2026 WA GIS Conference: Full Schedule

8:30am PDT

Beginner Experience Builder Course

Tuesday May 19, 2026 8:30am - 12:00pm PDT

401-402

This introductory course provides a hands-on foundation for building web applications with ArcGIS Experience Builder.

Speakers

Mary Phillips

GIS Consultant/Analyst, Sagebrush Geospatial

Mary is a Certified Geographic Information Systems Professional (GISP) with more than 30 years of experience delivering high quality geospatial solutions across local government and consulting environments. Since 2015, she has maintained her GISP certification and continues to lead... Read More →

Tuesday May 19, 2026 8:30am - 12:00pm PDT
401-402

Workshop

1:30pm PDT

Advanced Experience Builder Workshop

Tuesday May 19, 2026 1:30pm - 5:00pm PDT

401-402

This advanced course is designed for users who want to deepen their Experience Builder skills and create highly interactive, data driven web applications. Materials from the beginner course will be provided for participants who choose to attend only this session.

Speakers

Mary Phillips

GIS Consultant/Analyst, Sagebrush Geospatial

Tuesday May 19, 2026 1:30pm - 5:00pm PDT
401-402

Workshop

10:30am PDT

Esri's GeoAI Capabilities

Wednesday May 20, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT

401-402

Esri’s GeoAI capabilities fuse advanced machine learning, deep learning, and spatial analysis to automate feature extraction and accelerate insight generation across imagery, video, point clouds, text, and other geospatial data sources. By integrating pretrained models, configurable geoprocessing tools, and extensible Python APIs, ArcGIS empowers users to rapidly transform raw sensor data into actionable information. These capabilities now extend directly into field workflows through Survey123’s computer vision integration, image classification and feature detection to validate field observations, streamline QA/QC, and enrich survey data collection with automated intelligence.

Building on advancements in large language models, Esri is enhancing GeoAI with natural‑language‑driven analysis and intelligent assistants that help users discover data, generate workflows, and interact with GIS more intuitively. LLM‑powered text AI complements traditional feature extraction by enabling semantic understanding of unstructured content while Survey123’s vision‑based automation strengthens the connection between field capture and enterprise analysis. Together, these innovations make spatial AI more accessible, scalable, and efficient by unlocking new levels of productivity for analysts, field crews, and decision‑makers across industries.

Speakers

TJ Abbenhaus

Senior Solution Engineer, Esri, Inc

TJ Abbenhaus, Esri Solution Engineer: He is a Senior Solution Engineer specializing in imagery, remote sensing, and geospatial workflows across the ArcGIS platform. With deep experience helping government agencies modernize legacy imagery systems, TJ focuses on guiding organizations... Read More →

Wednesday May 20, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
401-402

Sponsor, Esri

11:30am PDT

One and a half centuries of topographic mapping at USGS

Wednesday May 20, 2026 11:30am - 12:00pm PDT

401-402

The first USGS topographic maps in 1884 started as hand-engraved copper plates, and in the early 1900s, relief was hand-shaded. By the 1960s, maps were scribed on mylar sheets, labels were applied letter by letter, and technicians field-verified map features. Since 2009, maps are made using GIS software with remotely sensed data, produced on a predefined grid, and updated every three years. The 2022 release of topoBuilder allows users to create custom topographic maps centered anywhere in the U.S. and territories with the latest available data from The National Map.

Speakers

Elaine Guidero

National Map Liaison, U.S. Geological Survey

Elaine started at USGS as an applied researcher in multi-scale cartography. She is now the National Map Liaison to Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas.

Wednesday May 20, 2026 11:30am - 12:00pm PDT
401-402

Technology, USGS

1:30pm PDT

Zero to Production: A GIS Professional's Process for Building Real Apps with AI

Wednesday May 20, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT

401-402

Since December, I have been building open-source GIS tools on my own time, learning what it actually takes to deliver production-ready applications using AI. I started as a GIS developer. Today I am a manager. Both perspectives matter here, but this talk is not about management. It is about process.

The most important thing I learned was the difference between "vibe coding," where AI drives, and you follow, and Vector Coding, where the human provides clear architectural direction and the AI executes it. That distinction is what turns an interesting demo into something you can actually ship.

