2026 Big Sky GeoCon - From Data to Design: Full Schedule

Illegal dumping in remote areas has surged by up to 30%, threatening ecosystems and public health. Traditional monitoring methods can’t keep pace—limited access and resources leave agencies reactive instead of proactive. This presentation highlights how satellite imagery and AI analytics revolutionize enforcement. Using Antelope Valley, CA as a case study, we’ll show how high-resolution imagery, cloud-based detection, and GIS dashboards cut patrol time, improve safety, and accelerate investigations. We’ll share a vision for AI-driven tools that turn complex geospatial data into actionable strategies, enabling agencies to protect natural resources and combat dumping with unprecedented efficiency.

Presenters

Joey Griebel

Account Executive, NV5

Joey Griebel is an Account Executive on the NV5 Geospatial team focused on Software Solutions. With over 15 years of Remote Sensing expertise, he spends a majority of his time working on projects utilizing Hyperspectral, LiDAR, and Synthetic Aperture Radar data. He enjoys solving... Read More →

Thursday April 16, 2026 9:05am - 9:35am MDT
Alpine Room

Geospatial/AI

9:05am MDT

Geospatial Governance: Laying the Foundation for a Reliable and Sustainable GIS

Thursday April 16, 2026 9:05am - 9:35am MDT

West Divide Room

Effective geospatial governance is key to building a strong and sustainable GIS for your organization. In this session, we’ll explore how policies, tools, and web applications can be implemented to create a reliable GIS framework that promotes efficiency and reusability.

We’ll share the Montana State Library’s experience in developing a geospatial governance policy, including insights from our working policy documents, scripting tools, and dashboards. Attendees will gain practical knowledge on leveraging these resources to establish or enhance their own geospatial governance strategies.

Presenters

Matt Trebesch

GIS Analyst, Montana State Library

Matt Trebesch is a GIS Analyst at the Montana State Library (MSL), where he leads geospatial governance efforts and manages statewide projects such as the MSL Flood Hub and the COVID-19 dashboard and associated hub. He serves as the administrator of MSL’s ArcGIS Online platform... Read More →

Geospatial Governance Laying the Foundation for a Reliable and Sustainable GIS pdf

2026 GeoCon links gov talk pdf

Thursday April 16, 2026 9:05am - 9:35am MDT
West Divide Room

Government

9:05am MDT

Visualizing Bozeman’s Data through FME and Experience Builder

Thursday April 16, 2026 9:05am - 9:35am MDT

East Divide Room

The City of Bozeman’s Asset Management department leverages FME for automated data processing, and Experience Builder for data visualization. The tools help Bozeman be more transparent with its data and operations for the public, as well as improve internal efficiency. This presentation will offer insights into Asset Management’s practices and workflows by going into details of a couple projects: the Police Data Dashboard and the Building Permit Data Dashboard. These two projects highlight the great impact of FME and GIS on Bozeman’s daily operations.

Presenters

Lin Rich

City of Bozeman

Lin Rich, Asset/GIS Systems Administrator, Asset Management Department, City of Bozeman_x000D_
Lauren Wilcox, GIS Analyst, Asset Management Department, City of Bozeman

Lauren Wilcox

City of Bozeman

Lauren Wilcox, GIS Analyst, Asset Management Department, City of Bozeman

Thursday April 16, 2026 9:05am - 9:35am MDT
East Divide Room

Python & Automation, Government

9:05am MDT

Hands-On Leaning Lab

Thursday April 16, 2026 9:05am - 3:30pm MDT

Nordic Room

25 courses available! The Hands-On Learning Lab is a training resource provided and developed by Esri Training Services. The lab is an excellent way to introduce or refine your skills related to Esri solutions and training opportunities while learning to use Esri software. As part of the Big Sky GeoCon, there is no charge for you to utilize and benefit from the learning lab as often as the heart desires!

