Our talented team works with our investment partners to bring fresh ideas, solve problems and add value.
Our family leadership provides a voice for over 500 family members, bringing continuity, direction, and unity to a seventh generation business. View Leadership
Brian became the CEO of Laird Norton Company in January 2023. He joined LNC in 2012 as Manager of Corporate Investments to build the company’s corporate development function. He went on to serve LNC in roles of growing responsibility over the course of the next decade, culminating in his promotion to CEO.
Brian is a director of Laird Norton Company and Laird Norton Properties, and Chair of the Laird Norton Properties Real Estate Committee. He also serves on the boards of LNC portfolio companies Laird Norton Wealth Management and Heartland LLC, a real estate advisory firm.
Prior to joining LNC, Brian was President and Chief Compliance Officer of Stonnington Group, a wealth management firm in Los Angeles. At Stonnington, Brian combined operational responsibilities with investment responsibilities that included origination, execution, and oversight of a range of private markets investments including direct investments in early-stage technology and consumer companies. Earlier in his career, he worked in technology consulting in the UK and Europe.
Brian was born in Zimbabwe and grew up in South Africa before starting his working life in the UK. He now calls Seattle, where he lives with his wife and two sons, home.
Brian received a BSc in chemical engineering from the University of Cape Town and an MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business. He is a CAIA Charter Holder.
Deborah Boston joined Laird Norton Company in 2020 as the Executive Assistant to Jeff Vincent. Deborah comes to LNC after 16 years with Laird Norton Wealth Management where she served as the Executive Assistant to the CEO and President and then as a Strategic Implementation Specialist. She likes to refer to herself as a utility player and loves a good challenge.
Deborah and her husband, Richard have raised their two sons in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and in her spare time she can be found exploring the great outdoors. Camping is her passion and most weekends she, her husband and their Goldendoodle named Bodhi, can be found sitting around a campfire enjoying this beautiful part of the country.
Anthony Cree joined Laird Norton Company in 2011 and was recently promoted to Vice President of Tax. Anthony is responsible for leading the tax function within Laird Norton Company, primarily focusing on income tax strategy and tax compliance for the company and its subsidiaries.
Born and raised in Oregon’s Cascade foothills on his parents’ tree farm, Anthony has always had a passion for the outdoors. For a period of time, Anthony followed in his family’s footsteps as a 4th generation logger for their family business, giving him a unique perspective not only on the logging industry but of successful family-run enterprises. Anthony enjoys spending his free time mountain biking and currently lives in Snoqualmie with his girlfriend Mire and rescue dog Jack.
Anthony received a BS in business administration from Oregon State University, graduating Magna Cum Laude, and is a licensed CPA in Washington State and a member of the Tax Executives Institute.
Sue Garske joined Laird Norton Company as a corporate accountant over 20 years ago. Over the past few decades, Sue has been promoted to LNC’s Office and Employee Services Manager, responsible for the day to day operations within the office and the HR resource for employees.
Sue was raised in the Seattle area and lives in Edmonds. Sue enjoys spending time with friends and family, is a dedicated yogi, and recently started the process to obtain the yoga teaching training certification.Joining Laird Norton Company in 2015, Matthew Hill is a Manager, Corporate Development working on a variety of assignments, including acquisitions, debt and equity financings, long-term strategic planning and portfolio monitoring.
Prior to joining Laird Norton Company, Matthew was a Senior Associate in the Valuation Services Group at Grant Thornton, LLP. At Grant Thornton, he conducted valuations for business enterprises, business interests, financial securities and intellectual property across various industry segments.
Matthew was raised in Houston, Texas. He enjoys the occasional workout, playing golf and exploring Seattle with his wife and their dog, Otis. Matthew received his BBA in finance from Baylor University and an MBA from the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business. He is a member of Seattle’s Association for Corporate Growth and the Seattle Finance Collective.
Danny Howe is the Vice President of Family Programs and Relations for Laird Norton Company. He is responsible for proactively planning, implementing, and managing a variety of family events and programs and coordinating communications for the Laird Norton Family. Danny collaborates with the Family President on member relations, outreach, communications and program development designed to inform, engage and connect Laird Norton family members.
Before arriving at LNC, Danny led strategic communications and event planning for Casey Family Programs. Prior to that, he served as Vice President for Strategic and External Affairs for Children’s Home Society of Washington.
