Seattle Foundation Adds Three New Trustees to Board

SEATTLE, July 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Social impact leader Janet Levinger, Microsoft Executive Vice President Terry Myerson and growth investor Debra Somberg have joined the board of trustees of Seattle Foundation, announced Board Chair Ann Watson.

"The addition of these three entrepreneurial business and community leaders continues Seattle Foundation's long tradition of tapping extremely talented and successful trustees to guide and shape the organization," said Watson, chief financial officer at Moss Adams LLP. "The strategic counsel and perspectives of our newest trustees will further strengthen the Seattle Foundation's longstanding role as the philanthropy leader for families, individuals and businesses in Greater Seattle."   

The board appointment is effective July 2015 and they have been elected to serve three-year terms. Seattle Foundation's board has 21 trustees. 

A resident of the Eastside, Levinger is a social impact leader focusing time, advocacy efforts, and philanthropy on improving education, supporting children and their families and promoting fair democratic processes. Currently, she is the board chair of Eastside Pathways, a collective impact organization that works to build cross-sector alignment and commitment to education results.  Her extensive leadership experience includes serving as a board member and/or board chair of Thrive Washington, Social Venture Partners Seattle, League of Education Voters, Crosscut, United Way of King County, Child Care Resources and Bellevue Schools Foundation.  Levinger is a founder and board member emeritus of Eastside Preparatory School. She has extensive experience in marketing, communications and training in the high-tech sector. She is a graduate of Brown University.

Myerson is the executive vice president of the Windows and Devices Group (WDG) at Microsoft, the team responsible for the platform, apps, games, store and devices that power the Windows ecosystem. These products include Microsoft Edge, Minecraft, Halo, Surface, HoloLens, Lumia and Xbox. Before WDG, Myerson led the Operating Systems Group responsible for Windows 10.  Previously, he led the team behind Windows Phone, which won multiple industry awards for design, innovation and customer satisfaction after its launch in 2010. He also spearheaded the Exchange team, during which time Exchange became the world's most popular business communications system. Myerson holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Duke University. Myerson founded Intersé, one of the first web software companies, which was acquired by Microsoft in 1997.

Somberg has focused her 25-year career working with growth companies seeking to transform their marketplace. She is the managing partner of Sovern Group, bringing personalized solutions for health and wellness through technological innovations. Previously, she spent nearly a decade co-managing Maveron LLC, a venture capital firm focused on the intersection of technology and consumers.  Somberg currently serves on the board of directors of BECU and Port Blakely Companies and continues her work on the board of KIPP LA Schools, a nonprofit organization operating 13 public charter schools in under-resourced communities in Los Angeles. A resident of Seattle, Somberg has a master's degree in business administration from Harvard Business School and earned her undergraduate degree from Stanford University.  

About Seattle Foundation

Seattle Foundation's mission is to ignite powerful and rewarding philanthropy to make Greater Seattle a stronger, more vibrant community for all. Our goal as a community foundation is to simplify giving and strengthen the impact of philanthropy for the more than 1,200 individuals, families and businesses we serve. Seattle Foundation facilitated more than $100 million in grants in 2014 and manages more than $850 million in charitable assets. Visit www.seattlefoundation.org to learn more.

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SOURCE The Seattle Foundation