{"id":2949752,"date":"2025-12-02T04:20:46","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T12:20:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=2949752"},"modified":"2025-12-02T11:36:04","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T19:36:04","slug":"looking-back-moving-forward-a-conversation-with-allen-carroll","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/looking-back-moving-forward-a-conversation-with-allen-carroll","title":{"rendered":"Looking Back, Moving Forward: A Conversation with Allen Carroll"},"author":8672,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":""},"categories":[37131],"tags":[398132,706371,770882,27881],"industry":[],"product":[380802],"class_list":["post-2949752","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-constituent-engagement","tag-arcgis-storymaps","tag-storymaps","tag-storyscape","tag-storytelling","product-arcgis-storymaps"],"acf":{"authors":[{"ID":8672,"user_firstname":"Ross","user_lastname":"Donihue","nickname":"Ross Donihue","user_nicename":"rdonihue","display_name":"Ross Donihue","user_email":"rdonihue@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2018-12-14 18:25:52","user_description":"Ross leads geospatial storytelling content development at Esri, helping users tell stories with maps from conception to publication. He spends his time developing technical workflows, directing projects, and improving geospatial storytelling technology. He\u2019s also a National Geographic Explorer with a background in Environmental Management. When he\u2019s not at his computer, he\u2019s usually in the garden, wandering through the woods, or making something by hand.","user_avatar":"<img data-del=\"avatar\" src='https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Ross-Donihue-150x150.jpg' class='avatar pp-user-avatar avatar-96 photo ' height='96' width='96'\/>"},{"ID":9422,"user_firstname":"Michelle","user_lastname":"Thomas","nickname":"Michelle Thomas","user_nicename":"mthomas","display_name":"Michelle Thomas","user_email":"mthomas@esri.com","user_url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/arcgis\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/overview","user_registered":"2019-04-05 16:54:26","user_description":"Michelle Thomas is a communications lead and content strategist on Esri's StoryMaps team. She manages the annual ArcGIS StoryMaps competition, digital platforms, and storytelling campaigns that feature storytellers globally.\r\n\r\nPrior to joining Esri, Michelle created digital campaigns at the U.S. Interior Department and U.S. Department of Agriculture. She leveraged Esri's storytelling tools at both agencies, tying people, resources, and places together through stories. She joined Esri's StoryMaps team to share those experiences widely and empower storytellers to tell stories that matter.","user_avatar":"<img data-del=\"avatar\" src='https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2020\/09\/mthomaspic.jpg' class='avatar pp-user-avatar avatar-96 photo ' height='96' width='96'\/>"},{"ID":345372,"user_firstname":"Andria","user_lastname":"Olson","nickname":"Andria Olson","user_nicename":"aolson","display_name":"Andria Olson","user_email":"aolson@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2023-09-05 16:47:59","user_description":"Andria Olson is a senior content specialist on Esri's ArcGIS Storytelling team.","user_avatar":"<img data-del=\"avatar\" src='https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AndriaOlson_profile-213x200.png' class='avatar pp-user-avatar avatar-96 photo ' height='96' width='96'\/>"}],"short_description":"Read an interview with Allen Carroll about his career, his craft, and the future of geospatial storytelling.","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"quote","author_name":"Allen Carroll","author_profession_organization":"Founder, Esri's StoryMaps team","image":{"ID":164561,"id":164561,"title":"G53456_AllenCarroll_07small","filename":"G53456_AllenCarroll_07small.jpg","filesize":36407,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/04\/G53456_AllenCarroll_07small.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/story-maps\/sharing-collaboration\/seven-things-we-learned-from-the-2024-arcgis-storymaps-competition-winners\/g53456_allencarroll_07small","alt":"","author":"7221","description":"","caption":"","name":"g53456_allencarroll_07small","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2835122,"date":"2018-04-26 12:01:15","modified":"2025-06-14 15:04:51","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":525,"height":501,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/04\/G53456_AllenCarroll_07small.jpg","thumbnail-width":210,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/04\/G53456_AllenCarroll_07small.jpg","medium-width":274,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/04\/G53456_AllenCarroll_07small.jpg","medium_large-width":525,"medium_large-height":501,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/04\/G53456_AllenCarroll_07small.jpg","large-width":525,"large-height":501,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/04\/G53456_AllenCarroll_07small.jpg","1536x1536-width":525,"1536x1536-height":501,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/04\/G53456_AllenCarroll_07small.jpg","2048x2048-width":525,"2048x2048-height":501,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/04\/G53456_AllenCarroll_07small.jpg","card_image-width":487,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/04\/G53456_AllenCarroll_07small.jpg","wide_image-width":525,"wide_image-height":501}},"text":"Almost every day I encounter a story produced by an organization or individual that\u2019s really beautiful, important, and valuable. "},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<article class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&amp;:has([data-writing-block])&gt;*]:pointer-events-auto [content-visibility:auto] supports-[content-visibility:auto]:[contain-intrinsic-size:auto_100lvh] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" dir=\"auto\" data-turn-id=\"b4c79ba9-98da-41e2-a9cf-4cd2a2f9ea20\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-10\" data-scroll-anchor=\"true\" data-turn=\"assistant\">\n<div class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] thread-sm:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] thread-lg:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)\">\n<div