Marvin A. Davis
City: Morgantown
Professional Sector: Regional/Local Organization

I am currently the GIS Analyst at the City of Morgantown, heading up their GIS program within the City Manager's Office since September 2019. I assist our municipal departments with various projects and am currently leading the effort of implementing Cityworks for our asset management and permit processing workflows. One highlight of my work in Morgantown is leading the ongoing GIS Internship program to aid local college students who are focusing on geospatial studies or careers. I have been working in local government in West Virginia for 8 years, and a member of WVAGP for 9 years. I have been active in Training and Conference Committees during that span, along with being on the Board of Directors since 2019. My focus has been on training for transitioning members to newer platforms such as ArcGIS Pro and Online, providing more diverse training options that are affordable to West Virginians, and moving our West Virginia GIS Conference from a biennial (every even-numbered year) to an annual format starting in 2024. My vision for WVAGP is to continue our momentum coming out of the COVID-19 period. We have a lot of energy surrounding "WVAGP 2.0" in our strategic planning, scheduling of more events, revamped website with online membership management and forums, and level of engagement with members. If reelected to the Board of Directors, my goal would be to see that we continue our growth in membership, brand, and engagement with our geospatial community. Let's keep rolling!

Austin Dotson
City: Martinsburg
Professional Sector: Regional/Local Organization

Hello, my name is Austin Dotson, and I have been the GIS Analyst for the City of Martinsburg for the past 4 years. In that time, I have spearheaded the GIS effort in making Martinsburg’s MS4 Program compliant, analyzed the planimetric data for the new Stormwater Utility, and created various maps/apps for both city employees and the public alike. In recognition of these efforts, Martinsburg received the 2022 ESRI SAG Award. If elected, I will bring my local government perspective to the WVAGP Board of Directors; properly representing our West Virginian towns and cities. I have enjoyed my time participating in the WVAGP and would like to express sincere gratitude for this opportunity to participate further.

Stacey McDaniel
City: Bridgeport
Professional Sector: Regional/Local Organization

I work with Region VII Planning and Development Council as the GIS Specialist and have been in this role for the last 5 years. I've been in the GIS field for about 22 years with various responsibilities, mainly related to data creation, data management and coordination. I was nominated to be considered for the WVAGP Board for the upcoming term and am grateful to have the opportunity to be considered for the position. I've valued my membership with the WVAGP and look forward to the opportunity to contribute more to the organization by working with the other board members to continue the goals of the WVAGP.

Dave Weaver
City: Wheeling
Professional Sector: Regional/Local Organization

No Personal Statement Submitted.

Amanda Adams
City: Charleston
Professional Sector: State Government

My name is Amanda Adams and I work for the WVDOT in Charleston, WV. I am TGISPA 1 or Transportation GIS Programmer Analyst 1 in the Mapping Service Unit. For my educational background, I have a master’s degree in Geography with an undergraduate degree in Environmental Geoscience from West Virginia University. During graduate school, I was the treasurer for the GGG or Geography Graduate Group at WVU. I volunteer at an animal shelter in Morgantown. I have helped in many fundraiser events and I help take care of cats at the shelter. My experiences with the GGG and volunteering have reinforced by values of teamwork, communication, and constructive criticism. If I get into the board, I will help to continue the reputation of the organization and continue the growth of it in the future. Thank you for your time. 

Dusty Hays
City: Morgantown
Professional Sector: State Government

Hello WVAGP, I am Dusty Hays - Sr. Real Estate and GIS Specialist for West Virginia University Real Estate Operations. I have been in my current role at WVU for about 10 years, and have been a member of WVAGP for nearly as long. In addition to my professional role at WVU, I have also been a student for the past few years. I completed the GIS and Spatial Analysis Certificate program at WVU in 2020 and am currently working toward completion of the GIS and Spatial Analysis M.S. WVAGP has been a great organization for as long as I have had the privilege to participate, and I am honored to be nominated to the Board. As a member of the Board of Directors I would work to identify opportunities for WVAGP to collaborate and promote GIS and the GIS profession throughout the state, as I think outreach and awareness are an important part of all professional organizations. I would also be excited to work with the other Board Members and WVAGP membership to identify opportunities for training, technical workshops, or other professional development activities that facilitate collaboration and professional development within our organization and among GIS professionals in the state. Overall I think WVAGP provides an excellent and much-needed function for and to the GIS professionals in West Virginia, and I would welcome the opportunity to participate as a Board Member and continue the advancement of GIS and the WVAGP mission throughout the state.

Matthew David Seese
City: Westover
Professional Sector: State Goverment

I believe my educational background and work experience gives me the unique opportunity to bring together the disciplines of forestry science, GIS, and information technology which I believe would make me an ideal candidate for the WVAGP Board of Directors. My experience includes 15+ years of working within the Information Technology field (private and state government) and 20+ years of working in the forestry research field (US Forest Service). I have extensive experience using and creating GPS/GIS projects, LIDAR spatial databases with a strong background in natural resource database management and design. I also have proficiency with statistical data analysis and presentations of data for official reports, seminars, manuals, and public presentations.

