USGS Names Geographic Information Officer

In the fall of 1999, the ArcNews staff was excited to announce that one of the first organizations to officially create a geographic information officer (GIO) position was the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Now, we are pleased to announce that the USGS director, Charles Groat, has appointed Karen Siderelis as the USGS geographic information officer effective November 27, 2000. Siderelis has most recently served as director of the Center for Geographic Information for the State of North Carolina.

"The power of place-based information can integrate and enhance all of our science at USGS," Groat said. "I am confident that Karen has the technical knowledge, the organizational ability, and the initiative to effectively develop and implement our vision for this new position."

The responsibilities of the GIO at the USGS will be similar to those of a chief information officer (CIO), a position mandated for all cabinet departments and recommended for all federal agencies by the 1996 Information Technology Management Reform Act (ITMRA). The USGS is unique among federal agencies, however, in specifically designating this position as a geographic information officer.

"The USGS is widely recognized for providing reliable scientific information," said Groat. "By establishing the position of a GIO, we want to fully develop the rich potential of geographic information for integrating our scientific findings and for making our science even more accessible to the public."

As the GIO, Siderelis will be responsible for guiding the formulation of agency strategies that will provide innovative information management solutions and ensure the integrity of USGS scientific information. She will ensure that USGS information management policy supports its mission and will provide leadership in coordinating USGS scientific information management with other government agencies.

Siderelis received a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in park management from the University of Georgia. She is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

For more information, contact Jon Campbell, USGS (tel.: 703-648-4180, e-mail: joncampbell@usgs.gov).

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