Fractional COOs in Seattle Making Things Happen in 2025

Seattle Interim Chief Operating Officers to Know

Seattle has long been a powerhouse for innovation—home to tech giants, green energy pioneers, mission-driven startups, and a wide range of fast-moving businesses. But as the region's companies scale and mature, they increasingly need more than great ideas—they need operational excellence. Enter the fractional COO.

Fractional Chief Operating Officers (COOs) provide the experience and insight of senior operators without the long-term commitment or overhead of a full-time executive. These professionals embed with teams, stabilize systems, and help organizations move from messy middle phases into structured, scalable growth.

At Digital Reference, we’re committed to creating a more transparent, efficient, and human-centric talent ecosystem. That includes spotlighting the independent professionals shaping the operational backbone of today’s most dynamic businesses. This blog introduces a curated list of Seattle-area fractional COOs who are helping founders, executive teams, and mission-driven organizations execute with confidence.

Our Methodology

We selected the fractional executives on this list based on the following criteria:

• Location: Based in or actively serving organizations in Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, and nearby areas
• Scope: Provide fractional, interim, or part-time COO services
• Experience: Demonstrated operational leadership in startups, SMBs, or impact-driven ventures
• Visibility: Public-facing websites, LinkedIn profiles, or firm affiliation
• Fit: Alignment with Digital Reference’s values of radical transparency, verification, and authenticity in work

These operators are solo consultants, founders of boutique firms, and trusted execution partners. Most importantly, they’re the people founders turn to when it’s time to get serious about structure.

Meet the Fractional COOs Powering Seattle’s Growth

Ryan Hodgson

Ryan's extensive and diverse experience sets him apart—an attribute few ‘coaches’ , fractional COOs, or consultants can rival. His impact spans a wide range of industries, from tech and construction to retail and healthcare, from finance to nonprofits.

Through his firm Rysing Tide, Ryan Hodgson brings a mission-driven approach to fractional leadership. As a seasoned brand strategist and operator, Ryan offers fractional COO services with a focus on purpose alignment, culture, and operational growth.

Why He Stands Out to the Digital Reference Team:

Ryan has an extensive roster of past clients, including startups, Fortune 500s, and government agencies.

Household names including Amazon, Microsoft, Entrepreneurs' Organization, Washington State Health and Human Services Enterprise Coalition, HTC, SAP, PMI, Verizon Wireless, the University of Washington, Esper, Kate Quinn, and Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Ryan:

• Blends expertise in brand strategy, team leadership, and business operations
• Focuses on supporting nonprofits and impact-oriented businesses
• Known for guiding leaders through vision implementation and team accountability

Ryan is a strong fit for organizations that want their operations to reflect and reinforce their values, not just their KPIs. If you don't just need a Fractional COO but also a mentor, Ryan could be a fit for you. Ryan's dedication to mentorship and coaching is a key focus of his when delivering value to clients.

Charlee Venable

https://summitgrowthops.com/

As founder of Summit Growth Ops, Charlee Venable delivers fractional COO and operations strategy services to high-growth startups, nonprofits, and mission-driven companies. With a background in marketing operations and strategic execution, Charlee helps teams scale without chaos.

Why She Stands Out:

• Founder-focused fractional COO services tailored for high-growth and early-stage companies
• Deep experience in marketing ops, team design, and process optimization
• Specializes in equipping founders with scalable systems and accountability frameworks

Charlee is the kind of operator who builds strong internal foundations—so CEOs can confidently shift their focus to external growth.

Atul Sahai

https://www.linkedin.com/in/atulsahai/

A technology leader turned fractional executive, Atul Sahai brings a powerful blend of product thinking and operations experience to his COO work. Based in the Seattle area, he partners with tech companies and product-led organizations to create cross-functional clarity.

Why He Stands Out:

• Background includes senior leadership roles in engineering, product, and operations
• Brings structure to scaling tech organizations and founder-led teams
• Experienced in aligning operations with long-term strategic planning and execution

Atul is an excellent partner for companies navigating scale, complexity, or post-funding operational growth.

Why Seattle Is a Fertile Ground for Fractional Leadership

Seattle’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is shaped by a mix of tech innovation, environmental consciousness, social enterprise, and agile work models. That creates unique challenges—and opportunities—for fractional leaders.

Why fractional COOs thrive in Seattle:

• Startups need to scale fast without sacrificing vision
• Nonprofits and B Corps seek impact-aligned growth support
• Tech companies face cross-functional bottlenecks as they expand
• Founders want executional partners without the full-time commitment

In this environment, fractional COOs offer a blend of experience, flexibility, and credibility.

What Makes a Great Fractional COO?

Across all markets, top fractional COOs share key characteristics:

• Systems Thinkers: They map complexity and design clarity
• Builder-Mentors: They implement and teach, not just advise
• Cross-Functional Fluency: They speak product, finance, people, and strategy
• Short-Term Impact with Long-Term Thinking

They are measured not just by the processes they build—but by the teams they empower and the problems they solve.

The Digital Reference Lens

At Digital Reference, we’re not just showcasing top fractional talent—we’re helping them prove their impact. Our platform enables professionals to:

• Collect and organize verified testimonials and accomplishments
• Build a structured, shareable portfolio of work
• Gain discoverability through transparent, reputation-based storytelling

For businesses hiring fractional leaders, Digital Reference removes the guesswork. You’re not just hiring a name—you’re hiring a track record you can trust.

Guides like this are part of our broader mission: to make the talent ecosystem more transparent, more human, and more efficient. A few more guides worth looking into:

• Best Platforms to Hire Fractional COOs
• Full Directory of Local Fractional COO Listings
• Best Communities for Operations Professionals

We believe the future of work doesn’t live in resumes—it lives in reputation, results, and relationships.

Final Thoughts

Fractional leadership isn’t just a trend in Seattle—it’s a strategic advantage. As companies scale, transition, or realign, they need operators who bring clarity, execution, and alignment.

The professionals featured here—Charlee Venable, Atul Sahai, and Ryan Hodgson—represent the best of Seattle’s emerging leadership model:

• Embedded impact
• Purposeful structure
• Transparent results

Explore their work. Reach out. And when you're ready to capture your operational legacy or hire with clarity—start with Digital Reference.

– The Digital Reference Team

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