Danny graduated from the University of Washington with bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration and Asian American studies, as well as a master’s degree in Community and Organizational Services – Go Dawgs! He also earned a Certificate of Management and Leadership from Massachusetts Institute for Technology.
Marina Kifa joined Laird Norton Company in 2008 as a Senior Tax Associate after 6 years in public accounting. She is part of the Laird Norton Company tax team, with a primary focus on tax compliance for the company and its subsidiaries. Marina graduated from the University of Washington with a Master’s Degree in Professional Accounting and Taxation.
Born in Moldova (a former republic of Soviet Union), Marina came to the United States in 1993 together with her husband, Konstantin. Marina has two daughters and enjoys spending her free time with family and friends.
ChiEun Kim joined the Laird Norton Company in 2008 as Assistant Controller and was promoted to Corporate Controller in 2015. As the Corporate Controller, she is responsible for the overall management of the company’s accounting and reporting, accounting and corporate record systems, risk management, and treasury functions.
ChiEun is a gardening enthusiast and frequently shares her vegetable bounty with her co-workers. She received a BA in business administration, concentrating in Accounting from the University of Washington, and is a licensed CPA in Washington State.
Stella Llewellyn joined Laird Norton Company in 2019 as Tax Supervisor. Prior to joining Laird Norton Company’s tax team, Stella worked as a senior tax consultant in a public accounting firm in Orange County, CA, as a senior tax accountant at Matthew G. Norton Co., and as a manager at Andersen Tax.
In her free time, Stella enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading, and taking long walks with her dogs.
Stella received her BA in Business Administration from the California State University, Fullerton and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Dawn McPhearson joined Laird Norton Company as an Assistant Corporate Secretary in September 2019. Prior to joining, Dawn worked as a Corporate Paralegal for 19 years, with several prestigious law firms including Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson, Williams Kastner, and Karr Tuttle Campbell. Dawn has also worked on various corporate transactions for CT Corporation.
Dawn was raised in Indiana, moved to Washington in 1991, and lives in Port Orchard, WA. Dawn has a passion for volunteering and giving back to her community. She has volunteered on an Activities Committee, serving food at Mary’s Place, and participated in the “Big Climb Seattle”. Dawn likes to explore and hike the Great Pacific Northwest, enjoys reading, going to the gym, and spending time with friends and family.
Dawn has a Paralegal Degree specializing in Corporation Law.
Bethany Stanton joined Laird Norton Company in 2019 as the Project Manager for the Family Office. She works alongside Danny Howe, VP Family Programs & Relations and Allison Parks, Family President. Bethany plays a key role in the day-to-day operations of the Family Office. She uses her strong project management skills to help monitor and organize Family Office projects and assists in all aspects of planning, coordinating and communicating about the annual Family Summit.
During her spare time, Bethany can be found planning her upcoming wedding. She and her fiancé Matt also enjoy cooking classes and attending wine education classes. Bethany enjoys traveling the world and seeing new places.
She received a BA in Sports/Entertainment/Event Management and a Master’s in Business Administration from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Nate Moe, Manager of Financial Strategy, joined Laird Norton Company in 2015. He works across the organization to execute on key strategic initiatives of the company and has experience in investing, finance, and accounting. He is also Chairman of the LNC Environmental and Wellness Committee.
Born and raised in a Washington logging town, Nate is proud to be a part of the strong values and rich history of LNC. In his spare time, Nate likes to frequent farmers’ markets to shop for seasonal ingredients, go on trail runs in Discovery Park (aka “his backyard”), play guitar, and spend time with his family exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
Nate holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting from the University of Washington Foster School of Business. He is a Certified Public Accountant and CFA Charterholder.
Joseph Phelps joined Laird Norton Company in 2020 as Vice President, Legal and Secretary of the company. His responsibilities include oversight of the company’s legal function, corporate governance, and various unitholder matters.
Prior to working at Laird Norton, Joseph worked at global law firms in New York and Seattle focusing on corporate governance matters, corporate and financial transactions and capital markets transactions. Joseph received his A.B. from Brown University and his J.D. from Tulane University and is admitted to the bar in New York and Washington.
Jennifer Polson is the Communications & Marketing Manager for Laird Norton Company and has been with the company since 2012. Jennifer’s responsibilities include the development and implementation of communications and marketing strategies as well as all marketing campaign components encompassing print, media, social media, and internet presence.
