Washington Roundtable Names Rachel Smith as Next President;
Seattle Metro Chamber Announces Interim President and CEO
SEATTLE, WA – August 20, 2025 – Washington Roundtable today announced that Rachel Smith will become the organization’s next president, effective Oct. 1, 2025. Smith will transition out of her current role as president and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan (Seattle Metro) Chamber of Commerce this fall. The Seattle Metro Chamber has appointed Gabriella Buono, the Chamber’s current Chief Impact Officer, to serve as interim president and CEO and the board of trustees will launch a search for its next permanent top executive.
“Rachel is a highly respected advocate for Washington’s businesses at a time when the state is facing strong economic headwinds, from statewide tax increases on businesses of all sizes to economic shifts at the federal level. She brings deep civic expertise, strategic leadership, and a proven ability to work across sectors and with public officials around the state,” said Julie Sandler, Washington Roundtable board chair, and co-founder and venture partner at PSL Ventures. “We are excited to welcome her to the Roundtable and confident she will drive solutions that support both our state’s economic health and pathways to opportunity for all Washingtonians.”
“Rachel understands the needs of employers across the state, from the I-5 corridor to communities east of the Cascades,” said Michael Senske, current member and past chair of the Washington Roundtable, and president and CEO of Pearson Packaging Systems in Spokane. “Under her leadership, the Roundtable will continue to elevate the voice of businesses statewide and pursue policies that strengthen Washington’s economy and communities.”
Smith has served as president and CEO of the Seattle Metro Chamber since 2021, where she grew the organization’s membership, collaborated with local governments on major initiatives focused on regional recovery, transportation, housing, and championed small and minority-owned businesses. Smith also launched The Index, a survey measuring voters’ priorities, a now essential resource to understand where business and voters’ views align.
Smith brings more than two decades of experience in government affairs, policy, operations, and advocacy, including 13 years serving in local and regional government. She’s held leadership roles in local and regional government, as deputy county executive and chief of staff to King County Executive Dow Constantine, as well as government and community relations roles at Sound Transit and in the administration of former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels.
In addition to leading the Roundtable’s efforts to push policy positions that boost state economic vitality and foster opportunity for all Washingtonians, Smith will advance the organization’s focus on addressing the rising cost of doing business and corresponding impact on affordability, on government delivering results for the people it serves, and on partnerships and collaboration to advance progress.
“Washington is a great place to live and work, and employers are a driving force behind keeping it competitive and livable,” said Preston Feight, CEO of PACCAR and a member of the Washington Roundtable. “Rachel brings the kind of thoughtful leadership that can unite businesses across industries to advance policies that support economic growth and opportunity in every part of the state.”
“It is an honor to step into this new role with the Roundtable,” Smith said. “Across all levels of government, and in every corner of Washington state, it is imperative that employers are recognized for what they are – an essential part of healthy communities – and that we work together to avoid actions that undermine our economic competitiveness, including policies that disincentivize job growth or make it more expensive to start or grow a business. I look forward to working with officials and partners on solutions that will improve our quality of life and generate prosperity. I am deeply grateful to the Seattle Metro Chamber’s board and staff for their dedication and partnership over the last nearly five years, and I look forward to continuing to collaborate in this new role.”
“The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce is thriving thanks to Rachel’s leadership these last nearly five years. We are grateful for her dedication, accomplishments, and the positive momentum she leaves behind,” said Susan Loosmore, chair of the Seattle Metro Chamber board and executive vice president, strategic advisor at T-Mobile. “We are also confident that Gabriella Buono, the Chamber’s current Chief Impact Officer, will guide the team with strength and stability during this transition.”
About Washington Roundtable
Washington Roundtable is a nonprofit organization comprised of senior executives of major private sector employers in Washington state. Our members work together to effect positive change on public policy issues that they believe are most important to supporting state economic vitality and fostering opportunity for all Washingtonians. Learn more at waroundtable.com.
About Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
The Seattle Metropolitan (Seattle Metro) Chamber of Commerce is the regional business advocacy organization that engages the innovation and entrepreneurship of its 2,500 members to promote inclusive economic prosperity. Founded in 1882 by local business leaders, the Chamber today is an independent organization representing a regional workforce of approximately 750,000. Learn more at seattlechamber.com.
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Sara Garrettson, sara@waroundtable.com
Lars Erickson, larse@seattlechamber.com