Episode 25 & 26 of More Than Just Maps
On this week’s episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Liz Parrish of Esri. Liz got her start in GIS after unknowingly doing GIS in her career in Real Estate. After wetting her pallet, she went back to school to learn more about it, and become a GIS professional. We chat about how more graduate Business programs are incorporating GIS into their curriculums, exposing more people to GIS early on in their careers, and what it’s like to build GIS from scratch for a newly incorporated municipality.
Episode 23 & 24 of More Than Just Maps
On this week’s episode, I finish my interview with Toby Soto of Soto Media. We chat about some of the differences between working in any level of government versus the private industry. We also dive deep into Toby’s journey of GIS Success, the blog he started while struggling to find all the information he needed in one place. What started as Munigovguy.com is today becoming one of the best places for GIS leaders to learn the skills that don’t necessarily have to do with GIS.
Episode 21 & 22 of More Than Just Maps
Episode 19 & 20 of More Than Just Maps
On this week’s episode, I finish my interview with Brett Clark of Nearmap. We dive into how to use some of the sales skills Brett learned over the years to benefit not just your career, but almost anything you’re working on, from fighting for a seat at the table, to getting buy-in from other departments. We also talk about how starting from the bottom up helps to push your projects and goals along. And finally for those who are new to GIS, we grab some tips about how to get more than your foot in the door and learn about this vast industry.
Episode 17 & 18 of More Than Just Maps
On this week’s episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Lt. Ronald Vaugh of Dallas Fire Rescue. When his dreams of becoming a police officer turned into becoming a Fire Fighter & Paramedic instead, Lt Vaughn never dreamed of the day when he would be voluntold into the world of GIS. After almost 20 years in the field, Lt Vaugh was given the assignment to find out what this “GIS” thing was for the department, and he hasn’t looked back.
Episode 15 & 16 of More Than Just Maps
On today’s episode I conclude my interview with Caitlyn McNabb and Micah Babinsky. With 2020 being what it was, this special episode of the podcast deals with the topic of burnout. Caitlyn, Micah and I all discuss some of the challenges we’ve faced recently and how and what we’ve done to overcome our own bouts of burnout.
Episode 13 & 14 of More Than Just Maps
On today's episode I conclude my interview with Jordan Carmona as we wrap our discussion on the GISP. We dive into why each of us wanted the certification in the first place, and then we crack open the technical exam, as much as we can, for those looking for some insight into this sometimes controversial test.
Episode 11 & 12 of More Than Just Maps
On this week’s episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Brandi Rank from the city of Thornton, Colorado. We chat about what it’s like being the first generation in your family to attend college, while not knowing what you want to do right away, and what that process is like when searching for what you’re supposed to do with the rest of your life. We also talk about the importance of internships, and the abundance of experience they can provide. And finally we span Brandi’s career in government where she started searching for monuments for the Colorado State Parks, to where she is now as the GIS manager for the city of Thornton, just north of Denver.
Episode 9 & 10 of More Than Just Maps
This month I chat with Michelle Swindle from the city of Fort Worth Texas. We talk about Michelle’s non-traditional path to GIS, and what it was like to go back to school after she thought she was finished with higher education. We also get to hear about what it’s like to be a civilian GIS contractor in an active war zone, and how that environment comes with a whole host of unique challenges. We also get into the details of what it's like working in municipal government, and different kinds of opportunities that opens up in the GIS world.
Episode 7 & 8 of More Than Just Maps
This month I chat with the GIS Enterprise Geospatial Technologies Administrator for Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Thomas (Tom) Fisher. We talk about Tom’s early start in GIS as an Eagle Scout mapping fire hydrants, to how after his degree in forestry natural lead him back to GIS. We also talk about Tom's work with non-profits in Ohio, and how the county is handling the current Covid-19 crisis.
Episode 5 & 6 of More Than Just Maps
This month I chat with URISA President, Keri Brennan. We chat about Keri’s journey from being a non-GIS student in natural resources and how she was able to break into the industry through academic research. We also talk about how evolving GIS technology has changed what she does on a day to day basis, and what to focus on when first entering the industry.
Episode 3 & 4 of More Than Just Maps
This month I get to chat with the founder of URISA Texas, Brian King. Brian goes into detail about what it's like to change from archeology to GIS gradually through his career. We also talk about how quickly the GIS field has grown since he first started using the technology, what it's like to start a non-profit, and what you can do to get more experience when you have none.
Episode 1 & 2 of More Than Just Maps
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