List of courses available
 Exploring ArcGIS
 Getting Started with ArcGIS Online
 Getting Started with ArcGIS Pro
 Getting Started with GIS
 Adding Location-Based Data to a Map
 Analysis in ArcGIS Online
 Automating Workflows Using Python
 Creating Web Apps Using ArcGIS Experience Builder
 Data Exploration and Visualization in ArcGIS Online
 Data Pipelines in ArcGIS Online
 Exploratory Image Analysis in ArcGIS Pro
 Discovering Patterns Using ArcGIS Insights
 Exploring ArcGIS Field Maps
 Getting Started with Arcade
 Getting Started with ArcGIS Business Analyst
 Getting Started with ArcGIS Notebooks
 Getting Started with ArcGIS Survey123
 Getting Started with ModelBuilder
 Integrating CAD and BIM Data with ArcGIS
 Managing Parcels and Land Records Using the Parcel Fabric
 Mapping Clusters with ArcGIS Pro
 Mapping in ArcGIS Online
 Monitoring Activity Using ArcGIS Dashboards
 Performing Deep Learning in ArcGIS Online
 Telling Stories with ArcGIS StoryMaps

Thursday April 16, 2026 9:05am - 3:30pm MDT
Nordic Room

Workshop

9:35am MDT

Transition

Thursday April 16, 2026 9:35am - 9:40am MDT

Transition

9:40am MDT

Bringing Big Data Down to Earth

Thursday April 16, 2026 9:40am - 10:10am MDT

East Divide Room

This presentation demonstrates how large geospatial datasets can be transformed into practical, accessible tools for infrastructure management. Leveraging satellite, airborne, unmanned, terrestrial, and mobile lidar; multispectral and hyperspectral imagery; 3D scanning; and advanced GIS analytics, the session outlines workflows for converting raw spatial data into usable products. Case studies highlight mobile lidar–based gravel road condition assessments, AI-driven impervious surface classification, and 3D web scene visualization built from publicly available lidar. Emphasis is placed on automation, semantic segmentation, data reduction, and streamlined delivery formats that support capital improvement planning, engineering design, infrastructure management, and emergency response. Leveraging advances in web-optimized data formats, 3D visualization, web-based GIS mapping applications, GeoAI, workflow automations, this presentation demonstrates how complex datasets can be distilled and shared across departments and with the public to improve transparency and decision-making. Together, these integrated technologies provide scalable, cost-effective solutions for modern infrastructure management under operational and budget constraints.

Presenters

Dan Mummert

Senior Engineer - Innovation, Picket & Associates, LLC

Dan Mummert is a Senior Engineer leading the Innovation Program at Pickett. He holds a degree in Civil Engineering, specializing in Geospatial Engineering. He is a licensed Professional Engineer with over two decades of comprehensive experience delivering industry-leading engineering... Read More →

Helen Paris

GIS Manager, Pickett & Associates, LLC

Helen Paris is a GIS Manager and innovator with over 15 years of experience leveraging GIS to solve complex problems across diverse fields, including mineral exploration, oil and gas exploration, environmental science, earth science, and engineering. Helen is a leader in the field... Read More →

Thursday April 16, 2026 9:40am - 10:10am MDT
East Divide Room

Geospatial/AI

9:40am MDT

MSDI Administrative Boundary Theme Update

Thursday April 16, 2026 9:40am - 10:10am MDT

West Divide Room

Feedback Survey

This presentation will provide an overview and update on the MSDI Administrative Boundaries Framework including Geo-Enabled Elections, U.S. Census Bureau Programs, Managed Areas, and the MSDI Administrative Boundaries Framework Data Quality Assessment Matrix and Improvement Plan.

Presenters

Meghan Burns

GIS Analyst, Montana State Library

Meghan Burns is a GIS Analyst and the MSDI Administrative Boundary Theme Steward within the Water Information Team at the Montana State Library, where she also works on MSDI Elevation, Hydrology, Hydrologic Units, Imagery, and Soils. Her most recent project is PM on the MSL Web GIS... Read More →

Presentation 20260416 MSDI Boundaries Presentation pdf

Thursday April 16, 2026 9:40am - 10:10am MDT
West Divide Room

Government, Census

9:40am MDT

Quantifying the extent and magnitude of landslides in the Bridger Range using UAV-LiDAR

Thursday April 16, 2026 9:40am - 10:10am MDT

Alpine Room

A large rainfall event triggered multiple landslides across Bridger Bowl Ski Area in southwest Montana on July 29, 2025. The Geospatial Core Facility at Montana State University conducted a UAV-based LiDAR survey over a landslide path along the northern boundary of Bridger Bowl and generated a 1-m resolution post-event digital elevation model (DEM). A pre-event 1-m DEM was obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey. Raster differencing between the pre- and post-event DEMs was used to estimate a volumetric displacement of 16,000 m3. These results demonstrate the value of UAV LiDAR for post-event landslide assessment and terrain management in alpine environments.