class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] thread-lg:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\">\n<div class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col grow\">\n<div class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"a08816cd-2660-4014-927b-94b2b2e4dcc5\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-1\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[1px]\">\n<div class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full break-words light markdown-new-styling\">\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The year was 2010, and Allen Carroll had just joined Esri after 27 years at National Geographic in roles that included art director of National Geographic Magazine and chief cartographer at National Geographic Maps. The call to Esri? Put the power of geospatial storytelling into the hands of, well, everyone. Founding classic Esri Story Maps in 2011, Allen infused the product with his years of experience, guiding development on how to weave text, maps, and multimedia to create rich, interactive stories that engage and inspire readers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">By 2019, the product and geospatial storytelling community had expanded to such a degree that it was time for a more versatile builder to meet growing needs. The result: ArcGIS StoryMaps. Since then, our community has created millions of stories to give enduring voices to people and work worldwide. And at the core of many of these stories are the techniques that Allen has imparted to us.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Poetically, Allen is retiring in 2026, as is the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/arcgis\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/classic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">classic Esri Story Maps<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0product he founded in 2011. Before riding into the sunset, though, Allen took the time to compile four decades of insight into his new book,\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/mapping\/announcing-a-new-book-from-esri-press-telling-stories-with-maps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Telling Stories with Maps: Lessons from a Lifetime of Creating Place-based Narratives<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u2014and answer a few last questions in this blog from the StoryMaps team.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2155152,"id":2155152,"title":"ArcGIS StoryMaps - Logo Separator","filename":"ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator.png","filesize":5584,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/announcements\/whats-new-in-arcgis-storymaps-on-arcgis-enterprise-11-2\/arcgis-storymaps-logo-seperator","alt":"ArcGIS StoryMaps logo separator.","author":"340882","description":"","caption":"","name":"arcgis-storymaps-logo-seperator","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2087022,"date":"2023-11-13 06:07:02","modified":"2023-11-13 06:07:33","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1304,"height":128,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator-213x128.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":128,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":46,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":75,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator.png","large-width":1304,"large-height":128,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator.png","1536x1536-width":1304,"1536x1536-height":128,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator.png","2048x2048-width":1304,"2048x2048-height":128,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator-826x81.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":81,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator.png","wide_image-width":1304,"wide_image-height":128}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p><strong>Of all the stories you\u2019ve read over the years, which one is your favorite and why? <\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2200172,"id":2200172,"title":"2023endofyear-storymaps3","filename":"2023endofyear-storymaps3.jpg","filesize":356078,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023endofyear-storymaps3.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/let-our-2023-favorites-inspire-your-2024-storytelling\/2023endofyear-storymaps3","alt":"Screen shot of a Living Territories story immersive section with text on the left and graphics and a map on the right","author":"9422","description":"","caption":"In Living Territories, authors bring text, custom graphics, and maps together in scrolling sidecars","name":"2023endofyear-storymaps3","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2200092,"date":"2023-12-14 17:51:49","modified":"2025-11-30 13:44:25","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2430,"height":1500,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023endofyear-storymaps3-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023endofyear-storymaps3.jpg","medium-width":423,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023endofyear-storymaps3.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":474,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023endofyear-storymaps3.jpg","large-width":1750,"large-height":1080,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023endofyear-storymaps3-1536x948.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":948,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023endofyear-storymaps3-2048x1264.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1264,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023endofyear-storymaps3-753x465.jpg","card_image-width":753,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023endofyear-storymaps3-1750x1080.jpg","wide_image-width":1750,"wide_image-height":1080}},"image_position":"right","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/stories\/6fa6d4807842404187981cc218bf4394"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I see a new \u201cfavorite\u201d\u00a0almost every\u00a0day.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Just yesterday,\u00a0I\u00a0read\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/stories\/3c07de2c97ce447fb3c844a4cba3cc4c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cI Come As a Pilgrim,\u201d Martin Luther King, Jr.