Board Members
Nate Ward, Chair
Board of Directors: 2020-2028 Chair: 2024-2026 Secretary: 2022-2024 Phone: 603.206.1180 |
Nate Ward, GISP, is the Manager of Solutions Architecture at Terracon, an engineering firm. In this role, he leads a team to provide administration of the organization’s spatial infrastructure, systems, and data. The team provides solutions and interoperability for projects, initiatives, applications, and client needs. He is an FAA certified remote pilot and helps lead the organization's unpersonned aircraft systems program. Nate holds a BA in Geography from the University of Vermont.
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Pam DeAndrea, Treasurer
Board of Directors: 2020-2026 Treasurer: 2022-2026 Phone: 802.793.7555 |
Pam DeAndrea joined the Vermont Agency of Transportation’s (VTrans) Mapping Section in 2021 as a GIS Professional, III. Her primary duties include updating the Vermont Roads data and providing Town Highway mapping services to Vermont municipalities and transportation analysis and mapping support to VTrans and other state agencies. Prior to her time in state government, she was with two Vermont Regional Planning Commissions: Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission (CVRPC) and Lamoille County Planning Commission (LCPC) where she was responsible for oversight of GIS and IT operations including but not limited to GIS program and project management, data management, spatial analysis, map creation, field data collection, web mapping and IT management and support. Pam built her GIS skills in the environmental consulting field working for Bear Creek Environmental, Inc and Stone Environmental, Inc. where she completed numerous field data collection and desktop studies utilizing ArcGIS technology. Pam holds a Master’s Degree in Water Resources from the University of Vermont where she first was exposed to GIS using ArcInfo as the teaching assistant for the Intro to GIS course. Pam also holds a BS in Environmental Geology from SUNY at New Paltz.
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Erica Poisson, Secretary
Board of Directors: 2020-2026 Secretary: 2024-2026 Phone: 774.261.1814 |
Erica Poisson is the GIS Coordinator for Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation, Division of Water Supply Protection. She has been with DCR since 2017. In her role as GIS Coordinator, she is responsible for coordinating the direction of GIS in the Energy and Environmental Affairs secretariat in coordination with other Department GIS Coordinators. Within DCR, she oversees division GIS staff, data development efforts, project development and management, administration of a mobile field data collection fleet and co-administration of a secretariat-wide ArcGIS Online account. Erica works directly with staff to design and test a wide variety of GIS solutions build on the Esri stack. She also assists in the administration of the secretariat ArcGIS Enterprise system. Her current focus is on the development of accessibility best practices and standards for GIS products to comply with ADA Title II. Erica holds a BS from Eastern Connecticut State University in Environmental Earth Science and a Masters of Environmental Science and Management with a focus in GIS from the University of Rhode Island.
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Brittany Hoffnagle, Past Chair
Board of Directors: 2018-2026 Past Chair: 2024-2026 Chair: 2022-2024 Secretary: 2020-2022 Phone: 508.495.6227 |
Brittany Hoffnagle has a M.S. in Coastal Marine and Wetland Studies from Coastal Carolina University. In her graduate work, she utilized GIS and advanced analyses to assess geomorphological changes along the coastal shoreline and ever since then, she knew she wanted to incorporate GIS and advanced spatial data analyses in her career. Brittany is currently a Climate Resiliency Specialist at Woods Hole Group located in Bourne, MA. At Woods Hole Group, Brittany helps clients assess climate change impacts and develop creative adaptation and resilience strategies, creates cartographic visualizations & graphics and manages the GIS processing and QA/QC procedures for Woods Hole Groups storm surge and sea level rise model. She has been attending NEARC conferences since 2016.
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Anita Beinikis
Board of Directors: 2022-2025 Phone 857.260.1016 |
Maps entered Anita Beinikis’ life when, to quell the backseat boredom of his kids, her road-tripping dad would toss a gas station road map into the back seat. While she still favors paper maps, as Regional GIS Coordinator for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Southeast Region, Anita’s current focus is the guiding of users from the desktop environment to ArcGIS Online and field applications. She particularly enjoys supporting program staff in their GIS skill development. Prior to her Regional GIS Coordinator position, Anita spent seven years at MassGIS, managing the statewide data library, producing maps, and encouraging the user community to hold to MassGIS standards. She earned her BA and MA in Geography from Binghamton University in New York. Anita is on the Board for a second term after serving from 1997-1999. In addition, Anita was a host committee member for both Fall NEARC conferences in Falmouth, MA.
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Rob Craig
Board of Directors: 2022-2025 |
Rob Craig has a BS in Fisheries and Wildlife Science with a minor in GIS from Paul Smith’s College. While in college, Rob spent a summer studying the hyperspectral signature of subalpine meadows at the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab. Since graduation, Rob has worked with and for municipalities, bringing a spatial context into the realm of pavement and asset management. In his current role as Special Projects and Grants Manager for the Town of Rockport, Rob manages a variety of projects for the Town and loves incorporating GIS into every project he can. Rob attended his first NEARC virtually in Fall 2021 and was excited to attend his first in-person event at the Mt Washington hotel for Fall NEARC 2022. He hopes that he can assist in growing the collaborative nature of NEARC and further the mission of users helping users.
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Kristina Sargent is the New England GIS Lead at VHB, where she has been since 2016. She specializes in applying GIS technology for various sectors, including transportation, institutions, municipalities, state governments, utility mapping, environmental, land development, and real estate. Kristina oversees data development, advanced spatial analysis, and cartographic presentation using both desktop applications and online platforms, working closely with VHBers and clients to bring innovative technology that improves workflows, streamlines data collection and processing, and enhances data management and application development. Prior to VHB, Kristina worked at the Nashua Regional Planning Commission, where her interest and skills in GIS flourished. She holds a BS in Geography from Keene State College (2013) and a Masters in GIS from Northeastern University (2018). Kristina is also a member of the Northeast's chapter of Women in GIS. Her expertise and dedication make her an invaluable asset to VHB and its clients.
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