(Voting closes June 9th at 5:00 pm)
The following individuals have been nominated, and have accepted the opportunity, to run for UGIC Board positions:
– INDUSTRY –
Kim Coburn
Biography: Kim Coburn has been with Epic Engineering for 3 years and has been utilizing GIS for over 7 years. She earned her Bachelors in Civil Engineering with a Minor in Astrophysics at the University of Toledo. Her Master’s focused on water quality and she has a passion for creating environmental reports, modeling, and feasibility studies. She has worked with several municipalities on the utilization of GIS with their utilities, including Magna Water and Service District, Draper Irrigation, North Fork Special Service District, the City of Myton, the Town of Daniel and many more. She specializes in water resource management including hydraulic modeling of infrastructure, floodplain modeling, and storm water delineations.
Statement: I would like to run for the Industry Board Position because I am excited to be part of such a dynamic community. The industry and tools to utilize spatial information are constantly evolving and I want to be at the forefront of that technology. I believe that communication between the different organizations is pivotal to the continued growth of our community. I would love to help facilitate the continued open communication so that we can not only advance our databases but the ease and implementation of our spatial technology.
Kasey Hansen
Biography: Kasey Hansen graduated from Brigham Young University with a Master’s Degree in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in 2001 and has worked for Gateway Mapping for the past 16 years. He currently serves as Gateway Mapping’s GIS Services Director, and is a certified GIS professional (GISP). Kasey’s responsibilities include GIS project management, analysis, GIS-based asset management, programming, and GIS training. Kasey thoroughly enjoys teaching GIS concepts and loves to help others see the value in GIS. He enjoys planning and carrying out GIS events, and has served on both the UGIC board and on the planning committee for the Northern Utah GIS user group. When he’s not at work, Kasey’s favorite activities still have a tie to geography. He enjoys taking his family hiking, camping, geocaching, and exploring around in general.
Statement: I love being able to work with geography and GIS, but I also love teaching and sharing what I’ve learned with others. That’s what is great about UGIC – it gives us an opportunity to do both! This is why I have actively participated in UGIC for more than ten years, and this is why I initially ran for the board. Over the past three years I have served as UGIC Secretary, I have learned the details regarding how to make UGIC a great organization with a very successful annual conference, and I feel that I can use that knowledge and experience to help contribute to UGIC’s success in the future. I would love the opportunity to continue to serve on the UGIC board.
Frank Pisani
Biography: Frank Pisani is a GIS Analyst with HDR in Salt Lake City. He has over 10 years of experience with GIS in both the private and public sectors. His specialties lie in enterprise data management, spatial data visualization and web based mapping. Frank is an advocate of GIS technology and strives to show clients and colleagues how taking a GIS approach to solving problems make projects more successful. Before working at HDR Frank served as UDOT GIS manager for 5 years and was the project manager and technical architect of the DOT’s UPlan GIS applications. The UPlan project has received best practice awards from ESRI, AASHTO, URISA and FHWA. Frank graduated from the University of Delaware in 2004 and moved to Salt Lake City where he lives with his wife and daughter.
Statement: I am interested in a board position because I feel UGIC is what makes the Utah GIS community flourish. When moving to Utah the UGIC events provided an outsider a great way to meet and learn from others in the state. I want to help keep our GIS community thriving and support the events that UGIC offers.
Tom Toronto
Biography: I was raised in Farmington, UT where we currently reside. I attended BYU as a PreMed, but after taking the Intro to GIS class for a Geography requirement, I was hooked. My experience is in both the Public and Private sectors of the Geospatial Industry for the last 15 years. I started at Farmington City, UT to set up the GIS Operations and then moved to Phoenix, AZ to do the same thing at an engineering consulting firm. I loved the diversity of GIS projects and project locations that I was able to work on. We moved back to Utah and shortly thereafter, was a part of the original 3 that created SLUG (The Salt Lake GIS Users Group). I have really enjoyed serving on the SLUG board and can’t believe it’s been almost 7 years since the commencement. Right now I am 3 years into running my own GIS Consulting Services business with clients in UT, ID, CA, AZ, TX, & NM. My clients comprise Municipalities, Water Companies, Legal Firms, & Educational Organizations. My Geospatial acumen is in GIS, GPS, Survey, Engineering, Planning, and Public Works. I have a wife, 3 girls and finally, a boy due in Oct. I enjoy all sports, primarily, basketball (surprised?) and enjoy skiing, camping, hiking, fishing, Star Wars etc. My latest hobby is adding GIS technical terminology from the ESRI Colombia Twitter feed to my Spanish learned while a missionary in Barranquilla, Colombia.
