Team

The W Fund Team

Board of Directors

The W Fund is guided by a five-member board of directors led by General Manager Linden Rhoads, former UW Vice Provost responsible for commercializing university research, and a veteran of successful Seattle-based start-ups.
Linden Rhoads

Linden Rhoads

General Manager
Former UW Vice Provost—Commercialization

Jeff Canin

Jeff Canin

Independent Director
Board Member, Element 8 Angels, and Principal, Canin Associates

Troy Cichos

Troy Cichos

Independent Director
Administrative Partner, Madrona Capital

Will Poole

Will Poole

Independent Director
Social Technologist; Managing Director, Unitus Seed Fund

Joe Wallin

Joe Wallin

Independent Director
Start-up and corporate transactions & securities attorney

Investment Committee

Investment opportunities are analyzed by a 20-member Investment Committee comprised of the most highly qualified investment professionals in the northwest. Investment decisions are made by the Investment Committee, which includes experts in the medical devices, clean technology / materials / engineering, software / IT, and life sciences sectors, reflecting the breadth of UW and Washington research-based start-up companies.
Monica Beam

Monica Beam

Principal at Alexandria Venture Investments

Life Sciences
Jeff Canin

Jeff Canin

Board Member, Element 8 Angels, and Principal, Canin Associates

Materials Science, Clean Technology and Information Technology
Tom Clement

Tom Clement

Medical Device Executive and former Chairman of WBBA

Medical Devices
Lonnie Edelheit

Lonnie Edelheit

Retired Senior Vice President of R&D, General Electric Co.

Advanced Medical Imaging
Patrick Ennis

Patrick Ennis

Venture Partner, Madrona Venture Group

Semiconductors, Materials Science, Computing and Communications
Steve Gillis

Steve Gillis

Managing Director, ARCH Venture Partners

Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals and Vaccines
Ron Howell

Ron Howell

President & CEO, Washington Research Foundation / WRF Capital

Software, IT
Scott Jacobson

Scott Jacobson

Managing Director, Madrona Venture Group

Software, IT
Loretta Little

Loretta Little

Managing Director at WRF Capital

Medical Devices, Healthcare
Bruce Montgomery

Bruce Montgomery

CEO, Cardeas Pharma, Former Senior Vice President, Gilead

Biopharmaceuticals
Will Poole

Will Poole

Independent Social-Technologist

Information Technology
Christopher Porter

Christopher Porter

Serial Medical Device Entrepreneur and Commercialization Consultant at WBBA

Medical Devices
Linden Rhoads

Linden Rhoads

Former UW Vice Provost—Commercialization

Software, Internet, Display Technology
Chad Waite

Chad Waite

Managing Director, OVP

Digital Technology, Network Security, Life Sciences
Kirk Washington

Kirk Washington

Co-Founder & General Parter, Yaletown Venture Group

Clean Technology, Advanced Materials, Engineering