With that process in place, FeedSimple went from idea to production-ready widget in four days: a universal XML parser, real-time search, map integration, spatial joins, and 137 unit tests.

I will walk through the process that made that possible:

* The Anatomy of the Prompt: How to structure AI conversations for intentional, architectural results
* The Guardrails: How specs, plans, and code reviews keep a codebase honest across a long build
* Course Correction: How to spot when AI is solving the wrong problem and redirect it without losing momentum
* The Human Moat: Why domain expertise remains the most important thing in the room, regardless of coding role

AI is the tool. You are the Architect.

Speakers

Adam Cabrera

Map and AI Whisperer, MapSimple

Adam Cabrera is a GIS professional with 30 years of experience spanning the full arc of the industry, from command-line tools to modern web frameworks. He serves as Geo Engineering Manager at the King County GIS Center, where he leads a team building public-facing geospatial appl... Read More →

Wednesday May 20, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT
401-402

Technology, AI

3:00pm PDT

What "They" Don't Tell You About WAB-to-ExB Migration

Wednesday May 20, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm PDT

401-402

Modernizing a complex, long-lived GIS application is harder than it looks on paper. King County's iMap has served residents and agencies for years, and rebuilding it on ArcGIS Experience Builder Developer Edition meant confronting real challenges that go well beyond swapping frameworks.

In this presentation we will walk through the real obstacles we encountered and how we navigated them. Along the way, we filled gaps in ExB's native capabilities with custom widgets developed through an AI-assisted workflow, including open-source tools from the MapSimple project that are now running in production.

We'll share the process, the tradeoffs, and the practical techniques we developed along the way, with iMap as the case study that ties it together illustrating what it truly takes to modernize a mature GIS system.

Speakers

Harkeerat Kang

GIS Engineer, King County

Harkeerat Kang is a GIS professional with over 25+ years of experience working in public sector. Her focus mostly has been on designing, implementing, integration of systems, application development and solution architecting.

Adam Cabrera

Map and AI Whisperer, MapSimple

Wednesday May 20, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm PDT
401-402

Technology, ExB

3:30pm PDT

Beyond the Prompt: Finding and Following the Golden Thread in Long-Duration AI-Centric GIS Projects

Wednesday May 20, 2026 3:30pm - 4:30pm PDT

401-402

Every long-duration project needs a golden thread -- the through-line that holds direction when things pivot, stall, regress, and push forward. When AI is doing most or all of the work over weeks or months, that thread is what keeps you and the model aligned. This talk draws on lessons from multiple large AI-built projects, many still ongoing, spanning Esri-based and other GIS-related products, data, and services: a problem-solving intelligent ArcGIS Pro Add-in, a public chatbot that grows in capability and knowledge, data and research pipelines, and full web apps and system modernizations.
As these projects grew, the challenge shifted from prompting to managing. Think of it like navigating terrain -- set an azimuth, identify waypoints, travel, reassess, correct, and continue. You do not walk with the compass glued to your face.
This framework is built on a core principle: your level of control. AI models are powerful and deeply knowledgeable. Building and maintaining confidence in the process -- through research, clear expectations, and ongoing collaboration -- gives both you and the model room to build. Defining your security posture -- what you expose to models and how you scope their access -- establishes boundaries before you travel.
We cover creating bare-bones plans, defining proof-of-concept scope, and managing training data, ambiguity, and model drift as constant factors requiring ongoing attention. Knowing when to continue is as important as knowing when to stop -- practical guideposts help determine when to pause, reassess, redesign, and refocus. We address how to iterate, improve, and provide effective feedback to strengthen outcomes through each cycle.
By the end, you will have experience-based insights for maintaining your own golden thread across sustained, AI-centric projects.

