Kelly Fukai left her role as chief executive of the Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) to become chief executive of the Northwest Gas Association (NWGA). NWGA announced the appointment on July 28, 2025, and gave September 22, 2025 as the effective date. Neither the NWGA announcement nor the Puget Sound Business Journal coverage says why she left WTIA.
Where she is going
The Northwest Gas Association is a bi-national trade organization for the Pacific Northwest natural-gas industry. Its July 28, 2025 announcement named Fukai as incoming chief executive and said she most recently served as WTIA CEO. NWGA’s current About page lists her as its CEO.
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The announcement included two statements. Joe Mazza, chair of the NWGA board of directors, said: “Kelly’s combination of operational knowledge, policy acumen and collaborative leadership strongly aligns with NWGA’s mission to advocate for our industry and customers.” Fukai, as incoming CEO, said: “I am honored to return to the energy sector and lead NWGA at a time of such transformation and opportunity.” Both are NWGA-published statements.
How she reached the WTIA chief executive role
Fukai’s time at WTIA moved through three steps. The dates below come from the organizations’ own announcements, except where noted.
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| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| September 7, 2022 | WTIA announces Fukai as vice president of government and community affairs. | WTIA announcement |
| April 23, 2024 | WTIA promotes her to chief operating officer, responsible for day-to-day operations. | WTIA announcement |
| January 2025 | A profile reports she had recently taken over as WTIA chief executive. The exact start date is not stated in the primary announcements reviewed. | Spokane Journal of Business profile (secondary) |
| July 28, 2025 | NWGA announces her as incoming CEO. The same day, the Puget Sound Business Journal reports she will leave WTIA after nine months. | NWGA announcement; Puget Sound Business Journal |
| September 22, 2025 | Stated effective date of the NWGA appointment. | NWGA announcement |
The gap between the July announcement and the September start date matters: the first marks when the move was made public, and the second is when the new role was to begin.
Her background before and during WTIA
Fukai’s career has combined energy work with government and public affairs. The sources describe the following roles.
Avista
NWGA says she spent more than a decade at Avista, where she managed natural-gas resource planning and procurement. This is the energy experience NWGA points to in the appointment.
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories
Both NWGA and WTIA say she held government affairs roles at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories before joining the Spokane airport side of her career.
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Spokane airport
NWGA describes a senior government and community affairs role at Spokane Airports. WTIA describes earlier responsibility for public and external affairs at Spokane International Airport. The two releases use different names for the same employer, and both describe a public-affairs remit.
Education
The NWGA About page lists a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from Gonzaga University.
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Who takes over at WTIA
The Puget Sound Business Journal reported that Randa Minkarah, WTIA’s executive board chair, would take on a newly created role after Fukai’s departure. The available preview did not include the full article, so the scope of that role and any further leadership changes are not established here.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What each organization does
| Item | Washington Technology Industry Association | Northwest Gas Association |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Nonprofit member trade association (WTIA 2024 announcement) | Bi-national trade organization for the Pacific Northwest natural-gas industry (NWGA 2025 announcement) |
| Stated mission or focus | Supporting an inclusive, equity-centered, technology-driven economy | Advocating for the natural-gas industry and its customers |
| Members | Not stated in the sources reviewed | Six natural-gas utilities and three transmission pipelines, as of July 2025 (NWGA self-reported) |
| Reach | Not stated in the sources reviewed | 10 million residents and almost 350,000 businesses, institutions, and industries in British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington (NWGA self-reported, July 2025) |
| Fukai’s role | Chief executive until her reported departure | Chief executive effective September 22, 2025 |
The member and reach figures are NWGA’s own published counts. The sources reviewed do not show them as independently audited.
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Why she left WTIA
The available announcements and reporting do not say why Fukai left WTIA. Fukai has not, in the material reviewed, explained her decision. Nothing in the sources points to a dispute, a strategic disagreement, or any other specific cause, and this article does not suggest one.
What remains unconfirmed
- The exact date she became WTIA chief executive. The January 2025 profile is a secondary source, and the primary announcements do not state the date.
- The full scope of Randa Minkarah’s new role at WTIA, beyond the Puget Sound Business Journal preview.
- Any leadership changes at either organization after the July 2025 announcement and the NWGA About page version reviewed.
For current leadership at either association, check the NWGA website and WTIA’s own announcements, which are the primary sources for appointments.
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