Statement: I appreciate being nominated for the potential opportunity to serve on the UGIC board. If voted in, I’ll work hard to continue the thriving organization that it is and wasn’t really surprised to find out that this past conference was the 25th anniversary. That is a testament to the many great people who have willingly served to enable the viability and success of UGIC. As I have worked with Geospatial professionals from other states, they all seem to be aware of the GIS presence in Utah and frequently declare that Utah is one of the front runners in the industry. As mentioned in my bio, I have enjoyed serving on the SLUG board and look forward to the possibility of transferring that experience to serve on the UGIC board. Thanks for your consideration.
– STATE –
Steffie Gould
Biography: Steffie is a GIS Analyst with the State of Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) where she has worked since 2015. Before SITLA she worked as a GIS Specialist/Fiber Engineer for Zayo, a Colorado Communications Infrastructure company. Her first job utilizing GIS was a Forest Steward Intern for the Green Mountain Club, a Vermont non-profit that maintains the Long Trail- a long distance hiking trail that runs through the state. In 2014 she received a Master’s of Engineering in GIS from the University of Colorado, Denver. Her studies culminated with a project examining how land cover characteristics affect urban water use in Austin, TX while also looking at developing an easily replicable method to measure land cover characteristics for water demand modeling. She received a B.S. in Forestry and Resource Ecology from the University of Vermont. When not working, Steffie can be found exploring Utah by foot, bike and ski!
Statement: I am relatively new to Utah, having moved to Salt Lake City in January of 2014. Since then I have enjoyed getting to know Utah and the GIS community here. Attending my first UGIC Conference this year really highlighted the vibrant energy and engaging opportunities surrounding GIS within the state. By joining the UGIC board I hope to continue to connect with this amazing community as well as contribute to helping grow and strengthen it. I believe my background with both the public and private sectors along with my enthusiasm for the power of all that is geospatial will be assets on the UGIC board.
Josh Groeneveld
Biography: Josh Groeneveld is the GIS Coordinator for the Utah Division of Emergency Management. He is the chair of the Utah Mapping Emergency Technical Team, which provides GIS professionals with resources and guides for producing maps and performing data analysis during an incident. He is co-chair of the National States Geographic Information Council Geospatial Preparedness Committee, which promotes coordination and shares best practices between state emergency management, public safety and homeland security agencies. He received his Masters in Geography from the University of Utah in 2011 and a Bachelor’s in Geography from Western Michigan University in 2008.
Statement: UGIC has done a wonderful job fostering collaboration and cooperation in the GIS community in Utah. Through my involvement with NSGIC and various emergency management organizations, my perspectives and insight can further enhance how the Utah GIS community works together. I want to actively build up the already successful UGIC efforts for both GIS Day and Maps on the Hill. As chair of UMETT, I have witnessed strong partnerships and a willingness to share expertise within the Utah GIS community and I would enjoy serving on the UGIC Board to keep this fantastic community growing.
Adam Radel
Biography: I have enjoyed performing geospatial wizardry for almost 10 years. I have a B.S. In GIS from the University of Idaho. I ‘m a proud GISP and love supporting the GIS community in various ways. In April I completed a 6-month long GIS Corps mission creating an elevation dataset that will be used in the design of a modern water system in a small Panamanian town. I enjoy hanging out at local schools on GIS Day, expanding the idea of Geography for the kiddos I have the honor of speaking to. I have experience working in both federal and state government organizations as well as private companies. I’m lucky enough to spend my days at UDOT where I am a GIS Program Manager. I love hiking, camping, cycling, mountain biking, disc golf, long walks on the beach, and running.
