Meet URISA's Vanguard Cabinet
URISA is pleased to present its Vanguard Cabinet. The Vanguard Cabinet (VC) is a URISA initiative (which debuted in 2011) to engage young GIS practitioners, increase their numbers in the organization, and better understand the concerns facing these future leaders of the GIS community. The VC is an advisory board made up of URISA young professionals who represent the young membership of the organization. The Cabinet’s mission is to collaborate with URISA’s Board of Directors and Committees in creating and promoting programs and policies of benefit to young professionals. Comprised entirely of passionate young members selected from different geospatial disciplines, the Cabinet aims to position URISA as the center of opportunities for creative young professionals who are committed to improving URISA and the geospatial profession via innovation, collaboration, networking, and professional development.
Each year (usually December), interested applicants submit a resume and answer questions related to the mission of the Vanguard Cabinet. A Steering Committee reviews the submissions and selects the members of the Cabinet. Each member serves a two-year appointment.
Five new members were named following the 2013 application process. The VC is pleased to welcome:
- Caitlin Blundell - Mississauga, Ontario
- Andrew Hayslip - St Petersburg, Florida
- Shannon Reilly - St Petersburg, Florida
- Chauncey Robbs - Alexandria, Virginia
- Wendy Sisson - Atlanta, Georgia
Learn about Vanguard Cabinet Committees
2013-2014 Vanguard Cabinet Members
Caitlin Blundell - "As a recently graduated GIS professional and entrepreneur, I know firsthand the importance of connecting with peers and mentors. The field is always changing and evolving, and communicating about new ideas and innovative tools will help drive the entire industry forward. I'm excited to be a part of the Vanguard Cabinet as it develops tools to engage and connect people from different disciplines. Connect with me @geog_design.".
Andrew Hayslip - "The next generation of geographers, planners, scientists, and GIS practitioners represent the future of these disciplines, which we can all agree are astoundingly and increasingly important. I'm honored to help represent this generation as a member of the Vanguard Cabinet, and through working with my fellow cabinet members and other URISA members, I hope to foster better connections between young professionals in this field and provide additional outlets for personal, academic, and professional growth."
Shannon Reilly - "I am looking forward to bringing some of the unique ways GIS is used in private business to the VC. I also look forward to finding new ways to use GIS from my peers in the government and environmental side. I think in joining in these two perspectives we can really open up the GIS profession to those still in college and out of college alike to opportunity they may not have otherwise seen."
Chauncey Robbs - "I am very excited to be a member of the Vanguard Cabinet. During my tenure, I look forward to working with URISA’s leadership and its members to introduce young professionals to a community that can aid in their professional growth through mentorship, training seminars, and networking opportunities. I will strive to ensure that my peers have an avenue to share their ideas and to engage in the affairs of URISA."
Wendy Sisson - "The Vanguard Cabinet provides valuable resources for young GIS professionals through URISA. Networking, building relationships, and sharing knowledge with other professionals are important pieces to enhancing the future of GIS. As part of the Vanguard Cabinet, I am excited to have the opportunity to help other young professionals get involved in the GIS community.”
2012-2013 Vanguard Cabinet Members
Lou Manglass - "Young GIS practitioners have energy, passion, and a fresh education. As a Vanguard Cabinet member, I will find ways to mentor young practitioners to be young professionals and create partnerships with those on extended academic tracks."
Bill Craft - "Starting out as a young GIS professional can be challenging. I can recall the variety of questions I had with respect to the GIS industry once I graduated, and I remember the concerns and uncertainties that I encountered during my initial few years in the profession. Now that URISA's Vanguard Cabinet is a resource for those who are up and coming in the GIS field, I am looking forward to providing the type of career guidance and mentoring that young GIS professionals need and want. Moreover, it is my belief that fostering connections between young GIS professionals and well-established GIS professionals will be key to career advancement for today's generation. I am excited to be a part of the Vanguard Cabinet, and I look forward to contributing toward a more structured and enriching career development program for today's young GIS professionals."
Reed Tomlinson - "The Vanguard Cabinet exists to involve young GIS professionals in URISA and the GIS community, and I am very excited to be a part of it. Each new generation will have ideas that are disruptive and innovative, and temporal expertise that will help bring GIS to a broader audience. The Vanguard Cabinet can make sure their voices are heard while we guide them into the GIS community, and I am honored to be a member."
Ryan Elizabeth Bowe - "Mapping one’s way through GIS is a day-to-day challenge. Everyone comes to GIS in a unique way. I will strive to use my experiences to encourage URISA to facilitate the journey of young GIS professionals through the development of new resources for continuing education, networking, mentoring, and research."
Erik Endrulat - "As a professional organization, URISA provides exceptional opportunities to further career development with continued learning, give back to the community by volunteerism, and connect with other practitioners through an international network. I’m excited to serve on the Vanguard Cabinet, where I’ll work to use innovative approaches to promote URISA to a critical segment of the GIS field: young GIS professionals, and ensure that their ideas and needs are heard by the organization."
Diana Maties - "In my opinion the Vanguard Cabinet is there to facilitate networking, communication, and sharing of ideas among a group of people that are in need of answers and those that have the knowledge to answer those questions, its members. URISA for me is not just a professional organization that I have joined, but rather a community that I am part of that connects people with similar interests and where I have the opportunity to learn, grow, and continue to be surrounded by people that challenge my thinking. I am honored to be part of the Vanguard Cabinet where I hope to reach out and encourage other young GIS professionals to get involved and get their ideas heard."
2011-2012 Vanguard Cabinet Alumni...they paved the way!
Rachel Kornak - “I am very excited to be a part of the Vanguard Cabinet. I’m particularly interested in helping young professionals build connections with each other, develop mentoring relationships with experienced professionals, and understand the importance of their active involvement in our profession.”
Carlos Silva - “As part of the Vanguard Cabinet, I’m looking forward to contributing to the URISA membership by helping young GIS professionals get involved in one of the few professional organizations available to them. Whether it’s on-line or in-person, I’m interested in being a resource to those getting started in the profession!”
Ashley Coby - "I would like to establish successful brand building initiatives that help URISA to continue to be the premiere resource for budding young professionals in GIS. I am thankful to be an inaugural member of the Vanguard Cabinet and I hope to ignite and fuel the passion of future GIS practitioners just like URISA did for me."
Jennifer Weisser - "It is my privilege to serve my peers as a Vanguard Cabinet member. The next generation wants to participate; they just often do not know where to start. URISA can serve as the gateway for developing networks and mentoring relationships. Together we can engage and encourage the next generation of GIS practitioners."
Ashley Littell - “I think URISA’s Vanguard Cabinet will be an exciting opportunity to give young GIS practitioners additional prospects to expand and impact the GIS knowledge base. For obvious reasons, experience is the major focus of so much professionally that young practitioners and those getting ready to graduate with GIS degrees need as many resources as possible to increase networking abilities and continue learning about the diversity that exists in fields using GIS.”
More from URISA's Vanguard Cabinet: 
About the Vanguard Cabinet
Learn about Vanguard Cabinet Committees
