Ken Birdwell
Growing up in Bellevue WA, Ken was there from the start of the Northwest high tech boom in the 80s. With a background of real-time embedded systems, simulation, networking, 3D scanning, several short lived startups, as well as formal training in Fine Arts, in 1996 Ken was a founding member of Valve Corporation, a small self funded startup which has gone on to become a leading video game developer and major digital PC game distribution platform (Steam).
As senior product engineer Ken’s focus was core technology, hiring foundational staff, developing cross discipline design processes, and developing customer focused company culture. Branching into HW in 2014, Ken fast-tracked internal VR research into the first consumer ready room-scale VR system with the HTC Vive.
Retired in 2016, Ken has returned to the world of non-profits, this time on the Philanthropy side with his Magic Cabinet Foundation, looking to transform the relationship between donors and their community.