Operations

Russell Benaroya has more than 25 years of experience as a Wall Street banker, private equity professional and entrepreneur. He started his career at Salomon Smith Barney in New York before moving to Los Angeles to begin investing in early-stage start-ups. Following business school, Russell took the entrepreneurial leap and for the next 15 years, built and exited two venture backed businesses in both services and technology.

Russell is a seasoned operator and a transaction professional. He is also regarded as both a guide and coach for senior leaders. In 2001, Russell published a book on the topic of leadership, One Life to Lead.

Russell is both an active community leader, serving as Chairperson for Plymouth Housing’s signature event, Seattle Dances, and was a past board member for the Jewish Community Center. When not working to build great organizations, you will find Russell in the mountains in search of his next ultramarathon adventure. Russell lives in Seattle with his wife, a school counselor. He is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara and received his MBA at the Anderson School at UCLA.

Jake grew up in a small town in eastern Minnesota where they spent their childhood at the lake. After graduating from college in Chicago, they moved around the country, working as a stage manager with different opera companies. In January of 2021, they decided to step out of the performing arts industry and move to Seattle for the water and mountains. Jake enjoys supporting and managing collaborative teams, especially those working to carve out space for communities that are often ignored or silenced. When not working, Jake can be found advocating for non-binary inclusion in the sport of running.