Presenters

Lena Nelson

Undergraduate Student, Montana State University

Lena Nelson is an undergraduate student at Montana State University pursuing a B.S. in Earth Sciences with a concentration in Snow Science. As a student GIS Technician with the Geospatial Core Facility, she works on a range of geospatial projects involving LiDAR processing, spatial... Read More →

Thursday April 16, 2026 9:40am - 10:10am MDT
Alpine Room

Remote Sensing/UAS

10:10am MDT

Transition

Thursday April 16, 2026 10:10am - 10:15am MDT

Transition

10:15am MDT

Preparing for the 2030 Census and Redistricting: Block Boundary Suggestions

Thursday April 16, 2026 10:15am - 10:45am MDT

West Divide Room

Preparations for the 2030 Census and Redistricting are underway. Every ten years and prior to each Decennial Census, the Census Bureau publishes a new set of census block boundaries. The Block Boundary Suggestion Project provides local government officials with the opportunity to suggest changes to census block boundaries that better represent current legal boundaries (e.g. voting precincts and legislative districts). This opportunity only happens once every ten years and the deadline for submission is May 29, 2026. This presentation will provide an overview of the program, the process for submitting block boundary suggestions, and status of changes in Montana.

Presenters

Dave Ritts

GIS Analyst, Montana Department of Commerce

Dave Ritts is a GIS Analyst with the Montana Department of Commerce. He provides GIS support to the Census & Economic Information Center (CEIC) where he is the primary contact in the State of Montana for statistical boundary updates to the U.S. Census Geography program. He holds an... Read More →

BBSP Overview BigSkyGeoCon 2026 04 07 pdf

Thursday April 16, 2026 10:15am - 10:45am MDT
West Divide Room

Census, Government

10:15am MDT

You have LiDAR in your area—Now What?

Thursday April 16, 2026 10:15am - 10:45am MDT

East Divide Room

Your city, county and state has lidar available. Lidar is a key foundation dataset that can help inform decisions of land managers, but it often goes unused. Whether you need to locate exactly where your culverts are, create an enhanced hydrography dataset to map water flow, find closed depressions for water quality studies, analyze slopes for ordinance review, or you need to assess the risk of soil erosion vulnerability, analysis of LiDAR can put your data to work to help derive answers for departments across your organization. In this presentation, we will discuss lidar base specifications in the state, dive into detailed lidar derivatives and then look at some solutions you can produce so you can start planning for your projects today.

Presenters

Tyler Kaebisch

Geospatial Project Manager, Ayres

Tyler Kaebisch is a Geospatial Project Manager with Ayres who works with federal, state, county, municipal and private sector partners on projects that apply remote sensing techniques to analyze features across the landscape to provide highly accurate mapping solutions.

Thursday April 16, 2026 10:15am - 10:45am MDT
East Divide Room

Geospatial/AI

10:15am MDT

Relative Cooling, Absolute Heating: How Rapid Urbanization Reshaped Thermal Dynamics across the Arabian Peninsula (2000-2020)

Thursday April 16, 2026 10:15am - 10:45am MDT

Alpine Room

Extreme heat and rapid urbanization are converging challenges for the Arabian Peninsula, yet their fine-grained interactions remain poorly understood. We present a high-resolution assessment of land-cover land-use change, population growth, and land surface temperature (LST) from 2000 to 2020. We found that newly urbanized areas converted from desert exhibited significantly lower warming (+1.78°C) than existing urban areas (+2.39°C) and unchanged desert (+2.97°C). However, these newly urbanized areas maintained higher mean LST than existing urban areas by 2020 (42.68°C versus 41.29°C), creating a counter intuitive thermal where 13.1 million new residents live in places that experienced relative cooling yet higher absolute LST exposure. We furthermore identified distinct population-thermal pathways: small Gulf states achieved population growth with minimal warming through densification, while larger countries showed sprawl-dominated patterns with varied thermal outcomes. Our findings demonstrate that desert cities experience fundamentally different thermal dynamics than temperate regions and require a revised adaptation framework accounting for urban cooling potential and extreme baseline temperatures.

Presenters

Eqi Luo

PhD Candidate, Montana State University

Thursday April 16, 2026 10:15am - 10:45am MDT
Alpine Room

Remote Sensing/UAS

10:45am MDT

Networking Coffee Break | Visit Exhibitors

Thursday April 16, 2026 10:45am - 11:05am MDT

Glacier Room/Foyer

Thursday April 16, 2026 10:45am - 11:05am MDT
Glacier Room/Foyer

Networking Break

11:00am MDT

Resume Review

Thursday April 16, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Glacier Room/Foyer

Want to sharpen your GIS resume? Bring a copy to our review station located in the Exhibitor area for personalized feedback from industry experts.

Presenters

Jackson Rose

Research Scientist and GIS Instructor, Montana State University

Thursday April 16, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT
Glacier Room/Foyer

11:05am MDT

For Whom? Parcel-Level Spatial Accessibility to Hazardous Fuels Reduction

Thursday April 16, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am MDT

Alpine Room

Federal wildfire fuel reduction projects lack systematic methods for identifying affected populations. The Wildfire Adapted Missoula project authorizes hazardous fuels treatments without environmental justice analysis despite federal mandates. This study develops a parcel-level, terrain-aware distance decay framework to identify affected populations based on spatial accessibility. Using the Blue Mountain treatment area, three distance metrics are compared: Euclidean (baseline planar distance), topographic (slope-adjusted), and fire transmission (cost-distance accounting for terrain and fuel conditions that constrain fire spread). Results inform environmental justice screening where spatial equity assessment remains absent from federal wildfire decision-making.

Presenters

Patrick Benson

Carbon County

Patrick Benson is the GIS Coordinator for Carbon County in Red Lodge, MT. He recently graduated from the University of Montana with a Masters of Science in Geography. His background as a Forestry Technician for the U.S. Forest Service took him to the often overlooked yet beautiful... Read More →

Thursday April 16, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am MDT
Alpine Room

Conservation/Natural Resources, Emergency Services

11:05am MDT

Wading into Elevation-Derived Waters – An Intro to EDH and 3DHP

Thursday April 16, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am MDT

East Divide Room

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP) is revolutionizing hydrographic data by integrating high-resolution elevation data with hydrographic features through Elevation-Derived Hydrography (EDH). This presentation will showcase the enhanced accuracy and utility of EDH data in applications including improved flood modeling, watershed management, and precise mapping for engineering projects. Additionally, the session will explore collaboration opportunities with federal, state, local, and private entities to build a comprehensive hydrographic data ecosystem.

Presenters

Brian Hadley

Woolpert

Brian Hadley is a Geospatial Program Director for Woolpert’s Government Solutions market. He leads projects that include photogrammetry, lidar, and remote sensing services — ranging from ground control to data acquisition and processing to data storage and sharing. These services... Read More →

Thursday April 16, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am MDT
East Divide Room

Geospatial/AI

11:05am MDT

MSDI Cadastral Framework Update

Thursday April 16, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am MDT

West Divide Room

The Montana State Library is the steward of the Montana Spatial Data Infrastructure (MSDI) Cadastral Framework. This theme includes the datasets of the OwnerParcels, Public Lands, Conservation Easements and the Public Land Survey System (PLSS). This presentation will provide an update about the Cadastral Framework data. Secondly, a review of the Cadastral Data Quality Assessment & Data Value Improvement will be discussed & feedback from the audience is welcome.

