2026 New Advisory Council Members

Ben Small serves as the executive eirector of LaunchNW, a major community-wide initiative established by the Innovia Foundation across Eastern Washington and North Idaho. He is the former superintendent of the Central Valley School District (2008–2022) and the Columbia School District, with over three decades in public education. He has been an active member of the greater Spokane and Spokane Valley community and is known for using a collaborative leadership style that develops common purpose.

Dave Ruff (’91) is the CEO and Chair of the Board for Coffman Engineers. In this role, Dave leads all facets of the company and has helped drive Coffman’s significant yet strategic growth during the last few years. Dave has decades of engineering experience and a true passion for leadership. He is committed to high functioning teamwork so each team member can thrive and bring their best to the service of our clients. Dave encourages all of Coffman’s managers to embrace a servant leadership philosophy and a holistic approach to peoples’ success. Even with the significant operational responsibilities that come with leading the company, Dave stays grounded on the engineering side by continuing to advise clients and project managers and strategize for project pursuits.

Conor Carrigan (’25) is an alum in Computer Engineering and is now an Implementation Consultant at FAST Enterprises.

Zach Hanson, DO (’14) is a Gonzaga graduate with a degree in Religious Studies.  Zach’s early career included work in music production, youth ministry, nonprofit leadership, and live event management. These formative experiences shaped his understanding of faith, purpose, and the ways people connect these values that continue to guide his medical practice today. Zach completed residency and fellowship training in Internal Medicine and Hematology-Oncology at Loma Linda University Health, where he cultivated research in zinc deficiency and anemia, and advanced patient-centered innovation through telemedicine and artificial intelligence. He now serves as Clinical Assistant Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Fred Hutch, combining academic leadership with a passion for community impact.

Nick Hutchison (’25 is a Gonzaga University graduate from Portland, Oregon, earned his degree in Human Physiology and is currently applying to medical schools in Washington and Oregon. He served as the inaugural recipient of the Mayberg Undergraduate Endowed Fellowship, conducting research with faculty on executive function and movement in Parkinson’s disease. Hutchison joins the School of Health Sciences Advisory Council as an early career member, bringing a passion for health based research and whole person care grounded in his Gonzaga experience.

Scott O’Brien (’01) earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Gonzaga University and his Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Minnesota. A Jesuit educated leader whose approach to health care is deeply shaped by reflection, service, and care for the whole person, he has spent more than 20 years with Providence Health System, where he now serves as Chief of Acute Operations and Programs

Azer Bitanga ('26) graduated from Gonzaga with a degree in business administration, concentrating in economics and management information systems, with a minor in entrepreneurial leadership through the Hogan Program. Within the School of Business, Azer was the founding president of Zags Business+Tech and served on the Dean's Student Advisory Board. He concluded his college career by serving as the 2026 student commencement speaker and now works in New York City as a Technology Consultant with EY's AI, Data, and Engineering practice.

Mary Zakheim (’15)   ) is an accomplished product marketing leader with 14 years of experience in the marketing industry. She's worked at arts marketing agencies, gaming startups, and freelanced before building her career in tech, where she's enjoyed product marketing roles at eBay, Zillow, and Google.

Madeleine Wright (’20) is a communications professional whose work spans strategic content, digital engagement, internal communications, event planning, and cross-functional project management. She serves as the Communications Specialist for the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), an interdisciplinary institute whose mission is to advance humanity through AI and data science. In this role, she leads communications initiatives that amplify HAI’s work across discovery, technological innovation, educational transformation, and societal impact. At Gonzaga IIAT, she brings her experience in human-centered AI programming, strategic communications, and community impact to help shape the IIAT's focus.

Robin Wood (’97) held pivotal roles across major projects and product launches during more than 19 years at Microsoft, including Office product marketing, Exchange Online customer success, the inaugural Office 365 launch, and go-to-market strategies for Windows Phone apps and Azure. As Director of Global Partner Development, he led joint go-to-market and sales efforts with global partners Dapple and Bosch, helping advance the adoption of generative AI across industries. Previously, he transformed Microsoft’s relationship with NVIDIA from a supplier arrangement into a major Azure partnership, jointly developing and selling solutions through Microsoft Marketplace and other channels.

Matt Sullivan (’03)   is currently a strategic partnerships leader at Google, having previously held corporate development, strategy, and technology alliance roles at Amazon and Microsoft. He holds a BA from Gonzaga University, where he served as President of the Seattle Alumni Chapter, and is currently a member of the Board of Regents.