\u2019s Journey to Satyagraha<\/span><\/i><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University. The story, a part of the Martin Luther King Junior Papers Project, is a magnificent account of King\u2019s journey to learn Gandhi\u2019s principles of nonviolence.\u00a0 <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">One of my long-time favorites is \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/stories\/6fa6d4807842404187981cc218bf4394\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">Living Territories: Stories of Territorial Justice<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201d<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0by the Amazon Conservation\u00a0Team.\u00a0With its beautiful imagery and map choreography, it won the IUCN Indigenous Peoples Governance and Rights Award in the 2023 ArcGIS StoryMaps\u00a0Competition.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2937432,"id":2937432,"title":"separator-opening-2025","filename":"separator-opening-2025.png","filesize":88738,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/announcements\/show-us-your-geospatial-storytelling-skills\/separator-opening-2025","alt":"Three hexbins in a horizontal row filled with Living Atlas map images","author":"9422","description":"","caption":"","name":"separator-opening-2025","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2922302,"date":"2025-08-27 09:04:35","modified":"2025-08-27 09:05:02","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1952,"height":237,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":56,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":93,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","large-width":1920,"large-height":233,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-1536x186.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":186,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","2048x2048-width":1952,"2048x2048-height":237,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-826x100.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":100,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-1920x233.png","wide_image-width":1920,"wide_image-height":233}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where do you find inspiration for your own stories? <\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As an avid reader,\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0addicted to the New York Times online. Their reporting, the commentary, is superb\u00a0of course, but\u00a0their graphics and cartography\u00a0bring stories\u2014even complex and difficult ones\u2014to life.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">And\u00a0of course,\u00a0I find inspiration within the GIS community.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2937432,"id":2937432,"title":"separator-opening-2025","filename":"separator-opening-2025.png","filesize":88738,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/announcements\/show-us-your-geospatial-storytelling-skills\/separator-opening-2025","alt":"Three hexbins in a horizontal row filled with Living Atlas map images","author":"9422","description":"","caption":"","name":"separator-opening-2025","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2922302,"date":"2025-08-27 09:04:35","modified":"2025-08-27 09:05:02","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1952,"height":237,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":56,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":93,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","large-width":1920,"large-height":233,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-1536x186.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":186,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","2048x2048-width":1952,"2048x2048-height":237,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-826x100.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":100,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-1920x233.png","wide_image-width":1920,"wide_image-height":233}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What authors have had the greatest impact on your writing\u2014and mapping?<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I read mostly nonfiction and enjoy the writing of many people.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/by\/dennis-overbye\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Dennis Overbye,<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> a veteran New York Times writer, specializes in astronomy and cosmology. His writing is fantastic and a great inspiration for scientific storytelling. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">And\u00a0Paul Salopek, long-time friend and journalist,\u00a0writes dispatches from his\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201c<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/collections\/a001325536ab4b149dbef83039dd922b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">Out of Eden Walk\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u2014a\u00a0multi-year trek across the planet, tracing the human diaspora from Africa\u2019s rift valley to the southern tip of the Americas.\u00a0My team and I have been fortunate enough to support his storytelling journey\u00a0with ArcGIS StoryMaps and custom mapping (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/story-maps\/mapping\/walking-across-the-world-with-paul-salopek\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">read more<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">).<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"youtube","start_time":"0","end_time":"","youtube_video_url":"<iframe title=\"Why would this man walk 22,000 miles across 5 continents?\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Wm7EL66AdzA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2937432,"id":2937432,"title":"separator-opening-2025","filename":"separator-opening-2025.png","filesize":88738,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/announcements\/show-us-your-geospatial-storytelling-skills\/separator-opening-2025","alt":"Three hexbins in a horizontal row filled with Living Atlas map images","author":"9422","description":"","caption":"","name":"separator-opening-2025","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2922302,"date":"2025-08-27 09:04:35","modified":"2025-08-27 09:05:02","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1952,"height":237,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":56,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":93,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","large-width":1920,"large-height":233,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-1536x186.