RIP Vicki Hanson

 The news yesterday was sudden, surprising -- and yet it wasn't.   Vicki had always persevered, and it'd been months since I'd heard from her.   As the CEO of ACM (Association for Computing Machinery), she was tireless and devoted.   She'd come up 'through the ranks' -- even the ranks that ACM once decried as 'fake' or 'not relevant' (e.g. their early stance on graphics, on HCI {Human-Computer Interaction; or CHI, as ACM preferred to call it, putting the computer in front of the human} and even the Internet itself).  She became President in 2016, a decade ago now, and ACM CEO two years later.   

Here's the memoriam in CACM https://cacm.acm.org/news/in-memoriam-vicki-l-hanson/

Vicki's later work, beyond HCI, was bent on aiding dis-advantaged communities to be part of the computer world.  You might say that was a logical extension from her first love, and in fact I believe that it was.   Her Anita Borg honor signals that love and that devotion.

When she became CEO, I began the ACM Awards Archive project.  Though it was mostly driven and supported by Pat Ryan, ACM's redoubtable {and self-preferred 'behind the scenes'} COO, Vicki was a strong supporter.   Our project focused on previous Award winners -- I sub-titled it the PIP group (Previously Important People); Vicki wanted in addition to support and honor the many volunteers and staff who make ACM work so well.  Her view was that these folk are the real backbone of the guts of the organization.  

She was so right in that view.

When we proposed a year ago to extend the Archive work into a Virtual Hall of Fame, she was supportive, but concerned because ACM had just modified the Digital Library pricing structure and with it, a key major revenue generator for ACM.  Alas, that work with Vicki at the helm is a missed opportunity at this point.  

I know many friends have been sad to learn about Vicki's last year, and this denouement.  I am happy though that I came to know and appreciate her gifts and her contributions.

Chuck