Maggie Cawley
Maggie Cawley serves as the Executive Director for OpenStreetMap US. She joined OSM US in 2019 after 15 years as a geospatial professional with experience across all sectors, with a focus on sustainability and urban planning. Maggie also currently serves as the vice chair of the National Geospatial Advisory Committee, and holds a MA in Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University and a BA in International Studies from the University of Richmond.
Puneet Kollipara
Puneet Kollipara is a geospatial data scientist and outreach/communications specialist in Washington, DC. Leveraging open source, open data and open science, he helps clients find, analyze, provide, translate and integrate data for the benefit of people and the planet. He works with Fulton Ring and the Public Environmental Data Partners on HIFLD Next, a community-shaped geospatial data hub with tools for exploring and downloading archived layers from HIFLD Open, an infrastructure data portal discontinued in 2025. To support open ecosystems, Puneet mentors aspiring technologists via The Upskilling Labs and other apprenticeships, and helps plan convenings like FedGeoDay, FOSS4G North America and the SciPy Conference. Previously a science, environmental and public-policy journalist and blogger, Puneet holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and economics from Washington University in St. Louis, MO.
John Crowley
Over 15 years working in humanitarian technology, John has built a career around data sharing and collaboration between large institutions. He wrote the field guide for the World Bank's Open Data for Resilience team, served on the United Nations committee managing the development of the Humanitarian Exchange Language, and built open-source or open data projects as manager of data teams at NetHope, Mercy Corps, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. He also curated the field experiments at Camp Roberts with the National Defense University, where US federal agencies built the MapGive process by which the US State Department releases satellite imagery to the OpenStreetMap community. John holds degrees from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Boston University in public administration, music, and the history of ideas.
Doug Newcomb
Doug Newcomb has a BS in Geography from the University of Illinois (CU) and an MA in Geography from the University of NC (CH). Doug has spent the past 34 years at different positions in the US. Department of The Interior and is currently a Cartographer at the USFWS Raleigh Ecological Services Field Office. Doug is a heavy user of open source geospatial software and is a charter member of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation.
Jessi Breen
Dr. Jessica Breen is a critical human geographer whose work delves into the interplay between digital and physical worlds as they shape urban spaces. Her research focuses on digital geographies and creative placemaking, utilizing mapping and visual data to understand how these interconnected realms enable us to craft the environments we desire for living and working.
Josh Sisco
Josh Sisco is a geographer and technology executive specializing in the application of geospatial and open data technologies to real-world operational challenges. With over 20 years of experience across federal, state, and commercial sectors, he focuses on transforming spatial data into decision advantage through integration with enterprise systems, real-time intelligence, and mission workflows.
Adam Simmons
Adam Simmons is a strategic leader and geospatial industry expert with over two decades of experience bridging the gap between complex technology and mission-critical applications. As the Founder and Executive Director of Project Geospatial, a 501(c)(3) non-profit media organization, he has dedicated his career to highlighting advancements in the geospatial ecosystem through hundreds of interviews and deep-dive industry analyses.
Karla Riso
Karla Riso is a seasoned Program Analyst with a rich background in spatial data management, project leadership, and cross-agency collaboration. Currently serving as a Team Lead at the U.S. Census Bureau, Karla excels in supervising teams, managing high-stakes projects, and driving strategic initiatives within the realm of geospatial data infrastructure.
Bill Dollins
Bill Dollins is the founder and President at Cercana Systems LLC — a boutique consultancy providing strategic and technical geospatial consulting to organizations in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Over his 30-yar career, Bill has implemented geospatial systems at all levels of government. He has also been a senior executive in the geospatial SaaS industry, most recently as the CIO at Fulcrum. Bill has a long-standing interest in the application of geospatial technologies to infrastructure analysis and operations. He has supported critical infrastructure protection across multiple infrastructure types, was founding member of the Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data (HIFLD) working group, and is currently supporting rural broadband expansion. Bill holds a MBA from the University of Maryland Global Campus, and a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Management from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. His personal interests include physical fitness and he is a slow, ungainly runner who regularly finishes races in the back of the pack while enjoying the experience thoroughly.
Aaron Kelley
Aaron Kelley, a champion of open-source geospatial solutions, heads UpSlope Advisor, Inc. as its President. This distinguished 8(A) professional engineering federal contracting firm is recognized for its unwavering commitment to delivering IT and GEOINT solutions. Aaron's significant roles, notably as the GEOINT Services engagement lead and product manager for QGIS and GeoServer, have been pivotal in catapulting UpSlope to unparalleled growth—a staggering 11-fold increase in revenue and company stature since 2018. This trajectory is fortified by collaborations with DoD and Civilian government agencies. Amassing over two decades in test engineering, all-source analysis, system engineering, and program management, Aaron's contributions to the geospatial and aerospace sectors are decorated with numerous accolades. This expertise is underscored by his associations with prominent organizations including ESRI, USGIF, OGC, FedGeoDay, OSM US Government Committee, PMI, USMCA, NVBCC, CRMSDC, SECAF, CBDA, and the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.
Jackie Kazil
Dr. Jackie Kazil is the Director of Geospatial Solutions at Bana Solutions, where she drives applied research and GIS initiatives. A former White House Presidential Innovation Fellow, she played a pivotal role in supporting the co-founding of 18F and championing “open by default” government initiatives.
Chad Blevins
Chad is a Geographer who has spent his career applying geospatial solutions to human challenges through the adaptation of geography. His work has proven to build partnerships and create scalable geospatial capacity within local communities around the world. He currently works at the intersection of technology and open data partnering with people and organizations who share a common goal of building safer and more accessible communities by improving openly available pedestrian data in major cities across the globe.
Carter Christopher
Dr. Carter Christopher is Section Head for Human Dynamics R&D in Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Geospatial Science and Human Security Division. Dr. Christopher leads the Human Geography, Location Intelligence, Built Environment Characterization, and Geoinformatics Engineering research groups at the lab, to solve national- and global-scale challenges for Energy Security and National Security. He is also the Principal Investigator and/or Program Manager for a diverse portfolio of projects, ranging from hazardous material routing and risk characterization to large-scale human mobility modeling, to alternative PNT solutions for the electric grid.
Jennifer Sims
Jennifer Sims is Niyam IT’s GIS Director with over a decade of experience leading geospatial analysis, data strategy, and innovation for federal, state, and local clients. She has supported a range of agencies and organizations, delivering solutions across disaster management, infrastructure, and environmental programs. Jennifer provides technical and program leadership on large-scale geospatial initiatives, specializing in integrating data, analytics, and emerging technologies to improve risk modeling and decision-making. She leads Niyam’s GIS Center of Competency, advancing best practices, partnerships, and professional development. Her work focuses on delivering scalable, data-driven solutions that enhance community resilience and support informed planning.
Michael Arthur
Michael Arthur is a Geographer at the U.S. Census Bureau, where he supports Census geographic partnership programs and stakeholder engagement initiatives. His work focuses on open data, federal collaboration, and census outreach efforts. He has contributed to key programs such as the Local Update of Census Addresses Operation and the Redistricting Data Program which works closely with partners across government and the private sector. During FedGeoDay, he will share insights on strengthening collaboration and advancing the use of open geospatial data. he is passionate about using Census geographic data to support data driven decision making.
Ghermay Araya
Ghermay Araya is the Founder and CEO of New Light Technologies, where he leads a multidisciplinary team and works closely with partners to deliver cutting-edge geospatial, data science, and cloud solutions. With over 30 years of experience, he has guided impactful projects focused on modernizing address management and advancing sptial data infrastructure. At FedGeoDay, Ghermay will share how he and the team are tackling address challenges to improve accuracy, interoperability, and government service delivery.
Jaymes Cloninger
Jaymes Cloninger is a visionary leader and the CEO of Motivf Corporation, where he has been at the helm since April 2016. With an impressive career spanning over two decades, Jaymes has cultivated a reputation for fostering innovation, empathy, and trust within dynamic, global teams. His leadership philosophy emphasizes lifelong learning and service, driving Motivf to achieve unparalleled outcomes in the information technology, multimedia, and geospatial industries.
Ryan Burley
Ryan serves as the Director of Business Development for GeoSolutions in North America, supporting all levels of government and several industry sectors in their operational use of open-source geospatial and hybrid deployments - specifically those involving GeoServer, GeoNode, and/or MapStore. Ryan holds a master's degree in Homeland Security - GEOINT from Penn State University and BA in Geography/GIS from University of Washington.
Eddie Pickle
Eddie Pickle is a highly accomplished executive in the public sector, open-source software, and geospatial technology industries, with a career spanning over three decades. He currently serves as a Senior District Manager for Snowflake, a role he assumed following Snowflake's acquisition of Crunchy Data, where he was the Senior Vice President, Public Sector. At Crunchy Data, he led the company's engagement with US government organizations and agencies, bringing over 30 years of experience in geospatial and open-source software to the leading provider of open-source PostgreSQL technology. Mr. Pickle’s open-source career began with pioneering geospatial leader OpenGeo. He went on to serve as the founding CEO when OpenGeo became Boundless Spatial, a leading provider of open-source product support and training, which was later acquired by Planet. Throughout his career, he has worked with commercial, government, and NGO organizations worldwide, serving in roles such as site location specialist, market segmentation analyst, program manager, and critical infrastructure data expert. A dedicated community builder, Mr. Pickle co-founded the popular FedGeoDay and FOSS4G North America conferences. He also serves as the Secretary of the American Geographical Society (celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2026). Mr. Pickle holds an MA degree in Geography from UCLA, where he was a National Science Foundation Fellow, and a BA in Geography from the University of Tennessee.