Eric Bess
City: Charleston
Professional Sector: Private Industry

I have been involved in GIS for approximately 23 years of my 27 year career from both an owner's and a consultant's perspective and obtained my GISP in December 2011. I am a 1996 graduate of WVU Tech and currently sit on the Board of Directors for the WVU Tech Golden Bear Alumni Association. My work history includes mining, oil & gas, water, wastewater, stormwater and transportation sectors. My current role is office manager and project manager for Mott MacDonald, a consulting engineering firm with an office in Charleston. We provide many clients with various geospatial solutions and services to assist with data and process efficiency and asset management. GIS has become a core support function for many entities, and the value added by geospatial analytics and data management processes are becoming more realized in modern society. Having a group such as the WVAGP in place to help support understanding, training and recommended approaches with this expanding skilled service is critical in GIS growth, acceptance and recognition in the value in can bring to any organization or agency. 

Andrew Dolch
City: Suwanee, GA
Professional Sector: Private Industry

Andrew Dolch is a GIS Solutions Architect with InterDev LLC focusing in developing and integrating ArcGIS Enterprise and ArcGIS Online solutions into small and medium sized local and regional governments. Previously, he worked with WVDOT, managing and implementing their ArcGIS Enterprise as well as various other GIS roles within local and county government. He holds a BS degree in Business Administration from Ohio State University and a post baccalaureate certificate in GIS from Penn State. His passion within GIS involves everything related to managing, maintaining and implementing ArcGIS networks and how it integrates and works with other enterprise systems. When he is not working in GIS, he enjoys exploring his new home in Suwanee, Georgia, photography, restoring old furniture and hunting for that perfect piece of railroad memorabilia 

Pamela Hoskins
City: Pennsboro/Middlebourne
Professional Sector: Private Industry

I was nominated to run for the Board by...someone. Although I am mostly retired, I still continue to do periodic work in the GIS community. I started in drafting/mapping/cartography before many of you were born and, in some cases, before your parents were born. I have seen significant changes in the GIS world over those years that most people can't begin to comprehend. My last regular work was under a subcontract with one of the West Virginia Assessors' offices where I was tasked with updating, correcting, and maintaining the county's tax maps. As well, I did/do work for local surveyors periodically. In my view, community outreach and education should be a major focus of the WVAGP, as many people are not aware of the existence of the extensive maps and tools available to them through the GIS community. I am, also, interested in focusing on promoting the WVAGP to students within the GIS educational community...an involvement that will, hopefully, carry into their professional careers. Thank you for your time and interest.

Leonard Hovermale
City: Fairmont
Professional Sector: Private Industry

I am a West Virginia native, born and raised in Morgan County. I currently work for The Thrasher Group. I have worked in the field of GIS for just over 5 years, starting as a Technician to my current position as a GIS Manager. As a part of my job, I do a wide variety of GIS and remote sensing work. My goal in this career path and as a member of the WVAGP board is to help the state that I grew up in grow in a way that can help underserved communities using GIS. As a board member this would give me the opportunity to help reach those communities.

Michael B. Harman
City: Morgantown
Professional Sector: Education/Research

My name is Michael Harman. I have a PhD in Plant and Soil Science. My research heavily involved GIS. I started teaching GIS at Northern Virginia Community College in 2016. In the summer of 2022 I accepted a position in the Geography Department at West Virginia University. I am a Teaching Assistant Professor of Geography and I manage the new online Masters of Science in Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Analysis. 

Paul J. Kinder, Jr.
City: Morgantown
Professional Sector: Education/Research

I am a proud native of WV, and I am passionate about environmental and ecological conservation, restoration, and economic sustainability in this state and throughout Appalachia. I have been involved in geospatial work in WV since 1990. I have observed our discipline evolve in incredibly exciting ways. I think WVAGP is a terrific organization that first recognizes expertise in our community and offers opportunities for collaboration and professional growth. I would like to contribute to the future strategic direction of WVAGP.

Megan Gall
City: Charleston
Professional Sector: Non-Profit

I opened Blockwell Consulting, LLC (BWC) to provide non-profits & other organizations with quantitative social science research & data services when I moved back home to WV in 2020. I have more than 15 years in nonprofits dedicated to progressing civil rights in the United States. I hold a PhD in political science & a Master's degree in Geographic Information Science (GIS). As a certified professional geographer (GISP) & quantitative social scientist, I analyze, visualize, & animate data. I use these skills to assess legal compliance of the Voting Rights Act, conduct redistricting, evaluate public policy, guide programmatic strategy, & assess programmatic work. My professional & research history includes voting rights & redistricting, justice reform & the criminal legal system, education equity, demographics, historic narratives, homelessness, LGBTQ+ rights, & other civil rights based public policy & legal analyses. I have more than 15 years of experience helping people find the story in their data. I maintain expert knowledge of Census demographic data & other local, state, & federal administrative data sets. In my free time, I make maps of imaginary places. I'm newly home to WV and this org, and serving the board is an opportunity to serve the local community and lay down roots.