We all know the saying: there’s an app for that. But what if your agency has to build the app itself? GIS professionals can get bogged down in jargon and overwhelm others, including planners and officials. Meanwhile, well-meaning clients may confuse GIS as a mysterious magical box that spits out everything they need instantly and correctly. While many appreciate the power of GIS, they do not speak the same language. How do decision makers, partners, and professionals communicate mindfully so that they can better utilize data during their decision making process and use GIS to create an application uniquely suited to their needs?GIS professionals at the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission (MVRPC) leave GIS jargon in the office to better serve and tailor our communication with our diverse stakeholders of elected officials, administrators, and the general public through the latest GIS technologies. This session will share 3 case studies and include a panel discussion to highlight the roles that GIS professionals need to play and what that application experience was like on the client side, involving different organizations including the Great Miami Riverway (Miami Conservancy District), Montgomery County Land Bank, and Five River’s Metroparks on behalf of the Dayton Riverfront Master Plan.
Kathyrn Youra Polk
Invited Speaker
Kathryn Youra Polk is a Senior Planner with over 8 years of experience in strategic planning, land use planning, planning support system, and GIS. Kathryn received a Bachelor of Art in Communications from University of Michigan, and Master of Urban Planning and a Master of Geographic Information Systems from Eastern ...
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Kathryn Youra Polk is a Senior Planner with over 8 years of experience in strategic planning, land use planning, planning support system, and GIS. Kathryn received a Bachelor of Art in Communications from University of Michigan, and Master of Urban Planning and a Master of Geographic Information Systems from Eastern Michigan University. Kathryn is a Certified GIS Professional (GISP) and an adjunct professor at Wright State University.
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Tom Harner
Invited Speaker
Tom Harner is the GIS Coordinator at the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission (MVRPC) with over 25 years of experience in planning support systems, enterprise GIS, and GIS applications. Tom has worked with a variety of agency members, covering a wide range of different GIS applications. Tom received a Bachelor ...
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Tom Harner is the GIS Coordinator at the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission (MVRPC) with over 25 years of experience in planning support systems, enterprise GIS, and GIS applications. Tom has worked with a variety of agency members, covering a wide range of different GIS applications. Tom received a Bachelor of Science in Geography from Ohio University. Tom is a Certified GIS Professional (GISP) and worked previously at Woolpert and Clermont County, Ohio.
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Eliizabeth Connor
Invited Speaker
Elizabeth Connor serves as the coordinator for the Great Miami Riverway, a 99-mile destination marketing campaign in southwest Ohio. Ms. Connor holds her Masters of Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University. She has won statewide tourism and digital marketing awards and has been recognized for her digital marketing in national ...
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Elizabeth Connor serves as the coordinator for the Great Miami Riverway, a 99-mile destination marketing campaign in southwest Ohio. Ms. Connor holds her Masters of Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University. She has won statewide tourism and digital marketing awards and has been recognized for her digital marketing in national competitions. Ms. Connor is a graduate of the Ohio Tourism Leadership Academy and most recently, she launched the Great Miami Riverway “Hidden Gems” podcast highlighting national discussions through local conversations
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Mike Grauwelman
Invited Speaker
Mike Grauwelman serves as the first executive director of Montgomery County Land Reutilization Corporation, also known as the Land Bank. Mike was previously the president of Mound Development Corporation, where he led the community’s effort to redevelop a US Department of Energy nuclear weapons production superfund site as a ...
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Mike Grauwelman serves as the first executive director of Montgomery County Land Reutilization Corporation, also known as the Land Bank. Mike was previously the president of Mound Development Corporation, where he led the community’s effort to redevelop a US Department of Energy nuclear weapons production superfund site as a privately owned, economically viable technology and business park. Throughout his career, Mike has served on various boards for organizations focused on real estate, development and finance. He currently chairs the Dayton Chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties. Mike earned a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Planning from the University of Cincinnati.
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Carrie Scarff
Invited Speaker
Carrie Scarff is Chief of Planning and Projects at Five Rivers MetroParks, overseeing all planning, capital development, and special projects for the agency. After receiving her degree in landscape architecture from Ohio State, she practiced privately in Columbus and San Diego for ten years. She started with MetroParks in 1997 ...
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Carrie Scarff is Chief of Planning and Projects at Five Rivers MetroParks, overseeing all planning, capital development, and special projects for the agency. After receiving her degree in landscape architecture from Ohio State, she practiced privately in Columbus and San Diego for ten years. She started with MetroParks in 1997, managing the development of RiverScape MetroPark in downtown Dayton. Carrie led the effort to complete key components of the regional bikeway system and developed MetroParks’ outdoor recreation initiative. In 2008, she has chaired the Active Lifestyles Committee of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan which spearheaded the RiverScape River Run and certification of Dayton as a Bike Friendly City. She’s currently serving as co-project manager for the Dayton Riverfront Master Plan.
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