Statement: Let’s make UGIC great again! Actually, UGIC is an amazing organization that I look forward to being a part of for many years to come. I would like to be considered for UGIC board member as I have a broad range of GIS and leadership experience. I don’t mind staying late or coming in early to setup a meeting or activity. I would like to offer my time, talent, and humor to ensure UGIC continues to be the exceptional organization it is!
– FEDERAL –
André Coleman
Biography: André Coleman is a senior research scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (16-years) and currently resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. He brings 24-years of experience in the fields of geoinformatics, hydrology, and computer science with significant experience and research interests in spatial and numerical modeling, water resources, bioenergy modeling, estuarine systems modeling, disaster response, climate analysis, data fusion, machine learning, high-performance computing, photogrammetry and remote-sensing. These specialties have been applied to numerous local, regional, national, and global scale environmental and energy-related projects. Mr. Coleman graduated with a BS in Geography and Earth Resources from Utah State University in 1995 with emphases in GIS, hydrology, and fluvial geomorphology. In 2008, he completed an MS (cum laude) in Geoinformatics at the Vrije Universiteit, The Netherlands and won the International Award of Academic Excellence in Geoinformatics for his work in neural-based classifiers. Mr. Coleman is currently pursuing a Ph.D. from Clemson University with a focus on the water-energy-environment nexus and sustainable systems. To date, he has authored or co- authored 28 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters.
Statement: The purpose and objectives of the Utah Geographic Information Council align with my professional background and interests to continue promoting the value of geographic information, sharing and learning best practices, increasing operation/system efficiencies with effective data management practices, and ensuring a high-degree of data quality and pedigree in an era of data deluge. While currently working under the Federal umbrella, I have also worked in the private industry and academia and understand these environments.
– AT-LARGE –
Shawn Beecher
Biography: I am Shawn Beecher. I am the GIS Administrator at Spanish Fork and have been since 2003. I have been involved in GIS for over 20 years. I received my GISP in 2011. While studying GIS and Cartography at BYU (1996-1998) I worked for the LDS Church as an intern digitizing road networks for cities in South America. After graduating with a BS from BYU, I moved to Springfield, MO where I worked on my masters at SMSU and worked for Springfield City as an intern doing application development, training, and GIS services. Upon leaving Springfield I got a job with a Private Engineering Firm in 2000 doing GIS consulting, GIS training, and application development. I moved to Logan, UT in 2002 as a GIS Specialist for 6 months before moving to Spanish Fork where I am currently the only full-time GIS person doing everything GIS, IT, and more.
Statement: I have really enjoyed the UGIC community and all they offer. After coming to my first UGIC Conference in 2010 in Moab, UT I wanted to come back as many times as Spanish Fork would allow me. I feel the networking, knowledge, experience, comradery, and more that we get at these conferences is huge. I have felt for many years the need to give back to the community that has given me so much. I feel this is my way to do that. We at UGIC have a phenomenal group of people of which I am glad to be a part.
Jordan Behunin
Biography: Jordan Behunin has been a GIS Specialist for Carbon County since 2012. Before he worked for Carbon County, he volunteered with Hurricane City GIS and worked for the Forest Service as a seasonal technician. He has a Bachelor of Science in Recreation Resource Management and a minor in GIS from Utah State University. He is three classes away from obtaining his Master of Science in GIS Management from Salisbury University. During his most recent semester of school, he conducted a use assessment for Carbon County GIS. As a GIS specialist, Jordan has many responsibilities including data collection and creation, creating map deliverables, and doing analysis. Most recently, he transitioned Carbon County’s online maps from ArcGIS flex viewer to Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS (Developer Edition). In the past Jordan has been chair of the Castle Country Trails Committee and now functions as the GIS Specialist for the committee. When Jordan is not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, mountain biking, hiking, riding OHVs, fishing, and staying active.
