Vessel Welcomes a Highly Experienced and Dynamic Leader in Johanna Oseland to Serve as Director of Partner Success

Boise, Idaho - Vessel is excited to share the announcement of a dynamic and results-driven program manager with a proven ability to manage multiple complex projects across industries and global markets. Johanna Oseland has joined Vessel to serve in a critical role as Director of Partner Success as our company continues to expand and the need for detailed system implementation, partner journey process mapping, and change management across diverse functions and geographies develops. 

An engineer by training, Johanna’s background includes advanced consulting within IT Project Management for the City of Seattle, Columbia Bank, Microsoft, Starbucks and Frito Lay. As well her approach embraces change management, operational leadership, and CRM implementations across global clients.

Johanna is adept at fostering strong cross-functional relationships, influencing collaborative work, and driving consensus to meet deadlines and business objectives. Her industry expertise spans international business, manufacturing, supply chain, retail, mergers & acquisitions, financial services, customer service, technology, and sales & marketing. Skilled in multiple project management methodologies, with the adaptability to align with organizational needs for optimal success. 

“We are extremely grateful to have Johanna’s experience and expertise at this critical time for Vessel’s growth. Her correlation to the work of our partners, especially those who are working directly with manufacturers, relates directly to their needs in best serving their clients across the U. S. while also building out our own internal processes will ensure we are delivering the highest quality of customer experience for each of our partners and delivering superior quality in our ultimate effort to reshore and build resilience for U.S. manufacturing. Johanna’s positive energy and insights have been such a valued insight to our team already!” -Molly Lenty, COO

Johanna received her Bachelors of Science in mechanical engineering from Portland State University, Masters of Business Administration with finance emphasis from University of Colorado in Boulder, is a certified Agile Scrum Master, and is PMP certified. 

Outside of work Johanna enjoys serving in a variety of community organizations such as IP4G (Idaho Partners for Good) and a ski instructor for BASE (Boise Adaptive Snowsports Education), and can regularly be found on the Boise foothills trails either on her bike or by foot. 

Vessel Welcomes Tara Varga Russell as Chief Strategy Officer and appoints her to newly formed Board

Boise, Idaho – Vessel, the leading smart assessment platform powering U.S. manufacturing consulting agencies, is pleased to announce the addition of Tara Varga Russell as Chief Strategy Officer and appointment of Tara to its newly formed Board. Tara joins Vessel at a critical time of national growth and expansion, bringing decades of experience in executive leadership, entrepreneurship, and strategic innovation to help shape the company’s next chapter of scale.

Tara is a seasoned social entrepreneur and visionary operator with an accomplished background across sectors. Most recently, she co-founded Photon Marine, a clean tech startup focused on electrifying commercial marine fleets. Prior to that, Tara served as the founding President of Fathom and CIO for Carnival Corporation, where she pioneered the “Impact Travel” category and led the historic expansion into Cuba after four decades.

Tara also founded Create Common Good, a workforce development and food-based social enterprise providing job training to underserved populations, and co-founded both NightLight and Jitasa, two organizations dedicated to global social impact through financial innovation and anti-trafficking work. She was a founding Board member of indieDwell, an affordable housing B-corp focused on sustainable construction.

“Tara is a rare combination of entrepreneurial grit and strategic clarity,” said Derik Ellis, CEO of Vessel. “Her experience building fast-growth, mission-aligned organizations will be instrumental as we continue expanding our footprint across the country. She brings the kind of strategic leadership that will help Vessel stay grounded in our values while scaling with precision and purpose." – Derik Ellis, CEO of Vessel

As Chief Strategy Officer, Tara will focus on supporting Vessel’s national expansion, cultivating strategic relationships, building out corporate strategy including their advisory board, and ensuring organizational alignment across partners, platforms, and people. Her role will help accelerate Vessel’s work with public and private agencies to deliver data-driven insights and tools that empower manufacturing consulting teams to drive meaningful economic impact.

Tara’s primary passions outside of her family and community are playing hard outside, math and music, and building strong, mission-driven teams rallying around collective impact. 

It is in Tara’s nature to always be curious and generally on the move, and she loves traveling and adventuring around the world and experiencing live music with her two incredible kids, Tyson and Lucy. 

Vessel Welcomes Kevin Tetz, PhD as Chief Information Officer

Boise, Idaho - Vessel continues to strengthen its leadership in supply chain and SaaS solutions with the addition of an accomplished data and engineering professional. We are excited to welcome Kevin Tetz, PhD as our new Chief Information Officer, bringing over 15 years of expertise in technology innovation, data analytics, and semiconductor engineering. 

Kevin is a seasoned leader with deep experience in developing cutting-edge solutions in image sensors, AI-driven data analysis, and semiconductor technology. Throughout his career, he has spearheaded global R&D initiatives, led high-performing teams, and optimized complex engineering processes to drive innovation in manufacturing and supply chain technology.

Before joining Vessel, Kevin held leadership roles at ams OSRAM, On Semiconductor, and Micron Technology, where he managed advanced CMOS image sensor development, AI-enhanced characterization platforms, and data-driven process improvements. His expertise spans machine learning applications, numerical modeling, and engineering process automation, making him a valuable addition to Vessel’s mission of reshoring and strengthening U.S. manufacturing.

“Kevin’s deep technical expertise and innovative approach to data science align perfectly with Vessel’s vision. His ability to leverage AI, automation, and engineering analytics will be instrumental in scaling our platform and driving measurable impact for our customers. We’re thrilled to have him on board.” – Derik Ellis, CEO of Vessel

Kevin’s passion for technology extends beyond his professional career. He holds a Ph.D. in Applied Physics from the University of California, San Diego, specializing in photonics and optoelectronics, and a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Brown University. His commitment to research and development is demonstrated through numerous patents and publications in nanophotonics, AI-driven sensor optimization, and semiconductor innovations.

Beyond his work, Kevin enjoys skiing, hiking, swimming, chess, and playing piano and guitar. His passion for problem-solving, both in engineering and in outdoor adventures, reflects his dedication to continuous learning and innovation. Kevin is also a proud husband and girl-dad to his two daughters.

Join us in welcoming Kevin to the Vessel team!