Vice President of Economic Development

Greater Seattle Partners

ccarrillo@greater-seattle.com

Biography

I currently represent Greater Seattle Partners (GSP), a regional economic development group funded by public and private sector leaders representing King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties in Washington state. In my role I oversee business attraction strategies, research, and community initiatives. The Greater Seattle region is a dynamic, growing economy – to sustain that growth inclusive, strategic economic development strategies that prioritize more access to prosper for all are imperative. I am honored to fulfill this role through my career. Previously, I have held economic development roles at the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, and worked with the California Energy Commission on cleantech procurement strategies.

During my tenure I have spearheaded the creation of an incubator for biotech in food and agriculture, assisted 28 companies to locate or expand in the Greater Sacramento region, and advised multiple Bay Area governments on more inclusive, sustainable procurement.

I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Tec de Monterrey and a MBA from Hult International Business School.

Areas of Interest

Economic development, innovation ecosystem modeling, investment attraction, international business, venture capital, comprehensive economic development strategies (CEDS), regional recovery, business attraction, industry consortium models, academia tech transfer, corporate and open innovation, regional marketing, community outreach, incentives, public-private fundraising, biotech, agtech, foodtech, cleantech, edtech, govtech, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, transportation, logistics

Offer:

I bring a wealth of knowledge for regional innovation models, entrepreneurial ecosystem building, industry cluster strategies, and business attraction strategies that are inclusive and creative. I have experience designing industry consortiums, capital formation models, public-private partnerships, and go to market services in industries of the future such as: food and agricultural technology, green technologies, biotechnology, and future mobility. My current role with GSP allows me to provide a window into one of the highest performing aerospace, defense, and deep space clusters in the world - and Colorado's specialized industry verticals in these sectors are of high interest to me. I consider Colorado a world class example of building an entrepreneurial ecosystem from the ground up, and would be extremely grateful for an opportunity to experience it firsthand and explore knowledge exchange partnerships between Colorado and the Seattle markets.

Ask:

I seek to learn more about Colorado's entrepreneurial ecosystem and A&D industry cluster, to seek partnership opportunities between leaders in Colorado and Seattle. Knowledge exchange and cross-regional collaborations CAN and SHOULD be part of regional economic strategies - our country is more interconnected, and more in need of new job creation strategies than ever. Similarly, exploring launch pad and soft-landing models for foreign startups to enter the United States with international ACE participants, business attraction opportunities, and further strengthening ties with the OAS, ITA and EDA teams remains a key priority for me as a professional. Economic recovery is a current and crucial conversation, and I see no better forum to have discussions that can turn into impact nationwide than the ACE program.