Gov. Jay Inslee today named Vikki Smith interim director of WaTech. Smith takes over from Rob St. John who is retiring. A search has been re-opened to find a permanent WaTech director.
Smith is currently the director of the Washington State Department of Revenue. She will take a leave from her role at DOR until a permanent director is named at WaTech. Randy Simmons will serve as acting director at DOR in Smith’s absence.
Simmons is currently serving as DOR’s deputy director. Prior to joining the department, Simmons spent 13 years with the state’s Liquor and Cannabis Board.
Smith has worked her entire career at the Department of Revenue, starting in 1970 as temporary clerical staff. She worked her way up through the ranks in positions of increasing responsibility and authority, eventually taking on leadership roles in several divisions.
WaTech was created to centralize state IT and improve services for the people of Washington through technology.