Regional quantum collaborative appoints Joseph Williams as Executive Director, Dr. Charles Marcus as Chief Scientist, and Arry Yu as Director of External Affairs as it transitions to legal entity status.
SEATTLE, WA January 20, 2026 The Northwest Quantum Nexus (NQN), a collaborative engine for quantum research and innovation spanning Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, today announced the appointment of three leaders to guide its evolution from an informal partnership into a formalized organization focused on building a thriving quantum economy across the Pacific Northwest.
Joseph Williams has been named NQN’s Executive Director, bringing seven years of quantum economic development experience to the role. As its co-founder, Williams has served as NQN co-chair since its inception and specializes in policy, regulatory affairs, and identifying high-leverage intervention points in complex systems. His work spans broadband infrastructure policy, cybersecurity compliance frameworks, and technology governance—skills that position him to navigate the regulatory and economic development challenges facing the emerging quantum sector.
Dr. Charles Marcus, Boeing Johnson Endowed Chair in Materials Science and Engineering and Professor of Physics at the University of Washington (UW) and member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, will serve as NQN Chief Scientist. Marcus joins UW from the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, where he directed the Center for Quantum Devices and served as Scientific Director of Microsoft Quantum Lab–Copenhagen from 2016-2021. He received the H.C. Ørsted Gold Medal in Physics in 2020, becoming the first non-Dane to receive the honor awarded only 20 times since 1909. Marcus has also served as NQN co-chair and brings deep expertise in quantum coherent electronics, superconducting qubits, and topological matter.
Arry Yu serves as NQN’s Director of External Affairs, leading external affairs with over 25 years of experience building communities and ecosystems around emerging technologies. She co-founded the Cascadia Blockchain Council (now integrated into the WTIA Advanced Technology Cluster), established the U.S. Blockchain Coalition, and has served on the board of the Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA). With a proven track record nationally convening industry, government, and academic stakeholders for over 8 years around complex innovations, including artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, cybersecurity and decentralized systems, Yu excels at translating technical breakthroughs into economic impact. Her expertise directly supports NQN’s mission to position the Pacific Northwest as a leading global hub for quantum innovation.
All three positions are volunteer roles, reflecting the collaborative, mission-driven nature of the organization.
The reorganization comes as federal support for quantum technology reaches a critical juncture. Last week, Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) introduced the bipartisan National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act, which would extend federal quantum investment through 2034 and establish new NSF research centers, quantum testbeds, and workforce coordination hubs. The legislation explicitly recognizes Washington State’s potential to become “Quantum Valley,” and includes Montana among the states positioned for quantum leadership. NQN’s formalization directly addresses the infrastructure and coordination gaps the federal legislation aims to support—providing the regional connective tissue needed to translate federal R&D investment into sustained economic impact across the four-state region.
“The formalization of NQN represents a critical maturation point for quantum innovation in the Pacific Northwest,” said Williams. “We’re moving from coordination to orchestration by creating the structural foundation needed to attract long-term investment, retain world-class talent, and translate quantum research into regional economic impact. The timing aligns perfectly with renewed federal commitment to quantum leadership.”
The Northwest Quantum Nexus brings together companies including Microsoft, Boeing, and IonQ; universities including the University of Washington, University of Oregon, and Washington State University; and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The organization focuses on five interconnected research pillars: applications, programming and algorithms, testbeds, devices, and materials.
The transition to formal entity status positions NQN to pursue sustained funding, develop workforce pipelines, and coordinate infrastructure investments across the four-state region. The restructuring separates scientific leadership from operational management, allowing Marcus to focus on research strategy while Williams drives organizational development and Yu builds the external partnerships critical to ecosystem growth.
“The Pacific Northwest has the talent, the institutions, and the industry partnerships to lead in quantum technologies,” said Dr. Marcus. “What we need now is the connective tissue—the coordination, the shared infrastructure, the strategic vision, and that allows isolated excellence to become systemic advantage. That’s what this organizational evolution enables.”
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About Northwest Quantum Nexus
The Northwest Quantum Nexus (NQN) accelerates discovery and innovation in quantum technologies by connecting researchers, companies, universities, and government partners across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Through shared infrastructure, strategic partnerships, and workforce development, NQN is building a sustainable quantum economy in the Pacific Northwest. For more information, visit nwquantum.uw.edu.
