South Sound Women to Watch: Celebrating Local Leadership

South Sound Women to Watch: Celebrating Local Leadership

On October 16, South Sound Magazine hosted its annual Women to Watch event at the Silver Cloud Hotel Tacoma at Point Ruston Waterfront. TAPCO Credit Union was the title sponsor for the program, which highlights influential women across the South Sound region.

The event brings together leaders from fields such as business, public service, science, arts, and community work. Honorees share their stories of growth and leadership in a TED Talk-style format. The program also invites the community to submit nominations for future editions.

One of this year's featured honorees was Lindsey Wade, a member of TAPCO's Board of Directors.

Wade spent decades working in law enforcement, including her service as a Tacoma Police Department detective. Her career led to the publication of In My DNA: My Career Investigating Your Worst Nightmares, an award-winning book that recounts her upbringing in Tacoma, her years as an investigator, and the long-unsolved 1986 case of Jennifer Bastian, which she later helped solve in 2018.

During that investigation, Wade developed a connection with Jennifer's mother, Pattie, whose reflection was included in Wade's book:

"For years after Jennifer's case went seemingly 'cold,' Lindsey was hard at work. When the public was just learning the term 'cold case,' Lindsey didn't care — nothing was ever 'cold' to her. Her vision, her research abilities, and her doggedness influenced an entire law-enforcement community."

Wade's work helped advance the use of forensic genetic genealogy in local investigations, a method that uses DNA profiling paired with genealogical research to identify suspects in unsolved cases. That approach also helped bring resolution to the case of Michella Welch, who was murdered around the same time as Jennifer.

After retiring from the Tacoma Police Department, Wade worked with the Washington State Office of the Attorney General, where she helped introduce Jennifer and Michella's Law, aimed at expanding Washington's DNA database to support cold case investigations. She currently serves with the Pierce County Prosecutor's Office as a criminal investigator.

Wade has expressed the importance of empathy in investigative work and shared encouragement for young women considering a similar career path. Her advice to her younger self: "Being different is a strength, not a weakness."