DMV GIS Day: Midpoint Meetup

Since 1992 Nate Smith has worked at the confluence of geospatial information and disaster management in both the domestic and international domains.  He has been an innovator and pioneer though his work at USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, FEMA's GIS Solutions Branch, the DHS Geospatial Management Office and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.  He currently works for UpSlope Advisors supporting the Small Business Administration.  He refined his knowledge of operational requirements through work as a local first responder, international humanitarian, and his work consulting for a number of disaster management agencies.   He continues to share his knowledge and experience in applying GIS solutions to emergency management through courses developed and delivered at several Universities (GWU, FIU, UMBC) and with Bootcamp GIS.  He holds a degree in Geography from UMBC and earned a master’s in urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Tech.

Mario Field is a seasoned GIS professional with a deep-rooted presence in the DMV community. He has been instrumental in driving the adoption and innovation of geospatial technologies and services. Throughout his career, Mario has focused on developing geospatial infrastructure, managing data governance, and promoting GIS adoption across local and federal government agencies

In recent years, Mario has expanded his expertise into the data domain and cloud environment. He has led data management initiatives, including data warehousing, data integration, data quality assurance, and data platform operation. His foremost goal is to empower organizations by leveraging data for advanced analytics, enhanced mission delivery, improved operations, and increased efficiency. He has successfully implemented these strategies in the USPS domain, serving as Chief Data Officer at the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) and Enterprise Data Manager at the USPS Office of the Inspector General. 

Despite his recent focus on data, geospatial data and technology remain Mario's primary passion. Reflecting this, one of his first initiatives at the Postal Regulatory Commission was to establish an enterprise GIS service to enhance business decision-making and operational outcomes. 

Mario recently moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he's embracing the even hotter weather, southern charm, and sweet tea. Although he's changed sports markets, he remains a dedicated fan of the Baltimore Ravens and Virginia Tech Hokies.

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Ghermay Araya is the Founder and CEO of New Light Technologies, Inc. (NLT), a Washington, DC-based company with over 23 years of experience delivering mission-critical geospatial and data solutions to public and private clients. Ghermay holds both a BS and MS in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from the University of Maryland, College Park, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Earth Systems and Geoinformation Sciences at George Mason University. He has attended Harvard Business School’s Executive Education program to enhance his Disruptive Innovation architecture for NLT. With deep roots in the DC GIS Program’s early implementation, he has been instrumental in shaping the region’s geospatial landscape, supporting numerous organizations across the DC and Maryland geospatial community.

As a mission-oriented IT executive with extensive experience in enterprise information technology, Ghermay has successfully transformed NLT into a leading provider of GIS, IT, and Data Science services. He has worked across various sectors, including space, defense, academia, and civil engineering, serving as a consultant, data analyst, software developer, and instructor. In his leadership role, Ghermay leverages a unique blend of business development and technical expertise to guide NLT’s diverse clientele, which includes Federal, State, and Local Governments, as well as academic and non-profit organizations. He holds certifications such as GISP from GISCI and CSM from the Scrum Alliance, and has also led initiatives like GIS workforce development, address standardization, and implementing reliable GIS infrastructure—earning the NACIO Best of the Web award alongside his colleagues.

Ghermay has also been deeply involved in education and geospatial community organizing and events and serving as a lecturer at the University of Maryland’s MS GIS program, where he teaches Spatial Databases. He continues to lead teams across various technology projects, fostering sustainable solutions through lean business development and innovation strategies, and ensuring that NLT remains a prominent force in the geospatial and IT sectors.

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Adam Timm is an Air Force vet, former Intelligence Officer, and now an open source advocate. He has experience with Government Acquisitions, satellite and airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance systems, Digital Transformation initiatives, and now driving adoption of open-source software in the DoD and Federal Government. He currently lives in WI with his wife and four children.

Matthew Holden is a GIS Analyst and Data Management Specialist with the Transportation Operations & Engineering Bureau (TE&O) at Arlington County, Virginia working on asset management and transportation safety through the county’s Vision Zero Program. He has worked in the Geospatial industry for over a decade with experience in environmental planning, land use management, transportation planning and operations. Prior to joining the Transportation Operations & Engineering Bureau at Arlington County, he worked for the District of Columbia of Zoning, developing mapping applications and working on the first comprehensive update to the District’s Zoning Regulations since 1956.