The big election news for the innovation economy today is what the voters did on transportation. Even in tough economic times voters understood that mass transit has to improve or we will cripple our economy.
People can argue if all the components of Proposition 1 were the right ones, but voters supported it and voted down I-985, which would have slowed down express transit buses. No matter how many people telecommute, we still do have to get around this region and smart investments in transportation are critically important to keeping us competitive.
Author: Susannah Malarkey
Susannah Malarkey is the Executive Director of the Technology Alliance (TA), a statewide organization of leaders from technology businesses and research institutions dedicated to Washington's long-term economic success. Through programs, events, data analysis, and policy activities, the TA advances excellence in education, research, and entrepreneurship to support the growth of high-impact industries; the creation of high-wage jobs; and economic prosperity for the entire state.
She has been the Executive Director of the Technology Alliance since its inception in 1996, and oversees all TA projects and programs. She co-founded the Alliance of Angels in 1997 and oversaw the program until it was spun out by the TA in 2012. She also founded the Innovation Showcase in 2009 and co-founded the Our Schools Coalition in 2010. Current signature TA programs include the monthly Science and Technology Discovery series; the annual State of Technology Luncheon; and the biennial Technology Institute. The TA’s newest effort is the Ada Developers Academy, an innovative and intensive software training program for women launched in the fall of 2013.
Malarkey currently serves on the board of the Washington Technology Industry Association, on the Steering Committee for the Our Schools Coalition, on the advisory board for University of Washington’s Clean Energy Institute, and is a member of Women in Venture.
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