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":186,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","2048x2048-width":1952,"2048x2048-height":237,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-826x100.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":100,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-1920x233.png","wide_image-width":1920,"wide_image-height":233}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>How <span class=\"TextRun SCXW22051036 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW22051036 BCX0\">has your approach to visual storytelling evolved over the years?<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For years, I made maps and told stories with paper and ink. Now, it\u2019s pixels, vectors, and sidecar blocks. Many of the foundational principles from the analog era live on in the digital age, but digital maps can dance and sing in exciting new ways, with continual updating, animations, and 3D fly-throughs.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">But the same foundational principles\u00a0remain.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>To learn more, check out the story from my GIS Day 2025 presentation at Stanford University. It touches on how &#8220;old&#8221; concepts live on in the digital age: \u201c<em><a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/stories\/3cc1277d9f1e43b794351eff97e456b8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The geographic approach\u2013long before the advent of GIS.<\/a><\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2937432,"id":2937432,"title":"separator-opening-2025","filename":"separator-opening-2025.png","filesize":88738,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/announcements\/show-us-your-geospatial-storytelling-skills\/separator-opening-2025","alt":"Three hexbins in a horizontal row filled with Living Atlas map images","author":"9422","description":"","caption":"","name":"separator-opening-2025","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2922302,"date":"2025-08-27 09:04:35","modified":"2025-08-27 09:05:02","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1952,"height":237,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":56,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":93,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","large-width":1920,"large-height":233,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-1536x186.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":186,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","2048x2048-width":1952,"2048x2048-height":237,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-826x100.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":100,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-1920x233.png","wide_image-width":1920,"wide_image-height":233}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW266186024 BCX0\">Do you have any advice <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW266186024 BCX0\">for\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW266186024 BCX0\">stor<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW266186024 BCX0\">ytellers, particularly in the age of AI?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Do your own writing. Writing is thinking.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I come up with so many ideas\u202f\u00a0<\/span><strong><i>while <\/i><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202fI\u2019m\u00a0writing.\u00a0<\/span>AI writing assistants don&#8217;t know your personal style and can&#8217;t read your mind\u2014yet!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2937432,"id":2937432,"title":"separator-opening-2025","filename":"separator-opening-2025.png","filesize":88738,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/announcements\/show-us-your-geospatial-storytelling-skills\/separator-opening-2025","alt":"Three hexbins in a horizontal row filled with Living Atlas map images","author":"9422","description":"","caption":"","name":"separator-opening-2025","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2922302,"date":"2025-08-27 09:04:35","modified":"2025-08-27 09:05:02","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1952,"height":237,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":56,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":93,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","large-width":1920,"large-height":233,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-1536x186.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":186,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","2048x2048-width":1952,"2048x2048-height":237,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-826x100.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":100,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-1920x233.png","wide_image-width":1920,"wide_image-height":233}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW266186024 BCX0\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW26246489 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW26246489 BCX0\">Which stories are the most important to tell in the next five to ten years?\u202f<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW26246489 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We need more stories that raise awareness about climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainability\u2014and their urgency. More broadly, and collectively, we need to tell the story of the Earth\u2014our endlessly complex, enthralling, and beautiful home. <span class=\"EOP SCXW187443908 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{}\">Visit the <a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/collections\/3652fa71ae9c4d22b33e76ccd43c4053\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ArcGIS StoryMaps collection<\/a> of team and community stories that appear in &#8220;<em>Telling Stories with Maps&#8221;<\/em> to see the impact of geospatial storytelling.