Willy Simon

Mapping cities, telling stories, and making complex data easier to see.

Hello, I’m Willy Simon

I’m a planner, GIS specialist, and writer based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I use maps, data, and visual storytelling to explore how cities move, grow, and change.

After nearly eight years as a transportation planner at the Mid-Region Council of Governments, I stepped away to travel and deepen my skills in Python, JavaScript, Leaflet, and spatial analysis. I’m now a Planning GIS & Mapping Specialist at Sites Southwest, where I create maps and analyses for planning projects across New Mexico.

I also develop independent mapping projects and occasionally return to journalism. My recent work for the Dublin Inquirer used more than 600,000 station records to visualize how Dublin’s bike-share system changes throughout the day.

This site brings together selected work in planning, GIS, data visualization, interactive mapping, and writing.

Here are a few things I'm fond of:

  • 🛹 Urban mobility and great streets
  • ☕ Coconuts, Teh Tarik, Masala Chai, Vermut & Fernet con coca
  • ⚽ Soccer & Skateboarding
  • 🌇 Those ten minutes just after sunset
  • 🌍 Exploring great cities - preferably on foot
  • 💪 Hiking, working out, and making things

I use this space to share ideas, publish writing, and showcase what I’m working on.

Thanks for stopping by — feel free to check out my resume or read the blog to see what I’ve been working on.

Here is what I've been listening to lately: