HEY!  I’M RACHEL.

I created Geopivot to make it fun and easy to get a GIS job.

I’m exited to teach you everything I learned along my 15 year geo journey.

CAREER SNAPSHOT

WHAT SCARED ME, BUT I DID ANYWAY

Asking for promotions and negotiating my salary.  I ended up making $90,000 more a year then when I started out and moved from an entry-level position to executive management in ~ 10 years.

Giving my first presentation.  I signed up to give a 5-minute talk at a GIS conference.  I was so scared that I hid in the bathroom.  When I finally walked in, I learned that everyone else had canceled and I had 45 minutes to speak!

Starting my own business.  I didn’t have any money, so I paid for a GIS conference fee on my credit card.  I knew I needed to be there.  I went to a mentoring event and shared my idea.  I asked for support.

National Geographic called me the next week and gave me my first contract. Turns out someone important was sitting in the audience.  That was my first big lesson about the power of networking.

Quitting jobs I loved and stable income to pursue bigger dreams.  Now I’m doing what I really want and appreciate all the people that helped me grow and learn along the way.

Speaking at the World Bank Innovation Center in Washington D.C. in front of a panel of experts.  I was literally shaking on stage and couldn’t speak for a few minutes. Afterwards, they offered me a job and invited me to come back again.  I did.

Trusting my intuition.  I got written up by HR for being too creative and fired twice for not following directions.  Getting rejected sucked, but I continued to create what I thought would be cool.

Taking big risks. I invested tons of money and endless hours to make Geopivot exist.  I revised it a zillion times to make sure it was awesome and easy to use.  I hope it helps you!

SHOUT OUTS

COOL PROJECTS

FUN MEMORIES

GETTING INTERVIEWED BY ESRI.  WATCH THE VIDEO HERE.

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VOLUNTEERING @ WILL.I.AM’S GIS EVENT IN HOLLYWOOD

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BEING AN ESRI EDUCATION AMBASSADOR IN INDONESIA

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GIVING BACK FEELS GREAT!

Emerging GIS Leaders Founder

• National Geography Awareness Week, Steering Committee, 2014

• Geospatial Technology Competency Model Update, Subject Matter Expert, 2014

Advisory Board MemberTeachGIS.org, 2013

GIS Certification Institute, GISP workshop instructor and outreach support, 2011 – 2014

Association of American Geographers, Career Center Instructor and Mentor, 2013 – 2014

• URISA Vanguard Cabinet, Steering Committee, 2013. Elected Member, 2011- 2012