We are writing to share the sad news that our colleague, Vanessa Simpson, passed away on Sunday, February 15 after a quiet yet courageous fight with cancer.

Vanessa joined the City of Tacoma’s Environmental Services department in 2015 and served as a Senior Technical IT Analyst. In her work, she will be remembered for her innovative spirit, dedication, and the lasting impact she made through her geographic information system (GIS) expertise. Just this past fall, she received the Tacoma GeoMentor Award, which honors exceptional commitment to mentoring and inspiring growth in the GIS community. 

 More importantly, she will be remembered for her kindness, optimism, and joyful outlook. Outside of work, Vanessa loved running and participating in local races, the ESRI 5K, often inviting colleagues to join her and encouraging others every step of the way.

We’ve created a space for colleagues and community members to share memories, gratitude, and messages of support in honor of Vanessa. The messages will be turned a map collage and given to Vanessa's family at the end of March. If you want your messages to be include please complete by March 20st. https://arcg.is/1eSXau3