Speakers

Tim Rawson

Software Developer, Dymaptic

Software engineer with a diverse background, including experience in government, military, and business. Brings GIS experience in both field/operational and support roles. Has worked at dymaptic since 2022 and is a member of the Development Team, collaborating with the GIS Development... Read More →

Wednesday May 20, 2026 3:30pm - 4:30pm PDT
401-402

Technology, AI

8:30am PDT

A Tale of Two Experience Builders: Migrating Tacoma's Map Applications

Thursday May 21, 2026 8:30am - 9:00am PDT

401-402

Two of the City of Tacoma's most foundational and complex web map applications are the Equity Index and Staff DART (an internal, "kitchen-sink" application). Over the course of 2025, we migrated both of these highly customized applications to Esri's Experience Builder. We’ll share how we preserved core functionalities, enhanced design and usability, and improved performance. Along the way, we will also highlight key lessons learned, technical challenges, and practical insights to support others considering migrating similar complex application solutions.

Speakers

Alicia Bradshaw

Senior GIS Analyst, City of Tacoma

Alicia Bradshaw is a Senior GIS Analyst at the City of Tacoma where her primary role is to curate the City’s GIS data. She has 10 years of GIS-related experience ranging from research about brownfield redevelopment in Michigan to stormwater education and public transportation planning... Read More →

Idalis Laboy Cintron

GIS Analyst, City of Tacoma

Idalis Laboy Cintron is a GIS Analyst for the City of Tacoma with 8 years of experience in the GIS industry, where she manages the City’s authoritative spatial data, ensuring it supports internal operations and public-facing applications. Her experience also extends to vector tiles... Read More →

Thursday May 21, 2026 8:30am - 9:00am PDT
401-402

Technology, ExB

9:00am PDT

The Power of Digital Twins: From Complex Data to Operational Insights.

Thursday May 21, 2026 9:00am - 9:30am PDT

401-402

Digital Twins will not visit your in-laws while you stay home and watch Netflix. They do, however, have many other uses including automated precise measurement, asset management, and immersive realistic visualization. This presentation will discuss concepts and examples of digital twins in both built and natural systems. From data collection to spatial analyses and operational integration, this presentation will provide a conceptual overview to help attendees understand how digital twins can support their specific requirements regardless of application.

Speakers

Mischa Hey

Analytics Practice Lead, NV5 Geospatial

Mischa Hey is the Analytics Practice Lead at NV5G and has 25 years of experience developing applied geospatial solutions. With a broad understanding of remote sensing technologies and exceptional technical abilities, Mischa leads the field in the development and deployment of biophysical... Read More →

Thursday May 21, 2026 9:00am - 9:30am PDT
401-402

Technology, Digital Twin

9:30am PDT

Chehalis River Basin Early Flood Warning System - A Decision Support Tool

Thursday May 21, 2026 9:30am - 10:00am PDT

401-402

This presentation will describe how GIS is used as a decision support tool providing critical and timely information to citizens and first responders in the flood-prone Chehalis River Basin as well as to communicate the value of continued investment in early flood warning to stakeholders. To highlight the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority (CRBFA) team’s National Hydrologic Warning Council (NHWC) Operational Excellence Award-winning flood warning system, Ms. Harvey and her team, in coordination with Scott Boettcher of SBGH-Partners LLC, developed and actively maintains a Flood Warning System Gage Alert Program ArcGIS Data Dashboard and a Flood Warning Email Alerts Sign-up smart form with ArcGIS Survey123. Used as informational and interactive tools for the 175,000+ residents of the Chehalis River Basin, the Flood Warning System Dashboard has promoted accountability, showcased results, and monitored progress during the 2022–26 flood seasons. At the same time, the Survey123 Email Alert System Sign-up page has become the first line of defense by providing Chehalis River Basin residents with a practical smart form that allows users to easily select gage alerts of interest and sign up online. Additionally, the Dashboard allows users to connect to the Chehalis River Basin Flood Warning System website, which provides a variety of forecasting tools including flood inundation maps.

Speakers

Sarah Harvey, MGIS, GISP

GIS Analyst, WEST Consultants, Inc.

Sarah Harvey is a certified GISP with more than 20 years of experience in GIS. She has spent the last 19 years as an analyst with WEST Consultants, Inc., a small engineering firm specializing in hydraulics and hydrology. Her expertise includes flood analysis and inundation mapping... Read More →

Thursday May 21, 2026 9:30am - 10:00am PDT
401-402

Technology, Flood

10:30am PDT

How to Build a Production App and ETL in One Week(ish)

Thursday May 21, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT

401-402

“We need this application ASAP!” Have you received this type of request before for a complex application? In this session we will walk through how a Restaurant Safety Ratings Application was created — from raw SQL data to a polished public-facing web application — designed, built, and deployed in roughly one week using a combination of Experience Builder and AI-assisted development. The session will be broken into two main parts.