Statement: Within the first three weeks of beginning work for Carbon County GIS, I attended UGIC at Bryce Canyon in 2012. Every year since then, I have looked forward to UGIC conferences as an opportunity to learn techniques, skills, and applications from Utah’s GIS experts. Through networking opportunities at UGIC, I have gained new friends and had awesome opportunities in GIS including GIS Day held at Utah Valley University, participated in Maps on the Hill, and presented at various user groups and conferences. I am grateful to be nominated as a prospective member of the UGIC board. I would gladly give back to the GIS community of Utah by serving as a member of the board. I want to represent you and your ideas as Utah’s GIS professionals. I will continue to build upon the hard work and dedication of past boards, by providing opportunities for you to continue to network, learn innovative skills, and gain knowledge at UGIC conferences and events throughout the year.
Steve Johnson
Biography: I am excited to be a member of the geospatial community in Utah and have loved the chances I have had to serve in UGIC. I hold a bachelors and a masters degree in geography from Brigham Young University and have been employed at the City of Orem for 20 years as an Engineering Specialist in the Storm Sewer Utility. I have sought out opportunities to maintain professional relations with fellow GISers in Utah County through intiating the establishment of UVGIS.
Statement: As a UGIC board member for the past three years and a conference committee member for three years before that, I have grown to love the opportunity to learn from UGIC presenters and expand a network of friends and colleagues that share my love of maps, places, locations, and spatial relationships.Some of my favorite experiences in my career have been in organizing and assisting with GIS Day events in Utah County, Salt Lake County, Richfield and Escalante. If I were re-elected to serve on the board, I would seek to enhance the Council’s education and outreach efforts. I would also like to find ways to assist GIS users with their needs in asset management and public works applications.
Nick Kryger
Biography: Nick Kryger is the GIS & IT Administrator for Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities. Nick has been working in GIS for over 25 years. He has a BS degree in Business Administration and in Industrial Relations Nick is a Certified Geographic Information Systems Professional (GISP) and is a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer.
Statement: I would like to continue on the board to help promote GIS across the State of Utah. Having worked in GIS for over 25 years and having the knowledge on how UGIC functions I feel will help our GIS Community.
Stan McShinsky
Biography: Stan McShinsky is a GIS Web Developer for Provo City. Stan enjoys building interesting maps like puzzles, augmented reality sandboxes and mazes. Currently Stan develops web applications for various projects in the city. Previously he worked in the energy department at Provo City managing a fiber network and power grid data. He also has experience with the UTOPIA project in managing fiber networks around Utah. He graduated from BYU. Stan likes to play softball, go geocaching and beekeeping.
Statement: For me, GIS is not just a job but a way of life. I see the different needs of those around me from coworkers to customers and I look for a way to fill that need through maps. By having a position on the board I believe I can clearly see the bigger picture and needs of those I come in contact with. I consistently push myself to improve my skills and learn new things. I like to think outside the box and believe I can bring a fresh perspective. Many GIS professionals have helped me along the way–from getting an internship to troubleshooting projects. I would appreciate the opportunity to be on the board and have a way to contribute to the GIS community myself.
Andrea Roskelly
Biography: Andrea Roskelley has worked as a GIS Analyst for Ogden City GIS the past 11 years. Andrea’s work has led her to many different aspects of GIS including public utilities, business development, public safety, municipal elections and emergency operations. She has also worked to configure a number of the web applications for Ogden City. Andrea has trained many new users on how to use GIS and worked with other users to help them improve their skills. She has worked to spread her knowledge of GIS with others through conference presentations, GIS Day events and classroom presentations. Andrea’s favorite part of her job is cartography, and getting the details just right so she can deliver an amazing map. Andrea is a graduate of Weber State University with a Bachelor of Science in Geography and she is a certified GIS Professional (GISP).
Statement: I love UGIC and the GIS community that goes with it. I would be honored to be a member of the board. I enjoy sharing my knowledge of GIS with others, and I have been a presenter most of the years that I have attended the UGIC conference. I have a passion and enthusiasm for all things GIS and I would use those traits to be a great asset on the UGIC committee. I would be thrilled to have the opportunity to serve and help in whatever way I can.