Coming to GIS Managers Summit – Leading Without a Title
We're counting down to the GIS Managers Summit, with previews of the content your peers will be sharing...
Leading Without a Title
At the GIS Managers Summit, @AndrewSandifer from Esri will lead a great discussion panel on how to be a leader in your organization when you don't have the official title to match.
Andrew will be joined by Véronique Couttee-Jenkins of Geospatial Equity Tech and AfriTech Fellowship, Louis Hill from Kenton County, and @ScottWeisman from Tallahassee-Leon County, Florida
What to expect:
The group will address some common questions we hear from GIS Managers who are challenged to lead without a title:
What is your personal definition of leading without a title in the context of GIS, based on your experiences?
Leadership is broad and at times complex spectrum, how do you lead in an organization without a formal title?
What are the key enablers, characteristics, or activities that facilitate leading without a formal title?
What specific challenges did you face when leading without a formal title in the field of GIS?
What specific activities or actions have you taken to effectively demonstrate your leadership abilities?
Véronique Couttee-Jenkins is a renowned GIS and equity specialist with over a decade of experience leveraging geospatial technology for global conservation and equity-focused projects. She holds a Master’s in Biodiversity, Conservation, and Policy from the University at Albany, where she was a Fulbright scholar. As the founder of Geospatial Equity Tech (GET), Véronique integrates Geospatial Technology, Science, and Storytelling with a deep commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDI-B). Her work, including mentoring emerging leaders through the AfriTech Fellowship, has earned her the prestigious 2023 Women in Tech Africa Advocate Award. Her extensive fieldwork in conservation, particularly in the Indian Ocean, and her leadership in creating datadriven solutions for marginalized communities, highlight her transformative impact on both environmental and social justice. Through interactive maps and training programs, Véronique is paving the way for inclusive digital transformation in STEAM fields.
Louis Hill, AICP, GISP, is the Director of GIS Administration at Planning and Development Services of Kenton County (KY) in the Cincinnati metro area. He leads a team of six full time employees that manage the LINK-GIS consortium’s 3-county mapping system. With over twenty years of experience in GIS and planning, Louis has worked within Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky local governments. He holds an undergraduate degree in Urban Planning & Development and a graduate degree in Information & Communication Sciences from Ball State University. Louis served as the President of the Kentucky Association of Mapping Professionals from 2017 to 2018 and was previously appointed by the governor for a term on Kentucky’s Geographic Information Advisory Council. Louis currently teaches GIS curriculum at Thomas More University as an adjunct faculty member.
Scott Weisman is the GIS program coordinator for Tallahassee-Leon County GIS. He has a master’s degree in GIS from Florida State University and is an adjunct instructor at FSU’s masters of GIS program. Weisman is also president of the grassroots organization Seven Hills Regional User Group for GIS (SHRUG), which holds GIS conferences in Tallahassee.