App Development in ArcGIS Experience Builder
Rather than rebuilding a custom web application from scratch, the new Restaurant Safety Ratings application was built entirely in ArcGIS Experience Builder. We will get into the weeds about how the application was configured, some clever use of Arcade, and tips and tricks for building scalable and accessible applications.

Data Pipeline Development with VS Code and AI Assistance
Data pipeline development was accelerated significantly using GitHub Copilot within VS Code. We'll explore how to develop GIS data pipelines with AI beyond 'vibe-coding' — and walk away with a better understanding of the implications of using AI to help with future GIS projects.

Speakers

Bill Keller

GIS IT Engineer, King County

Bill has a broad GIS background from field work at Yellowstone to WebGIS administration at King County where he also leads a WebGIS Coaching group.

Thursday May 21, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
401-402

Technology, ETL

11:30am PDT

Experience Builder: Beyond the Map

Thursday May 21, 2026 11:30am - 12:00pm PDT

401-402

Experience Builder: Beyond the Map

This presentation explores how ArcGIS Experience Builder can empower users to interact with complex geospatial information without ever touching a map. Using a Seattle Urban Forestry Experience Builder application as the core example, we demonstrate how data reactive components—such as filters, charts, dynamic text, and embedded Instant Apps—can transform traditional map centric workflows into intuitive, narrative driven data experiences.

The showcased application features dashboard style charts demonstrating annual forestry activities and a text based “research tool” that guides users through curated urban forestry topics, allowing them to explore datasets through thematic pathways rather than spatial navigation. Information presented in the research tool updates in real time as users select topics or apply filters, while embedded Nearby Instant Apps provide contextual, location aware insights when needed. Together, these components illustrate how Experience Builder can support rich, interactive analysis for audiences who may be less comfortable with map interfaces or those who rely on keyboard navigation.

Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how to design data forward, user friendly experiences that broaden access to geospatial information and open new possibilities for storytelling, exploration, and decision making.

Speakers

Mary Phillips

GIS Consultant/Analyst, Sagebrush Geospatial

Thursday May 21, 2026 11:30am - 12:00pm PDT
401-402

WebApp, ExB

12:00pm PDT

Annual WAGISA Business Meeting

Thursday May 21, 2026 12:00pm - 1:30pm PDT

401-402

Everyone is welcome! Grab a boxed lunch and head to Room 401/402 for the annual WAGISA Business Meeting.

We will be introducing new board members, thanking our departing board members, and conducting our business meeting. This is a great opportunity to see how WAGISA operates behind the scenes and to find out how to get involved.

Thursday May 21, 2026 12:00pm - 1:30pm PDT
401-402

Conference

1:30pm PDT

New ArcHydro tools to facilitate connecting data to hydrography through linear referencing

Thursday May 21, 2026 1:30pm - 2:00pm PDT

401-402

Linear referencing in hydrography is a way to locate information along rivers and streams using distance measured along the waterway, rather than using map coordinates. This makes it easier to link data—such as sampling points, monitoring stations, or stream segments—to their exact position on a stream network. These linked datasets are commonly referred to as “events” and support analysis of relationships among different hydrologic observations.
Linear referencing and dynamic segmentation are widely used in water resources to connect attribute data to specific parts of water features. This is critically important to make hydrography data useful for modelling, policy, conservation and a better understanding of our surface waters. Historically, this process has relied on the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and reach codes. However, a modernized approach is needed since reach codes are no longer maintained and are not part of the 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP).
Washington Department of Ecology has been working with Esri’s Arc Hydro team to develop simplified data models and tools that can be used with ArcGIS Pro, to provide a foundation for developing an updated linear referencing system. This presentation introduces new Arc Hydro tools and workflows for managing events, explains the development of a linear referencing system based on elevation derived hydrography (including 3DHP), outlines methods for transitioning existing events from NHD to 3DHP, and demonstrates techniques for analyzing and visualizing events using dynamic segmentation.