Jennifer chairs the LNC Community Service Committee, organizing employee volunteer events and working with our nonprofit partners.
She received a BA in public relations from Washington State University – Go Cougs!
Emily Powell joined Laird Norton Company in 2019 and is currently an Investment Associate. As a member of the Corporate Development team, her work includes mergers & acquisitions, strategic planning, and portfolio monitoring.
Prior to joining Laird Norton Company, Emily spent five years with The Nature Conservancy, working at the intersection of impact investment, sustainable agriculture, river conservation, and water scarcity. Originally from Virginia, Emily fell in love with the West at an early age and now calls Seattle home. When not at work, she can usually be found in the mountains or on a river chasing whitewater and wild trout with her partner and their two rescue dogs.
Emily received an MBA from the University of Washington, as well as a BA in History and a Master of Urban & Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia.
Sally Simpson joined Laird Norton Company in 2007 and has continued to take on more extensive roles within the company over the past nine years. Sally was recently promoted to Vice President, Finance & Administration, expanding her responsibilities to include the company’s finance, accounting and administrative departments. In her new position, Sally also manages investor and management reporting, treasury management, insurance, and employee services.
A golfing, scuba diving, and yoga enthusiast, it is no surprise that Sally’s passions are geared towards an active lifestyle. Similar to her approach with difficult tasks in a work environment, Sally has never shied away from a challenge; as evidenced by her recently taking up fly fishing and successfully trekking to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Sally received her BA in Accounting from the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Melissa Sorentino has worked for Laird Norton Company since March 2011 as the Accounts Payable Supervisor. She is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable for all companies within Laird Norton.
Born and raised in Everett and Arlington, WA, Melissa has a strong love for Seattle sports teams and enjoys going to Seahawks, Sounders and Mariners games. Her fondest sports experience is still Super Bowl 48 in New Jersey and watching the Hawks win their first Super Bowl. Her second love is country music and a passion for traveling anywhere to see a good show.
Debbie Stanton joined Laird Norton Company in the Fall of 2021 as an Administrative Specialist in the Family Office. She supports the Family President, the VP of Family Programs and Relations, and the Family Programs Project Manager. Debbie has strong organizational skills and is the glue that holds the Family Office together! In addition, Debbie assists in LNC’s Administrative Office with the day-to-day operations within the office.
Debbie was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. In 2005, she and her husband moved their family to a small rural town in California with a population of less than 2,000 (and no stoplights). Debbie and her family moved to Washington in 2020 and she experienced her first ever summer temperatures below 100°.
Debbie enjoys being outside and exploring the beautiful PNW with her husband, be it on a hiking trail or cruising on the Sound in their 30’ Bayliner Cabin Cruiser.
Andrew Weigand joined Laird Norton Company in February 2022 as an Analyst on the Corporate Development team, supporting the enterprise’s direct investments in lower-middle and middle-market Pacific Northwest operating companies. His work includes mergers & acquisitions, strategic planning, portfolio monitoring, and developing and implementing sustainable investment strategies. Before LNC, Andrew previously led pricing strategy at a plant-based food technology startup, worked in revenue management at a global CPG company, and has experience in sell-side investment banking.
Andrew graduated from Cornell University in 2018 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics and Management with a concentration in Finance. In his free time, Andrew loves spending time outdoors playing sports (golf, soccer, basketball), hiking, kayaking/paddle boarding, and snowboarding.
Sabrina Wooten joined Laird Norton Company in 2017 as Accounting Supervisor. She is responsible for reporting monthly financials for Laird Norton Company and Laird Norton Properties.
When she is not pouring over financial statements and excel files, Sabrina, her husband Jan, and their dog Jersey enjoy traveling and exploring the Seattle area. Born and raised in New Mexico, she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from New Mexico State University. Go Aggies!
Jeff Vincent currently serves as Advisor to the LNC Board. Previously, Jeff served as the CEO & President of Laird Norton Company for over twenty years, leading the transformation of the company into an enterprise that focuses on real estate and direct investments in operating companies.
He holds a BSBA from Drake University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Jeff is a member of the Washington Roundtable where he serves as Chair of the Roundtable’s Education Committee. He is also Chairman of J.M. Huber Corporation, a fifth-generation family enterprise as well as a Chairman of the Washington Student Achievement Council and a past chairman of the Washington State Board of Education.
