Our Work OceansConservationClimateCommunities Our Investments Vulcan Real EstateVulcan Capital News About
About Us

This is Vulcan

At Vulcan, we strive to make and leave the world a better place. Our culture reflects this vision, and our employees and leadership foster innovation, creativity, and collaboration as we work to improve ocean health, combat climate change, support conservation, and help resilient communities locally and globally.

Our Approach

Our unique approach to making lasting impact leverages game-changing data and technology, policy work, strategic grantmaking, and engagement through our storytelling efforts. Our teams include a diverse range of experts including analysts, producers, developers, technologists, accountants, conservationists, product managers, lawyers, policy experts, software engineers, and scientists.


From healthy-living perks to company-matched employee-giving events, and even our own lending library, Vulcan has a truly unique workplace culture. Our employees contribute to programs that help make and leave the world a better place, but also have access to experiences and benefits that make coming to work meaningful and fun.

Working Here

Vulcan's headquarters sit in the heart of Seattle's International District and Pioneer Square District; steps away from all major public transit options including train, light rail, bus, water taxi, and ferry. We encourage more sustainable commutes with excellent public transportation benefits.

Health and Wellness
We want to help our employees lead healthy, productive lives and offer an incentivized wellness program, an on-site gym and trainer, and reimbursement for health club memberships.

Always Learning
Vulcan is dedicated to professional development and offers tuition reimbursement and professional membership allowances.

Diversity and Inclusion
Vulcan believes in celebrating diverse voices, and we're on a mission to weave diversity, equity, and inclusion into the fabric of everything we do. This includes a DEI Council that works on specific issues related to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, as well as applying DEI best practices to our recruiting, hiring, retention, and benefits. Our programming includes three employee-organized Employee Resource Groups, Vulcan BIPOC, Vulcan Pride, and Womxn Accelerating Empowerment at Vulcan (WAEV). 

Equitable Procurement
We are committed to equitable and inclusive sourcing and procurement, and we are currently focused on increasing the number of black-owned businesses in Vulcan's supplier network. We've partnered with local supplier diversity organizations including the Northwest Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council to improve our connection with minority owned businesses.

Code of Conduct
Vulcan’s Code of Conduct and Ethics establishes the ethical framework on which we conduct our business. We have high ethical standards governing our work, standards we apply to our employees as well as our suppliers and business partners through our Business Partner Code of Conduct. Our business practices and standards reflect our commitment to make and leave the world a better place.

Employee Code of Conduct and Ethics
Business Partner Code of Conduct and Ethics

Our History

Our History

Founded in 1986 by Paul G. Allen and Jody Allen, Vulcan works to make and leave the world a better place. As an early technologist and the co-founder of Microsoft, Paul believed in the power of technology, science, and the arts to expand our horizons, save and improve lives around the world, and help solve some of our planet’s most difficult challenges. From an early age he and his sister Jody committed themselves to building a future that was different. A future that was better for all. A future defined by what if, not just what is.

From protecting wildlife habitats to mapping the ocean’s uncharted depths, Paul and Jody knew that conservation and exploration go hand in hand. From engaging young people in music and pop culture to help unleash the creativity in everyone, to unlocking the secrets of the human brain, they saw the innate potential in all of us. From investing in sustainable real estate around Seattle to supporting diverse communities in Africa, they knew that impact starts at home, but that we can all make a difference around the world.

OUR LEADERSHIP

It takes extraordinary leadership to take on the world's toughest challenges. While guiding our ambitious efforts based on Paul Allen's big ideas, our leadership team fosters a culture of innovation that inspires us all to think big. At Vulcan, our leaders don't just manage the work we do—they help define it.

Jody Allen
Chair
Jody Allen is chair of Vulcan Inc., which she co-founded with brother Paul G. Allen in 1986. For decades, they worked side-by-side across a range of business and philanthropic initiatives. Full Bio >

Jody Allen

Chair

Jody Allen is chair of Vulcan Inc., which she co-founded with brother Paul G. Allen in 1986. For decades, they worked side-by-side across a range of business and philanthropic initiatives. Jody is also co-founder, board chair, and president of The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, president and founding director of MoPOP, and chair of the board of the Allen Institute. As trustee of the Paul G. Allen Trust, Jody works to ensure Paul’s vision is realized for generations to come, and she serves as chair of the Seattle Seahawks NFL and Portland Trail Blazers NBA franchises, recognizing the role of both teams as catalysts for civic pride.