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2949991,"id":2949991,"title":"G6473726 | Telling Stories with Maps Book","filename":"telling-stories-with-maps-email-banner-2.jpg","filesize":295434,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/telling-stories-with-maps-email-banner-2.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/looking-back-moving-forward-a-conversation-with-allen-carroll\/g6473726-telling-stories-with-maps-book","alt":"A screen shot of the Telling Stories with Maps resources collection","author":"9422","description":"","caption":"Explore the ArcGIS StoryMaps collection of team and community stories highlighted in \"Telling Stories with Maps\"","name":"g6473726-telling-stories-with-maps-book","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2949752,"date":"2025-11-25 17:52:43","modified":"2025-11-25 18:49:40","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1200,"height":600,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/telling-stories-with-maps-email-banner-2-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/telling-stories-with-maps-email-banner-2.jpg","medium-width":464,"medium-height":232,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/telling-stories-with-maps-email-banner-2.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":384,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/telling-stories-with-maps-email-banner-2.jpg","large-width":1200,"large-height":600,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/telling-stories-with-maps-email-banner-2.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":600,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/telling-stories-with-maps-email-banner-2.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":600,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/telling-stories-with-maps-email-banner-2-826x413.jpg","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":413,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/telling-stories-with-maps-email-banner-2.jpg","wide_image-width":1200,"wide_image-height":600}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/collections\/3652fa71ae9c4d22b33e76ccd43c4053"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2937432,"id":2937432,"title":"separator-opening-2025","filename":"separator-opening-2025.png","filesize":88738,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/announcements\/show-us-your-geospatial-storytelling-skills\/separator-opening-2025","alt":"Three hexbins in a horizontal row filled with Living Atlas map images","author":"9422","description":"","caption":"","name":"separator-opening-2025","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2922302,"date":"2025-08-27 09:04:35","modified":"2025-08-27 09:05:02","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1952,"height":237,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":56,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":93,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","large-width":1920,"large-height":233,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-1536x186.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":186,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","2048x2048-width":1952,"2048x2048-height":237,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-826x100.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":100,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-1920x233.png","wide_image-width":1920,"wide_image-height":233}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW266186024 BCX0\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW26246489 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW26246489 BCX0\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW85775609 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW85775609 BCX0\">What does your legacy here at Esri mean to you personally?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW85775609 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW26246489 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I\u2019ve\u00a0been fortunate to serve this wonderful company, its employees, and its customers\u00a0for 15\u00a0years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What\u00a0do I hope to\u00a0have achieved?\u00a0Here\u2019s\u00a0the\u00a0short list\u2014\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Built a product, with an amazing team, that brings place, people, and purpose together<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Enabled people and organizations to improve the world through geospatial storytelling<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Introduced\u00a0young people to geography and GIS\u00a0through ArcGIS\u00a0StoryMaps<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Encouraged innovation and new ways of doing and seeing<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2937432,"id":2937432,"title":"separator-opening-2025","filename":"separator-opening-2025.png","filesize":88738,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/announcements\/show-us-your-geospatial-storytelling-skills\/separator-opening-2025","alt":"Three hexbins in a horizontal row filled with Living Atlas map images","author":"9422","description":"","caption":"","name":"separator-opening-2025","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2922302,"date":"2025-08-27 09:04:35","modified":"2025-08-27 09:05:02","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1952,"height":237,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":56,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":93,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","large-width":1920,"large-height":233,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-1536x186.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":186,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025.png","2048x2048-width":1952,"2048x2048-height":237,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-826x100.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":100,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/separator-opening-2025-1920x233.png","wide_image-width":1920,"wide_image-height":233}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW266186024 BCX0\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW26246489 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW26246489 BCX0\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW85775609 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW85775609 BCX0\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW119706063 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW119706063 BCX0\">What does your next chapter, post Esri, look like? <\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW119706063 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2950021,"id":2950021,"title":"birding gif","filename":"birding-gif.gif","filesize":3476523,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/birding-gif.