Power Moves: Meet Technical.ly’s new lead reporter in DC

Power Moves is a column where we chart the comings and goings of talent across the region. Got a new hire, new gig or promotion? Email us at dc@technical.ly.

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We’ve got a big hiring update from Technical.ly’s own newsroom today.

Michaela Althouse is joining Technical.ly as a reporter to lead coverage of technology careers, growing businesses and the changing economy in D.C. and the surrounding metro area. A former editorial fellow at Washingtonian, Althouse is a familiar face to us on the Technical.ly team. In the coming weeks, we hope you’ll take some time to get acquainted with her, as well; her inbox is officially open at michaela@technical.ly. Being journalists, we asked her a few questions to get the conversation going:

Tell us a bit about your professional experience that led up to this role.

I guess the most noteworthy thing would be to say that I was of course a former Technical.ly intern in 2019! [Editor’s note: Check out her clips from this Philly-based role here, and her deep dive into D.C. tech + labor unions from 2020 here.] After that I was an editorial fellow at Washingtonian Magazine, and I’ve spent the last year at New Project Media, covering renewable energy news on the West Coast and intermountain west. Way back before I graduated I also worked for a newspaper in Dublin, Ireland called Metro Eireann, and Philadelphia magazine.

What are you looking forward to tackling in the role as Technical.ly’s lead reporter in DC?

I’m really looking forward to covering tech that’s creative, solves problems or is just something no one else has thought of before (like when I wrote about a tool to help beekeepers keep track of their hives as an intern, which is one of my favorite stories I’ve ever done). There’s a lot of fun to be had when you’re trying to create something new.

Any fun facts we should know about you?

I’m really passionate about environmentalism and doing things like composting and limiting personal waste. Also, yesterday my friend told me I dress like someone who would tie themselves to a tree to stop a bulldozer. Take with that what you will.

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A civic alliance from D.C. to Richmond to Baltimore is bringing together business leaders in the region to strategize for inclusive growth.

The Greater Washington Partnership is forming the Inclusive Growth Strategy Council, which brings together 34 biz leaders. The Council is co-chaired by Salamander Hotels and Resorts CEO Sheila Johnson and Washington Football Team President Jason Wright. Businesses who have signed on include AstraZeneca, the Baltimore Ravens, Bank of America, Exelon, Gensler, The Harbor Bank of Maryland, Howard University, Salamander Hotels & Resorts and the Washington Football Team.

It comes as the nationwide calls for racial justice that resulted from the killing of George Floyd in 2020 continues to reverberate in businesses as a sustainable role is sought in societal change. The Council will set out to develop a set of actionable solutions called a blueprint for inclusive growth, create a regional economic indicators dashboard and spur collaboration among organizations in the region.

“The racial wealth gap is driven by a disparity in the deployment of capital — financial capital, intellectual capital, relational capital. Access to opportunities to this capital remains one of our most pressing challenges,” Wright said in a statement. “The work of the Strategy Council is more important now than ever.”

The Council’s formation also points at how inclusion can be part of the course charted as we emerge from the pandemic and economic downturn.

“The hospitality industry has been especially hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbating issues of inclusion and equity,” Johnson said. “Our region needs to chart a comprehensive course that prioritizes inclusivity and equity in order to recover and reach our full potential.”

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Howard University recently announced the appointment of James Rhee as the institution’s next John H. Johnson Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship.

Over the three-year appointment, Rhee, who is an impact investor and entrepreneur, will teach a course titled “Impact Investing, ESG and Life,” and host a speaker series on building entrepreneurial ecosystems. Along with the entrepreneurship appointment, Rhee will serve as a senior advisor to Howard’s Center for Women, Gender and Global Leadership.

Rhee formerly served as chairman and CEO of plus-size women’s clothing brand Ashley Stewart. He is also a member of JPMorgan Chase’s Advancing Black Pathways Council, and a member of the Governing Committee of CEO Action for Racial Equity. He also holds appointments at MIT Sloan School of Management and Duke Law School.

“Howard University is one of our country’s most important institutions,” Rhee said in a statement. “To be able to contribute both to its growing legacy and future influence at this historically significant moment of our collective humanity is an honor and responsibility that I do not take lightly, especially as the son of Korean-American immigrants. I look forward to engaging with the students, faculty and broader Howard Community as we collectively explore ways in which capitalism and technology can shape a better society for all.”

Previously, the chair was held by 1863 Ventures founder Melissa Bradley and Monique Greenwood, president and CEO of Akwaaba Bed & Breakfast Inns and former editor-in chief of Essence magazine.

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Arlington, Virginia-based tech and services company CACI this month named Glenn Kurowski as chief technology officer.

A six-year veteran of the publicly traded company, Kurowski played a key role as CACI transitioned to become a tech-powered company in the national security space. Going forward, he will lead the company’s corporate technology outreach, investments for growth in national security technology and continue to build its talent base. The company has 23,000 employees.

“Glenn’s knowledge and experience in guiding differentiated technologies from idea to the field, makes him the perfect individual to ensure our customers can best execute their missions, as well as drive long-term value for our shareholders,” CEO John Mengucci said in a statement.

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Women’s healthcare provider Advantia Health last week welcomed Dr. Meera Garcia as chief medical officer.

Dr. Garcia previously served as chief of general Ob-Gyn at New York-Presbyterian and Columbia University, and as assistant professor at Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

“Dr. Garcia brings a wealth of clinical leadership experience to Advantia and cares deeply about our mission to transform healthcare for all women,” CEO Vincent Bradley said in a statement. “As an Ob-Gyn who has also served in many leadership roles within women’s health, Dr. Garcia is the right leader for our clinical team, and will ensure that our providers are empowered to bring the highest quality care to patients across the country.”

The company in March opened a U Street practice called Liv by Advantia Health, which has obstetrics, gynecology, primary care, mental wellness services in one spot, and offered telemedicine to all patients amid the pandemic. This came after it raised $45 million in January 2020, led by BlueMountain Capital Management.