Jody is a philanthropist passionate about conservation, fighting wildlife trafficking, and saving Africa’s elephants from extinction. In 2016 she founded Wild Lives Foundation, and she serves on the board of Sealife Response, Rehab and Research, an organization dedicated to improving the health and welfare of marine wildlife in the Pacific Northwest.

Deeply committed to education and the arts, Jody is a board member of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town, and previously served on the boards of ArtsFund, the University of Washington Foundation, the Museum of Glass, the Los Angeles International Film Festival, and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Bill Hilf
Chief Executive Officer
Bill Hilf is Chief Executive Officer of Vulcan Inc., where he leads the company’s efforts to make and leave the world a better place. From driving ground-breaking data and technology initiatives, to necessary policy change and sustainable development, Bill empowers smart people to tackle ambitious challenges spanning wildlife conservation, climate change, ocean health, and vibrant communities. Full Bio >

Bill Hilf

Chief Executive Officer

Bill Hilf is Chief Executive Officer of Vulcan Inc., where he leads the company’s efforts to make and leave the world a better place. From driving ground-breaking data and technology initiatives, to necessary policy change and sustainable development, Bill empowers smart people to tackle ambitious challenges spanning wildlife conservation, climate change, ocean health, and vibrant communities. 

Prior to Vulcan, Bill was Senior Vice President of Hewlett-Packard Enterprise’s Cloud business unit, leading the company’s cloud transformation. Before Hewlett-Packard, Bill was General Manager of Product Management for Microsoft Azure, and had previously led Microsoft’s Technical Computing Group as well as the Windows Server product line. Earlier in his career he was a software developer and engineering leader at IBM, and at a variety of software start-ups in Silicon Valley and Los Angeles.

Bill serves on the boards of directors for the Woodland Park Zoo and the Grumeti Fund and is a member of the Washington Roundtable. He also served as the Microsoft Executive Sponsor for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and helped develop and deploy computer-based learning centers in refugee camps worldwide.

Bill earned his undergraduate degree from California State University-Fullerton and holds an M.A. from Chapman University.
 

Ada Healey
Chief Real Estate Officer
Ada is Vulcan's Chief Real Estate Officer, directing all strategies for Vulcan Real Estate and overseeing $2 billion in real estate assets. Under her direction, Vulcan Real Estate has earned widespread industry recognition and honors for its innovative and integrative development approaches and commitment to sustainability.

Ada Healey

Chief Real Estate Officer

Chris Orndorff
Chief Investment Officer
Chris is Vulcan's Chief Investment Officer, responsible for identifying investment opportunities and optimizing returns for Vulcan Capital, our multi-billion dollar investment arm with offices in Seattle, Palo Alto, and Singapore.

Chris Orndorff

Chief Investment Officer

Bert Kolde
Executive Vice President, Sports Strategy and Operations
Bert serves as the Vice Chair of the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers and is the Executive Vice President of Sports Strategy and Operations at Vulcan, where he oversees the long-term strategy and business operations of the teams and their affiliates.

Bert Kolde

Executive Vice President, Sports Strategy and Operations

Alison Ivey
General Counsel
As Vice President, Legal and General Counsel for Vulcan, Alison leads a nimble team that oversees and advises the organization on a wide range of legal, risk, contractual, and compliance matters.

Alison Ivey

General Counsel

Jason Hunke
Vice President, Communications
Jason is Vice President of Communications, where he leads the team responsible for corporate communications, media relations, social/digital strategy, content marketing, and brand, design, and storytelling across Vulcan’s business and charitable initiatives.

Jason Hunke

Vice President, Communications

Joyce Lee CPA, CFP®
Executive Director, Finance
Joyce is the Executive Director of Finance. She leads the team responsible for Vulcan's finance operations, including accounting and financial reporting, procure to pay, payroll, budget, planning, and treasury management.

Joyce Lee CPA, CFP®

Executive Director, Finance

Lara Littlefield
Executive Director, Partnerships and Programs
Lara is the Executive Director of Partnerships and Programs, leading the team responsible for advancing ideas, approaches and positive impact within conservation, ocean health, climate, arts, and communities for Vulcan and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.