My journey into GIS began during my undergraduate research on algal community assemblages, where I first used ArcMap and quickly developed a passion for geospatial analysis. Although I discovered GIS late in my degree, I took an introductory course and recognized its potential across various research fields.
After graduating, I joined the National Park Service as a Resource Monitoring Technician, working on projects like soil accretion in mangrove forests and seedling survival in Salt River National Park. This experience deepened my understanding of GIS, particularly how it integrates with databases for data querying, cleaning, and visualization.
In Denver, I transitioned to surveying with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, using total station theodolites to collect data in the field. I then processed the data with Excel, ArcGIS Pro, Trimble Business Center, and AutoCAD to update maps and define land boundaries for wildlife refuges. My role as a Survey Associate at Tower Engineering exposed me to urban mapping and legal property descriptions.
Most recently, as a GIS Technician with CACI, I focused on geospatial analysis in ArcGIS Pro, performing feature extraction, digitization, and geoprocessing for defense-related mapping projects. This role sparked my interest in coding, and I taught myself Python and libraries like Pandas, GeoPandas, and Folium. I also explored Linux and even started building small video games as a hobby.
Now, as a GIS Analyst, I’m excited to combine my GIS expertise with programming to create efficient, data-driven solutions that bring insights to life.
