Independent PR giant APCO Worldwide has appointed Susannah Malarkey to the role of senior advisor.

Susannah MalarkeyMalarkey for 20 years served as executive director for non-profit tech advocacy organization Technology Alliance, which was founded by attorney and philanthropist Bill Gates Sr., father of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. Malarkey, who was that organization’s founding executive director, led efforts to drive STEM funding for K-12 education.

Prior to her time at the Technology Alliance, Malarkey was director of public policy programs at the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, and was a board member with the Washington Technology Industry Association.

Malarkey, who will be stationed in APCO’s Seattle office, will help the agency’s tech practice on public affairs issues that impact the tech sector, medical research institutions and the education community.

APCO North American chairman Nelson Fernandez said Malarkey’s “insightful counsel and extraordinary expertise will give our clients the guidance they need in times of transformational change.”

APCO, which was founded in 1984, brought in nearly $120 million in net fees in 2015, according to O’Dwyer’s rankings of PR firms.