Resume &
Experience

Geospatial Team Lead

I'm Alan, a GIS developer with an emphasis on adding analytical capability and design/visualization. I'm currently taking my years of professional analytical expertise and combining it with my passion for development work. Feel free to explore the information about my experience and professional history below. You can find downloads of my traditional resume at the bottom as well.

100%Desktop GIS/Analysis

95%Web-based Mapping/Development

85%Coding/Programming

90%Server/Data Management

100%Automated Scripting/Workflow

Passionate GIS Team Lead / Developer

I'm a dedicated geographic information systems professional with 13 years of experience advancing production/analytical groups in both solo and team-oriented environments as a team lead. Supported a wide range of complex customer requirements with a bearing towards analysis to include: terrain analysis, force protection analysis, 3D analysis, and Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) analysis. Combining 7 years of development experience across collaborative teams and environments that adapted to site’s unique requests. Experience ranges from creating tools and workflows for standard desktop software or servers, implementing GIS web-portals both on-premises and cloud-based options, standing up font-end interfaces for customer interaction, to application development involving GIS analytical capabilities.

Outstanding efficiency

I strive for outstanding efficiency in analytical workflows, advancements in production environments, and development of GIS data loading pipelines. Products are produced at a high-rate tempo due to effective organization, well documented workflows, and firm adherence to industry standards. Data and product dissemination were enhanced through use of in-house developed tools and effective usage of cloud/web-based solutions to build cohesive systems between multiple teams and customers across the globe.

Excellent presentational skills and development of customer relations

Excellent presentational skills and customer relations by adapting to custom requirements to meet specific operational needs and intelligence requests. Consulted between development teams and end-user operators by bridging gaps through a strong understanding in both aspects. Trained instructors and students alike in aspects of hardware, software, analysis, and emerging development libraries/frameworks, technologies, and methodologies.

Professional Experience


  • Present

    USDA - GIS Developer

    GIS Developer for the United States Department of Agriculture – Farm Production and Conservation (USDA-FPAC) working in a SAFe / Agile environment delivering software and data for new applications and maintenance on existing products. Working as part of a software development team to deliver customer solutions across multiple product lanes.

    Areas of work include management, publication, and visualization of country-wide geospatial datasets utilizing the ESRI stack of tools, software, and developer frameworks.

    Develop custom back-end server tools and programming to support data not compatible with the ESRI stack, convert metadata to support federal, open data, and ISO schemas.

    Providing pivotal GIS-based expertise for existing projects and applying industry leading practices to significantly decrease previous work-loads and provide product owners and customers with more pertinent information.

    Building front-end web-based mapping applications via ESRI ArcGIS Online and cloud-based architecture options via Amazon Web Serviced (AWS) that utilize in-house published data, REST APIs, and other sources.
  • 2022

    NS2 Mission (Formerly Apex LLC.) - GIS Developer

    Continued to lead a specialized team focused on cyber security, geospatial analysis, and development projects while transitioning to a more dedicated remote development role working on SharePoint site administration, application development providing specialized visualization and geospatial analysis, and command-and-control software with web-based mapping components.

    Developer assigned to highly customized solutions and projects with open-ended goals that required collaborative working knowledge of systems being used by end users. Proficient in front-end web-based technologies through a standard HTML, CSS, JavaScript stack. Knowledgeable in powerful command GIS-based libraries such as GRASS/GDAL for analytical and data manipulation. Expanded backend development through NodeJS and desktop application development through Electron and Python scripting. Familiar working with a wide range of additional GIS/mapping related libraries, frameworks, and systems such as: Leaflet, Mapbox/MapboxGL, CesiumJS, OpenLayers, ArcGIS Online ecosystem, Turf.js, GeoServer, PostgresSQL, and MySQL. Software and data was hosted and updated through Amazon Web Services for front-end users and development was administered through an Atlassian software platform with tools like Bitbucket, Jira, and Confluence.

    Regularly attend DevOps and scrum meetings for projects related to command-and-control and analytical/visualization software. Regularly requested to attend other DevOps meetings related to other customer development efforts as a consultant on development hurdles especially related to GIS/web-map libraries and capabilities that would enhance the programs spatial awareness and analysis capabilities.

