Thank you for taking the time to consider the candidates for the NACIS Board of Directors. Please review the candidate bios and then submit a ballot on the right side of the page.

Candidate statements

---

Vice President Elect

Jennifer Mapes

Jen Mapes is an assistant professor of geography at Kent State University, and director of the Community Geography Lab, where she creates maps for and with the local community. She first attended NACIS in 2018 in Norfolk where she was immediately impressed with the professionalism and caring of the members. She’s presented annually since then, and runs a Map Swap at the in-person conferences. Jen serves on the Cartographic Perspectives editorial board, and last year was a judge for the Atlas of Design. If selected for the presidential track, she hopes to build on the work of past NACIS leadership, in particular a focus on broadening participation of cartographers from all backgrounds and places of work. Continuing and expanding the mentorship program to provide new cartographers with a network of connections to a wide variety of careers will be a top priority, especially with the current uncertainty in federal employment.

Secretary

Josh Ryan

This year will be the 11th year as a NACIS member for me. It is my favorite conference to attend and I am continually looking for ways to be involved. Before serving on the Board, I was an Atlas of Design editor (for Volume 6) and a New Attendee Ambassador.

I have served as Secretary the last two years and would be honored to continue in that capacity. While my first year was spent learning the ins and outs of how the board runs, this year has been spent trying to improve some of our processes around scheduling and documentation. I hope to continue in that vein for the upcoming cycle.

Board of Directors (two-year term)

Cy Abbott

Cy Abbott (he, him) is an avid cartographic enthusiast and proud community member, and he is delighted to stand for election to the Board and re-invest the energy, talent, and potential he has seen invested in him and many others by the NACIS community. Cy is a Ph.D. Candidate in Geography at the University of Oregon, where he researches historical cartography and its use in political boundary delineation in Turkey and beyond. He first participated in the 42nd annual meeting in 2022, and despite being somewhat on the periphery of cartographic research and practice, he felt immediately welcomed into the remarkable community of practitioners, scholars, and experts that NACIS represents.

Cy hopes to bring to his potential service on the Board not only meaningful insights from that peripheral perspective, but also more tangibly a proven record of experience on a wide array of elected and appointed executive boards, ranging from community collaborative music to organized labor to even ongoing service on the governing board of the University of Oregon. He hopes earnestly to apply his expertise in service of NACIS as well, especially as the organization navigates the strains and opportunities of this period of growth.

Mike Foster

Hello! My name is Mike. I am a UW-Madison Cartography graduate with a Master’s degree in GIS and Computer Science from the University of Minnesota. I have two decades of diverse experience in the field, spanning industry and academia. I began my career as an illustrative cartographer, transitioned into urban and environmental planning, and eventually landed in software and technology. As an award-nominated Lecturer in Architecture and Planning at MIT, I taught courses on cartography and data visualization, and in my current role, I am a Cartography Manager with Apple Maps. Throughout my career, consistent themes include a focus on complex narrative storytelling, equitable representation, and civic empowerment through maps and data.

My first NACIS meeting was in Madison in 2006. Since then, I have attended ten meetings. Participation in the geospatial community is not unfamiliar to me; I served on the organizing committee for FOSS4G 2017 in Boston and was a founder and organizer of the Maptime Boston meetup group. If elected as a member of the NACIS Board, I am committed to bridging the gap between industry and academia to foster community growth. I am deeply grateful for the professional development, networking opportunities, and sense of community NACIS has granted me. I am honored to have the opportunity to give back and contribute to its sustained success.

Michala Garrison

I am currently a data visualizer for the NASA Earth Observatory where I work with satellite imagery every day, communicating findings from research, tracking natural hazards, and color-correcting satellite scenes. I have been attending the NACIS annual conference since first introduced to the Society in 2019, while a graduate employee studying geography at the University of Oregon. I’m originally from a small Appalachian mining town and was lucky to find the department of geography at Frostburg State University, where I found cartography and became a first generation college graduate. I presented at the 2023 annual meeting in Pittsburgh about a major solar eclipse map I designed while working at the NASA Scientific Visualization Studio. The positive reception from the NACIS community to my talk was warm and encouraging. As society continues to rapidly change and uncertainty rises, this community of cartographers that connects us across different fields, job sectors, and generations is extremely important. I’m motivated to continue and strengthen this connection and join the crucial work of improving the organization for the benefit of all.

