2026 WA GIS Conference

YPI Workshop at Meydenbauer Center from 1:30-3:00pm.Casual social at Zeeks 315-5pm.

Optional YPI & WGGL lunch at Bellevue City Hall 12-130.

The session will begin with a structured networking activity intended to help participants connect with peers and more experienced professionals in a supportive, low-pressure environment. Guided prompts and facilitated small-group rotations will encourage meaningful conversations around career paths, technical skill development, workplace expectations, and navigating early career challenges. Participants will leave this portion of the workshop with new contacts, conversation strategies, and a stronger sense of belonging within the geospatial community.

Opening Ceremonies will include:


A Welcome to Bellevue   

Who is WAGISA?    

Thank you to Our Sponsors   

The Summit Award   

Keynote Speaker   

Conference Logistics   


Keynote: Maggie Cawley


Maggie brings a diverse background in geospatial education, urban planning, and community engagement, with a career shaped by a long-standing commitment to open, collaborative mapping. In addition to her leadership at OpenStreetMap US, she serves as Chair of the National Geospatial Advisory Committee, helping guide innovation and collaboration across the national geospatial landscape.


Her keynote, “The Community Behind the Map,” will dive into the incredible ecosystem behind OpenStreetMap—the world’s largest crowdsourced geospatial database. Powering everything from humanitarian response to platforms like AllTrails and onX, OpenStreetMap is more than a map—it’s a global movement built by people who care deeply about accessible, high-quality data.


Maggie will share how the U.S. OpenStreetMap community comes together across agencies, nonprofits, and volunteers to build, validate, and apply data in meaningful ways. From trail stewardship to government partnerships, this session will highlight the real impact of collaboration—and the opportunities for you to be part of it.


OpenStreetMap (OSM) is the world’s largest crowdsourced geospatial database, powering thousands of applications across corporate, government, nonprofit, and academic sectors. As an open, community-driven resource, OSM offers GIS professionals a unique platform for collaboration, innovation, and data sharing at a global scale. Far more than a map, OSM has become critical infrastructure for data-driven decision-making, humanitarian response, and digital cartography.

Join us to celebrate the incredible work being done by Washington’s students in GIS and related fields! The Dick Thomas Award (DTA), hosted by the Washington GIS Association, highlights original student research and projects in geography, GIS, and geospatial technologies.

Finalists from across the state will present their work live, showcasing innovative approaches to real-world challenges, from environmental analysis to community planning and beyond! The DTA competition is designed to encourage students to share their ideas, gain presentation experience, and connect with professionals in the geospatial community.

Come support the next generation of GIS professionals and be inspired by the creativity, passion, and impact of student-driven research.


Madeleine Kopf-Patterson - Disturbing the Deep: Mapping Arctic Sedimentary Blue Carbon at the Intersection of Climate and Industry

Jen Stolz - GIS-Based Prioritization of Salmon Habitat Riparian Restoration in WRIA 1

Chelsea Ha, Niko Wood, Seth Borne - Mapping Washington’s Secondary Resale Economy – Visualizing Opportunities for Circular Markets

Maureen Montiel, Tahniat Naseem - The Invisible Layer: Modeling Seattle City Noise to Map Neighborhood Soundscapes

Final conference wrap-up from WAGISA board members, announcement of Dick Thomas Award winner(s) and raffle prize winners.