Presenters

Jeff Hedstrom

GIS Analyst, Montana State Library

Jeff Hedstrom is a GIS Analyst & the Cadastral Framework Theme Lead at the Montana State Library (MSL). His primary focus at MSL includes maintaining the Cadastral and CadNSDI datasets within the MSDI framework. He also maintains metadata collections and GIS applications pertaining... Read More →

Thursday April 16, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am MDT
West Divide Room

Government

11:35am MDT

Transition

Thursday April 16, 2026 11:35am - 11:40am MDT

Transition

11:40am MDT

DNRC Upper Yellowstone Structure Survey & GIS Methodologies

Thursday April 16, 2026 11:40am - Wednesday April 15, 2026 12:10pm MDT

Alpine Room

This presentation will focus on the GIS methods and challenges involved in structure surveying and inventory in the Yellowstone River Basin for Montana DNRC for the purpose of updating regulatory floodplain maps and how our GIS team utilized ArcGIS Field Maps to deploy structure and data forms for field crews to reference and collect data in the field. GIS field solutions proved themselves invaluable for daily and long-range planning for this project. Data collected was delivered in FEMA complaint databases comprised of structure location, information, and dimensions for 482 structures and 1446 bathymetric cross sections on 641 miles of river.

Presenters

Matt Blassic

Great West Engineering

Matt Blassic is a GIS Analyst with Great West Engineering. Matt works in Great West's Natural Resource Group, and has working on floodplain mapping projects for upwards of 6 years. Matt provides in depth knowledge of regulatory and drafting FEMA databases and spatial products for... Read More →

Hannah Nishek

Great West Engineering

Hannah Nishek: Hannah Nishek is a GIS Specialist with six years of experience in spatial data management at various project scales in the private and public sector. Hannah is skilled in custom web-based app development and interactive tools to aid in data-driven decision making, gather... Read More →

Thursday April 16, 2026 11:40am - Wednesday April 15, 2026 12:10pm MDT
Alpine Room

Conservation/Natural Resources, Government

11:40am MDT

From Point Clouds to Posters: Making LiDAR Data Pop

Thursday April 16, 2026 11:40am - 12:10pm MDT

West Divide Room

This presentation will share tips and techniques for transforming LiDAR datasets into stunning visuals. Learn how to leverage color schemes, shading, and perspective to highlight terrain features and patterns in ways that are aesthetically engaging.

Presenters

Meghan Burns

GIS Analyst, Montana State Library

Troy Blandford

GIS Analyst - Water Info Lead, Montana State Library Geographic Information

Troy Blandford is the Water Information System Manager at the Montana State Library and works with hydrography, lidar, imagery, and other water- related geospatial data every day. After graduating from the University of Idaho with a B.S in Environmental Science and an M.S in Geography... Read More →

Pat Jackson

GIS Technician, Montana State Library

Pat is a GIS technician at the Montana State Library working in the Water Information and User Services Teams focusing on lidar and water supply data. After graduating for Montana State University with a B.S. in Environmental Science and Geospatial Analysis he spent time working as... Read More →

Garret Weichel

GIS Technician, Montana State Library

I am a GIS Technician at the Montana State Library. I graduated from the University of Montana with a B.S. in Geography and a GIS certificate. My work at MSL includes providing lidar data to the State of Montana and supporting the public and private sector with GIS expertise.

Thursday April 16, 2026 11:40am - 12:10pm MDT
West Divide Room

Cartography

11:40am MDT

Utilizing Survey 123 and Microsoft Power Automate for Online Address Applications

Thursday April 16, 2026 11:40am - 12:10pm MDT

East Divide Room

In 2025, the Lewis and Clark County/City of Helena Addressing Office created a new Addressing Hub website to include updated content and modernized online address application forms.

The new applications transitioned from fillable PDF forms to interactive online web forms. Each form includes dropdown menus, file upload options, and a mapping component so applicants can interactively provide the anticipated location of a structure. All applications are mobile friendly and accessible using a weblink or QR codes.

The presentation will include an overview of application considerations and the processes for implementing the new forms using Survey 123 and Microsoft Power Automate.

Presenters

Jason Danielson

GIS Analyst, Lewis and Clark County/City of Helena

Jason Danielson is the Address Coordinator and GIS Database Analyst for Lewis and Clark County/City of Helena GIS Services. His duties include address management within Lewis and Clark County, the creation and maintenance of our enterprise geospatial data, providing GIS software/project... Read More →

Thursday April 16, 2026 11:40am - 12:10pm MDT
East Divide Room

Emergency Services, Government

12:10pm MDT

Lunch on Own

Thursday April 16, 2026 12:10pm - 1:40pm MDT

Lunch

12:10pm MDT

Student and Early Career Prof. Development Roundtable (includes lunch)

Thursday April 16, 2026 12:10pm - 1:40pm MDT

East/West Divide Ballroom

This roundtable format provides an informal, low-pressure setting where early career professionals and students can ask questions, seek advice, and gain valuable insights into the diverse career paths available in GIS. We encourage those that have been in the GIS field for 5 years or less and all students to join this session.

Lunch will be provided compliments of Greater Business Solutions (GBS) - THANK YOU!!

Presenters

Elaine Guidero

National Map Liaison, U.S. Geological Survey

Elaine started at USGS as an applied researcher in multi-scale cartography. She is now the National Map Liaison to Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas.

Tyler Kaebisch

Geospatial Project Manager, Ayres

Kyle Burke

Regional Lead / GIS Manager, HDR Inc

Kyle Burke is a GIS Manager and Regional Lead with HDR Inc. based in Missoula, MT. He holds BAs in History and Anthropology from the University of Montana and a MS in Geographic Information Science and Technology from the University of Southern California. He has over 10 years as... Read More →

Helen Paris

GIS Manager, Pickett & Associates, LLC

Matt Blassic

Great West Engineering

John Nelson

Cartographer, Esri

Melissa Christie

NV5 Geospatial

Thursday April 16, 2026 12:10pm - 1:40pm MDT
East/West Divide Ballroom

Roundtable

1:40pm MDT

Secondary Education, Remote Sensing, GIS Integration, Ground-Truthing

Thursday April 16, 2026 1:40pm - 2:10pm MDT

Alpine Room

Many of the major themes within Environmental Education rely upon remote sensing and orbital data collection. This unit was developed to introduce students in grades 11-12 to the science behind the maps and graphics they see in class. It ranges from a review of the physics of the electromagnetic spectrum to data manipulation, ground-truthing, and ArcGIS workflows.
The unit begins with a physical modeling of active vs. passive sensing and spectral signatures, teaching students to recognize that every land cover—from healthy forest to impervious urban surfaces—possesses a unique "spectral fingerprint." Students use resources from NASA and the USGS to develop an understanding of how global change can be detected remotely.
As the unit progresses, students access primary data via USGS EarthExplorer, perform change-detection analysis of their local area using Landsat time-series data, and calculate the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) to model ecological disturbance. An infrared sensor and an air quality sensor are used to collect data around the school campus. This field data is crowdsourced via ArcGIS Survey123 and visualized alongside satellite imagery in ArcGIS Living Atlas in an attempt to demonstrate "ground-truthing." The unit culminates in an ArcGIS workflow that helps students build a comprehensive ArcGIS StoryMap portfolio detailing their learning progress throughout the unit.

Presenters

Sarah Tabor

Belgrade High School

Sarah has taught science courses for the Belgrade Schools since 2007. A professional development opportunity in 2018 introduced her to the world of GIS and she has been seeking ways to incorporate it into her classroom ever since. She currently teaches Biology, Advanced Placement... Read More →

Thursday April 16, 2026 1:40pm - 2:10pm MDT
Alpine Room

Remote Sensing/UAS

1:40pm MDT

Resume Review

Thursday April 16, 2026 1:40pm - 2:40pm MDT

Glacier Room/Foyer

Want to sharpen your GIS resume? Bring a copy to our review station located in the Exhibitor area for personalized feedback from industry experts.

Presenters

Helen Paris

GIS Manager, Pickett & Associates, LLC

Thursday April 16, 2026 1:40pm - 2:40pm MDT
Glacier Room/Foyer

1:40pm MDT

MSL Support for NG9-1-1 GIS

Thursday April 16, 2026 1:40pm - 2:40pm MDT

East Divide Room

Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) is coming quickly to Montana. The state’s selection of a NG9-1-1 Core Service Provider should align closely with this year’s MAGIP GeoCon annual conference. We hope to give any updates we have on implementation timelines and what will be required from local data suppliers. Even if we do not yet have a firm timeline, we are officially on the clock to be ready to support the GIS needs of a NG9-1-1 system soon. The Montana State Library (MSL) released its GIS Data Validation and Aggregation Portal for NG9-1-1 in October 2022. We will give an update on portal functionality and how local data suppliers’ uptake of the portal is going. In the coming year, we hope to get all local data suppliers using the portal. We will reserve some time for questions and suggestions for how we can better support local data suppliers.

Presenters

Bob Cochran

Montana State Library

Bob Cochran is in his fourth year as a 9-1-1 GIS Analysist at the Montana State Library where his duties are primarily supporting statewide 9-1-1 GIS needs. Bob came to the State Library in late 2021 after 5 years at the Department of Justice and 10 years at Montana Fish, Wildlife... Read More →

Thursday April 16, 2026 1:40pm - 2:40pm MDT
East Divide Room

Emergency Services, Government

1:40pm MDT

Geospatial Accessibility in Practice: Challenges, Tools, and Collaboration

Thursday April 16, 2026 1:40pm - 2:40pm MDT

West Divide Room

This panel brings together Montana GIS managers, accessibility practitioners, and federal and local government representatives to discuss practical approaches to improving geospatial accessibility. Panelists will share lessons learned from statewide collaborations, working‑group efforts, and real‑world ADA Title II and Section 508 WCAG compliance challenges within GIS programs. The discussion will also include engagement with Esri on software design, configuration, and engineering efforts that support accessible mapping. Attendees will take away practical insights and actionable steps for advancing accessible geospatial services.

Presenters

Matt Trebesch

GIS Analyst, Montana State Library

Nick Youngstrom

Agency GIS Manager, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation

Nick Youngstrom is the Agency GIS Manager at the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), where he leads a team of Enterprise GIS professionals who manage the agency's geospatial architecture, data services, and system integration. In this role, he oversees... Read More →

Allen Armstrong

GIS Manager, Bureau of Land Management

Allen Armstrong is a GIS Professional with a background in GIS consulting, project planning and implementation, project management and partnership development, and data intensive multi-disciplined GPS/GIS projects. He graduated from the Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology... Read More →

Gail Jorgenson

GIS Program Manager, City of Bozeman

Gail Jorgenson |City of Bozeman |GIS Program Manager

Gail Jorgenson, GIS Program Manager for the City of Bozeman, leads a high-performing team of experts providing enterprise geospatial support to city leadership, staff, and the public. Driven by a commitment to the advancement of the GIS community and as part of her long-term career... Read More →

Ryan Richardson

Solution Engineer, Esri

Ryan Richardson is a GIS professional with a passion for using technology to solve complex problems. He currently works as a Solution Engineer at Esri, supporting the State and Local Government team out of Esri's regional office in Olympia, WA. Additionally, he is a FAA Part 107 UAV... Read More →

Cambria Ewart

GIS Specialist, Department of Justice

Cambria Ewart is a GIS Specialist for the Montana Department of Justice. She works with SmartCOP applications to provide MHP troopers with maps to use in the field and to facilitate dispatch operations. Cambria also works with the SVOR Unit providing data, creating new applications... Read More →

Colton Hash

Web Developer, Department of Justice State of Montana

Colton Hash is the web developer for the Montana Department of Justice with a focus in ADA compliance for websites and online services. Developing solutions for interactive GIS applications to meet accessibility requirements has become a deep interest in his professional work. Hash... Read More →

Geospatial Accessability Panel Links pdf

Thursday April 16, 2026 1:40pm - 2:40pm MDT
West Divide Room

Government

2:10pm MDT

Turning Massive NASA Climate Data into GIS-Ready Data Cubes

Thursday April 16, 2026 2:10pm - 2:40pm MDT

Alpine Room

Climate projection datasets pose major challenges for traditional GIS workflows due to their size and dimensionality. This study uses the NASA NEX-GDDP-CMIP6 dataset, comprising 65 years of historical simulations and four 85-year future scenarios across multiple models, totaling approximately 7.4 TB of data. To enable scalable analysis, we employ Dask and Xarray to construct spatiotemporal data cubes with lazy loading, chunking, and pixelwise computation. This workflow enables mesoscale GIS-ready analysis of changes in the thermodynamic drivers of humid-heat across the Arabian Peninsula.