Deondre Smiles

Boozhoo, aaniin—my name is Niiyokamigaabaw Deondre Smiles. I am a citizen of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. As an Indigenous geographer, my research focuses on the relationships between Indigenous connections to place and space and the effects of climate change. I hold a Ph.D. in Geography from The Ohio State University, a bachelor’s degree in Geography from St. Cloud State University, and a master’s degree in Global Indigenous Studies from the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Since I was a young child, I have been a cartographer; I first developed my reading skills by studying maps and have been building a collection of historic and contemporary maps since childhood! For me, cartography is more than just mapmaking—it also includes the stories we draw and tell about the places and spaces that matter to us. This principle underlies the work that I and my research group (the Geographic Indigenous Futures Collaboratory) undertake.

If elected to the NACIS Board, I will work to enhance awareness of and respect for Indigenous methods of cartography and broader Indigenous placemaking practices. I aim to create space for Indigenous geographies within academic structures.

Jack Swab

Jack Swab (he/him) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography & Sustainability at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he works on cartographic projects informed by critical, creative and historic approaches. He has a special interest in queer maps, fire insurance maps, map use, map libraries, and map collecting. He has also served in the leadership of the Cartography Specialty Group of the AAG. At NACIS, he is currently completing a one-year special term on the Board, and seeks reelection to assist in continuing the important work NACIS has undertaken over the past several years around access and engagement. In these uncertain times, he looks forward to helping NACIS continue to flourish and move forward.

Kelsey Taylor

Kelsey Taylor is Lead Cartographer + Designer at Stamen Design based in Washington, DC. As a cartographer, geographer, and designer, I’m determined to use and improve others’ use of maps to better understand our beautiful planet and all that happens on it. I earned my bachelor’s in environmental studies and philosophy and a master’s in geography from The George Washington University. Before joining Stamen, I was a Senior Map Designer at Mapbox, a cartographer fellow at the U.S. Department of Transportation, and a Research Associate at AAG. I first attended the NACIS Annual Meeting in Norfolk, VA in 2018 and have attended every year since (except 2021). I’ve presented my work from Mapbox and Stamen at the last several meetings and really enjoy engaging with the carto community.

As a Board member, I would bring my conference planning and grant awarding experience from my previous job at AAG. Having worked at a non-profit, in the federal government, and in the private sector as a cartographer, I feel comfortable representing perspectives across the variety of cartographic roles in the field. I’m passionate about providing funding, mentorship, and support for young and underrepresented cartographers in our community.

Tracy Tien

As a fortunate beneficiary of micro-affirmations and remarkable mentorship, I am devoted to providing a gratifying and generative environment for the NACIS community. In my own GIS love story, I am empowered by how mapping gave me the language to articulate lived experiences as Taiwanese, and how many others are sparked in similar ways in their own trajectories. My background has informed my practice as a GIS educator at a women’s liberal arts institution, and currently at a state agency.

I have been attending NACIS for six years – presented, lurked, always inspired. I also served as an editor for the Atlas of Design Volume Six. Being a part of NACIS is a rejuvenation – I am heartened by colleagues who are compassionate advocates; I am in awe of the nuanced work created by the collective; and I am grateful for any paths crossed along the way. So what I hope to contribute to the community is guided by this simple mantra: in the end the (cartographic) love you take is equal to the (cartographic) love you make.

Student Board Member

Alexis Wood

NACIS was the first conference I ever attended, let alone presented at. As a very anxious first-year PhD student, I was reassured: “You know, their tagline is ‘NACIS is the nicest.’” I was skeptical. Now, as a fourth-year PhD student, I can confidently say that statement holds true. This community fosters a rare space where new and established voices, analog and digital methods, industry and academia converge, and, most importantly, fosters friendship and community at a time when we need this most.

As a Student Board Member, I want to expand NACIS’ reach, ensuring more graduate and undergraduate students, especially those from underserved backgrounds, have the opportunity to find their place here and build relationships with future colleagues, collaborators, and friends—just as I did. My focus will be on strengthening mentorship opportunities through the incredible Mentor Program (both industry and academic), increasing NACIS’ visibility at related events, and creating year-round opportunities for students to connect with one another.

NACIS thrives because of its collaborative spirit, and I hope to contribute by making it more welcoming to the next generation of cartographers.