck again Erik Moser they have co-founded Resonant Advisory Groupis a Portland-based PR firm specializing in crisis preparedness, crisis management and client communications strategies in technology, healthcare, retail and AI.
Hollenbeck previously spent nearly six years at Amazon as its marketing and product lead for robotics and fulfillment technology. Moser most recently served as managing director at Global Gateway Advisors. The two met at Edelman, where they both held senior roles in the Pacific Northwest.
–Chris Blais you have joined Riviera Partnersa top recruiting firm focused on technology, product and design leaders. Blais comes from Seattle-based Herd Freed Hartz, where he spent 12 years focusing on technical talent.
– Nora Hawkins promoted to director of energy policy at Washington State Department of Commercewhere he has worked for four years.
– Adam Dimopoulosformer senior program manager for cloud security at Microsoft, has been named chief security officer at Promise. He joins the Minneapolis-based software company from Synchrony.
– Kostas Malliosformer Microsoft GM and past VP at Intellectual Ventures, joined the board of directors of the Greek non-profit organization. The Panathena. Mallios is currently the VP of the Utilities business.