Presenters

Daniel Bose

Research Assistant, Montana State University

Daniel Bose
PhD Student, Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University
Humid-Heat Climatology, Geospatial Data Analysis, and Machine Learning

Thursday April 16, 2026 2:10pm - 2:40pm MDT
Alpine Room

Python & Automation

2:40pm MDT

Transition

Thursday April 16, 2026 2:40pm - 2:45pm MDT

Transition

2:45pm MDT

Sans Regret: Making Confident Font Choices for Maps

Thursday April 16, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm MDT

East Divide Room

Comic Sans, Arial, Calibri, Papyrus…does it matter which fonts you use in your map? Fonts—typefaces—have a powerful impact on the look and feel of a map, and can make the difference between an amateur and a professional document. In this presentation, we will show common pitfalls to avoid with font choice and label design, especially with respect to accessibility and legibility. We will also discuss visual hierarchy, what to look for in a font, and how fonts can have personalities.

Presenters

Elaine Guidero

National Map Liaison, U.S. Geological Survey

Elaine started at USGS as an applied researcher in multi-scale cartography. She is now the National Map Liaison to Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas.

Liz Juers

GIS Analyst, Montana Dept of Transporation

Thursday April 16, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm MDT
East Divide Room

Cartography

2:45pm MDT

Shaping Montana’s Geospatial Future: A Conversation with the MGIA Council

Thursday April 16, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm MDT

West Divide Room

Join members of the Montana Geospatial Information Advisory Council for a dynamic discussion on the evolving landscape of statewide geospatial coordination. Panelists will share what inspired them to join the Council, how their service has influenced their work, and how emerging technologies—such as AI-driven analytics, real-time sensor networks, and cloud-native GIS—are reshaping agency operations across Montana.

The conversation will explore leadership challenges and opportunities, including prioritizing initiatives with limited resources, supporting local and tribal governments, navigating competing stakeholder needs, and advocating for policy and funding. Panelists will also look ahead to the next five years, offering insights on the skills GIS professionals will need, the future of statewide collaboration, and what success looks like for Montana’s geospatial community.

This session offers a unique opportunity to explore with the Council their role in guiding Montana's geospatial strategy and a forward-focused dialogue on strengthening the state's geospatial ecosystem.

Presenters

Erin Fashoway

Montana GIS Coordinator, Montana State Library

Erin Fashoway has served as Montana’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Coordinator with the Montana State Library since 2016. She works to coordinate state of Montana GIS functions, data assets, and activities across local, state, tribal, and federal government as well as private... Read More →

Jennie Stapp

MGIAC Chair & Montana State Librarian, Montana State Library

Jennie Stapp is the Montana State Librarian, leading statewide efforts to expand access to geospatial, government, water, & natural resource information, strengthen library services, and support digital resource development. In her role as Director of the Montana State Library, she... Read More →

Allen Armstrong

GIS Manager, Bureau of Land Management

Eric Spangenberg

GIS Coordinator, Lewis & Clark County

Eric Spangenberg is the GIS Coordinator for Lewis & Clark County and the City of Helena, where he oversees the enterprise GIS program and manages the development and integration of spatial data and mapping applications across local government departments. He also serves as an adjunct... Read More →

Nick Youngstrom

Agency GIS Manager, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation

Thursday April 16, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm MDT
West Divide Room

Government

3:50pm MDT

Closing and Door Prize Giveaways

Thursday April 16, 2026 3:50pm - 4:20pm MDT

East/West Divide Ballroom

Thursday April 16, 2026 3:50pm - 4:20pm MDT
East/West Divide Ballroom

Event

5:00pm MDT

GIS Scavenger Hunt

Thursday April 16, 2026 5:00pm - 6:30pm MDT

Downtown Whitefish

Join us for a scavenger hunt in downtown Whitefish Thursday evening! Scavenge for clues through bars on Central Avenue to solve riddles and compete for glory. Meet at 5pm on Thursday at the Whitefish Train Depot to start! Prizes will be awarded to the winning team. See you there!

Thursday April 16, 2026 5:00pm - 6:30pm MDT
Downtown Whitefish

Event

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1:40pm MDT

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2:10pm MDT

2:40pm MDT

2:45pm MDT

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3:50pm MDT

5:00pm MDT

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