Esri Young Professionals Network Blog

YPN Miami is here! The newest Esri Young Professionals Network (YPN) chapter is bringing together GIS professionals across South Florida, the Southeast United States, and Latin America. Learn how we're building a community focused on networking, collaboration, professional growth, and connecting the next generation of geospatial leaders.

Okay so real talk - I didn't really dread the word "networking." I just had a completely wrong understanding of what it meant.

Read this blog post on how to go about networking in a way that is authentic and realistic.

As a GIS master's student, I have spent months studying healthcare accessibility through maps, datasets, and spatial analysis. But after a recent bout of malaria, I gained a new perspective on the challenges people face when accessing healthcare. This experience reminded me that behind every dataset is a human story and reinforced the importance of GIS in understanding and improving healthcare access.

Fresh out of grad school last summer, I was entirely uncertain about what I wanted the next chapter of my life to look like. I was dragging my feet on applying to jobs, and to be honest, I was very much in denial that I needed to actually face the real world. At the same time, I was determined that my next chapter be something that lights me up.

In this blog post geared towards GIS job-seekers,, I'll discuss concrete tips and mindset reminders that helped me go from a recent grad at the 2025 Esri UC to a fully-employed GIS Analyst speaking at the 2026 Esri UC. 

From childhood coding to leading-edge GIS development, Tyler Moon shares his path to Esri, insights on daily life as a software engineer, and practical advice for continuous growth and success in tech.

What does a successful GIS career look like?

If you're an emerging geospatial professional, you've probably wondered how to turn your education, skills, and interests into a long-term career. The good news: there’s no single path to success in GIS. That’s why the GIS Certification Institute (GISCI) created the Pathways to GISP® program—a flexible framework designed to help you navigate the many opportunities available in the profession. Whether you're a student, recent graduate, or early-career practitioner, Pathways to GISP can help you connect today’s goals with tomorrow’s achievements. Read on to discover how this initiative can help chart your course toward a rewarding career in geospatial technology.

Hello Esri YPN community!  I’m excited to have the opportunity to tell you a bit about product management and the path that led me here.  

My name is Jill Edstrom-Shoemaker, and I lead the ArcGIS Enterprise and data management product management teams here at Esri.  Every day I work with incredible individuals across Esri, our distributors, and user community.  Before I get into the details of my role, let me take a step back to share how I ended up here in the first place. 

The Esri User Conference (UC) 2026 is fast approaching. For over 11 years, YPN has been fostering community, connection, and career growth for emerging GIS leaders, and this year, we’re marking the occasion with exciting events and activities designed to help you network, learn, and celebrate.

Most maps look good. But do they actually say something? Here’s how I used a population distribution project to create maps that reveal patterns, support decisions, and communicate clearly.