  • 2019

    Apex LLC. - GIS Team Lead

    Advanced the rapidly growing Geospatial Training and Analysis Cell (GTAC) to support the Night Vision Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) CONUS/OCONUS simulation lab, Full Motion Video (FMV), Bi- Static Surveillance System (BSS), and Imagery Analyst teams. Support provided to customers has expanded to mass data management and dissemination, scripted spatial analysis, 3D modelling utilizing GIS technologies that utilized parallel processing to heavily reduce time spent processing ever-growing large datasets, and advanced geospatial visualization techniques using multiple mapping frameworks on projects that involved MapBox, CesiumJS, and ArcGIS Online services.

    Overhauled online collaboration environments to support overseas teams to allow for quick-reaction products and sustainable production efforts. Customers requiring advanced methods of analysis and visualization but are restricted to limited software and hardware configurations are still receiving quality products and analysis due the team’s expanded capabilities and expertise. Data services were built on on-premise servers, hosted in cloud environments when applicable, and developed analytical capabilities for applications with mobile tablet options for field service engineers. Advanced support for programs helped expand the company’s contracts within the workspace. Decision makers are receiving more reliable data, actionable intelligence in less time, and are provided with customized tools/software due to combined efforts.

  • 2015

    Apex LLC. - GIS Analyst

    Supported the Night Vision Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) simulation lab and other government/ military customers in support of sensor-based solutions that provided force protection for the US Army. Training improvements allowed operators to support overseas units with additional support while building up an excellent collaborative environment as reach-back support to enhance the sensor suites.

    Significantly improved established workflows enabling the small team to support more customers with a wider variety of GIS analysis and data. Automation of workflows utilizing Python, command, and open source GIS scripting reduced common workflows by approximately 75% freeing up valuable manpower hours. Customer support consequentially expanded to include “war-gaming” 3D databases for aviation operations and multinational Joint Operations whose data requirements were beyond previous manual capabilities.

  • 2014

    2nd Intelligence Battalion - GIS Team Lead

    Maintained, updated, and organized all geospatial data that is utilized by the Geographic Intelligence Capability in support of military operations, which included worldwide datasets at the command and tactical levels. Maintained an ArcGIS SDE database for replication into Marine Corps Intelligence Activity (MCIA) SDE database. Developed web-mapping capabilities into ASP.NET server portals/applications.

    Trained and advised Marines on proper use of data for analytical purposes as well as proper creation and storage of newly created data. Developed curriculum-based classes and tutorials that covered varying levels of geospatial analysis. Instructed Marines in garrison and on deployment on the proper use and maintenance of equipment to include computer systems, servers, plotters, and other hardware.

  • 2011

    2nd Intelligence Battalion - GIS Analyst

    Lead a shop of 40+ Marines with varying levels of experience. Taught proper industry standard OGS techniques for product creation and geospatial analysis in support of a multitude of military operations in Afghanistan, the Caribbean, and AFRICOM over dozens of billets. Conducted and trained personnel in quality assurance and quality control of the products created and distributed.

    Consolidated map templates and analytical models via Python and command level scripting to assist in custom tailored products to improve team efficiency and allow methodologies to be transferred effectively between consistent active-duty turnover. Exceeded expectations of customers in product creation the include: humanitarian assistance, counter- narcotic operations, joint operations with partner nations, 3D analysis for aeronautical operations, hydrographic / beach analysis for landing operations, and training products.

Been There, Done That


I have handled production efforts in both solo and team-oriented environments. Supporting a wide range of complex customer requirements with a bearing towards analysis including terrain analysis, hydrographic analysis, visibility analysis, 3D analysis, Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) analysis, and humanitarian assistance. Support has been provided for theater and tactical levels of operations to Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (SPMAGTF), Force Protection (FP), and Special Operation Forces (SOF) in commands throughout the world. To get a better idea of the range of support I've provided check out a small sample of places I've supported or been stationed at. I hope the interactive map below may help demonstrate a sample of my capability that can be put into even basic efforts to bring powerful front-end development, design, and visualization into any project.



Resume Downloads


Microsoft Word (.docx)

Adobe PDF (.pdf)