Speakers

Joshua Greenberg

Hydrography Steward, WA Department of Ecology

Joshua Greenberg works for the Washington Department of Ecology and is the hydrography steward for the State. He has been the hydro-steward five years, but has over 20 years’ experience working for local government. His background offers both ecological and technical guidance and... Read More →

Thursday May 21, 2026 1:30pm - 2:00pm PDT
401-402

Technology, ArcHydro

2:00pm PDT

Powering the Future: Mapping Solar Potential Across WSDOT Rights‑of‑Way

Thursday May 21, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm PDT

401-402

Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), in partnership with The Ray, conducted a statewide GIS-based suitability analysis to identify highway rights‑of‑way with high potential for solar energy development. Using spatial criteria, terrain analysis, and solar radiation modeling, the study identified over 3,000 acres of highly suitable land capable of supporting significant renewable energy generation. A pilot effort further evaluated opportunities to co-locate solar infrastructure near WSDOT communication sites by integrating proximity analysis, Utility Franchise Permit data, and statewide power plant locations. This work demonstrates how geospatial analytics can optimize state-owned transportation corridors for clean energy deployment while supporting Washington’s climate and infrastructure objectives.

Speakers

Golnaz Badr, PhD, GISP

GIS and Data Systems Specialist, WSDOT

Dr. Golnaz Badr is a GIS & Data Systems Specialist with over 15 years of experience spanning geospatial analytics, smart mobility, environmental modeling, and enterprise data solutions. She currently supports statewide geospatial systems and data modernization efforts at the Washington... Read More →

Golnaz Badr. Powering the Future Mapping Solar Potential Across WSDOT Right of Way pdf

Thursday May 21, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm PDT
401-402

Technology, Solar Energy

2:30pm PDT

Unlocking the Past to Empower the Future: Geo-Enabling WSDOT’s Statewide Real Estate Parcel Inventory

Thursday May 21, 2026 2:30pm - 3:00pm PDT

401-402

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Real Estate Services (RES) oversees an extensive archive of Real Estate Maps documenting parcels acquired to build and maintain the state’s transportation system. Many of these maps—especially those produced prior to 2010—exist solely as scanned images, limiting their usability in modern geospatial workflows and slowing access to crucial property information.
To bridge this gap, WSDOT RES has launched a statewide initiative to georeference historical Real Estate Maps, digitize parcel boundaries, and connect key acquisition records directly to spatial features. This effort is creating a unified, GIS-enabled Parcel Inventory that modernizes how real estate data is stored, accessed, and used to support planning and operational needs.
This presentation will walk through the end‑to‑end lifecycle of the Parcel Inventory Project—from archival research and data preparation to georeferencing, polygon creation, and enterprise database integration. The resulting geodatabase will become a mission‑critical asset, improving decision-making, streamlining RES workflows, and increasing transparency and accessibility of property records across Washington State.

Speakers

Golnaz Badr, PhD, GISP

GIS and Data Systems Specialist, WSDOT

Golnaz Badr. Unlocking the Past to Empower the Future Geo Enabling WSDOT’s Statewide Real Estate Parcel Inventory pdf

Thursday May 21, 2026 2:30pm - 3:00pm PDT
401-402

Technology, Parcel

2026 WA GIS Conference

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2026 WA GIS Conference

8:30am PDT

Mary Phillips

1:30pm PDT

Mary Phillips

10:30am PDT

TJ Abbenhaus

11:30am PDT

Elaine Guidero

1:30pm PDT

Adam Cabrera

3:00pm PDT

Harkeerat Kang

Adam Cabrera

3:30pm PDT

Tim Rawson

8:30am PDT

Alicia Bradshaw

Idalis Laboy Cintron

9:00am PDT

Mischa Hey

9:30am PDT

Sarah Harvey, MGIS, GISP

10:30am PDT

Bill Keller

11:30am PDT

Mary Phillips

12:00pm PDT

1:30pm PDT

Joshua Greenberg

2:00pm PDT

Golnaz Badr, PhD, GISP

2:30pm PDT

Golnaz Badr, PhD, GISP

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