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/looking-back-moving-forward-a-conversation-with-allen-carroll\/birding-gif","alt":"An animated gif of a vibrant green and grey tropical bird on a branch with green leaves behind it","author":"9422","description":"","caption":"A birding video from an early story crafted by Allen Carroll","name":"birding-gif","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2949752,"date":"2025-11-25 18:31:12","modified":"2025-11-25 18:32:25","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":800,"height":450,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/birding-gif-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/birding-gif.gif","medium-width":464,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/birding-gif.gif","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/birding-gif.gif","large-width":800,"large-height":450,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/birding-gif.gif","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":450,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/birding-gif.gif","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":450,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/birding-gif.gif","card_image-width":800,"card_image-height":450,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/birding-gif.gif","wide_image-width":800,"wide_image-height":450}},"image_position":"right","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Great question\u2014I have almost no idea.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Many years ago, I worked as a freelance illustrator. I hope to pick up\u00a0the pencils\u00a0and pastels once again.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">And I\u2019ll watch birds, of course. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>I also hope, one way or another, to maintain some relationship with the world of GIS. <span data-contrast=\"auto\">To the storytelling community, please reach out on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/allencarroll\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a>\u2014share your stories and your journeys!<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2155152,"id":2155152,"title":"ArcGIS StoryMaps - Logo 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06:07:33","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1304,"height":128,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator-213x128.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":128,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":46,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":75,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator.png","large-width":1304,"large-height":128,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator.png","1536x1536-width":1304,"1536x1536-height":128,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator.png","2048x2048-width":1304,"2048x2048-height":128,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator-826x81.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":81,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ArcGIS-StoryMaps-Logo-Seperator.png","wide_image-width":1304,"wide_image-height":128}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>This featured storyteller interview was prepared as a part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/storyscape-esriwhere.hub.arcgis.com\/pages\/2025-state-of-storytelling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">December 2025 | <span data-teams=\"true\">The landscape of geospatial storytelling <\/span>issue of StoryScape\u2120<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For more interviews and articles like this one, be sure to check out\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/storyscape-esriwhere.hub.arcgis.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" aria-describedby=\"new-window\">StoryScape\u2120<\/a>, a monthly digital magazine for ArcGIS StoryMaps that explores the world of place-based storytelling\u2014with a new theme every issue.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2876992,"id":2876992,"title":"I tell stories 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13:00:09","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":200,"height":202,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/I-tell-stories-button-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/I-tell-stories-button-e1751569528350.png","medium-width":200,"medium-height":202,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/I-tell-stories-button-e1751569528350.png","medium_large-width":200,"medium_large-height":202,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/I-tell-stories-button-e1751569528350.png","large-width":200,"large-height":202,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/I-tell-stories-button-e1751569528350.png","1536x1536-width":200,"1536x1536-height":202,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/I-tell-stories-button-e1751569528350.png","2048x2048-width":200,"2048x2048-height":202,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/I-tell-stories-button-461x465.png","card_image-width":461,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/I-tell-stories-button-1071x1080.png","wide_image-width":1071,"wide_image-height":1080}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""}],"show_article_image":false,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Desktop-continents-1.png","wide_image":false,"related_articles":[{"ID":2791932,"post_author":"7221","post_date":"2025-06-10 06:30:23","post_date_gmt":"2025-06-10 13:30:23","post_content":"","post_title":"Announcing a new book from Esri Press: Telling Stories with Maps","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"announcing-a-new-book-from-esri-press-telling-stories-with-maps","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-06-10 06:51:39","post_modified_gmt":"2025-06-10 13:51:39","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=2791932","menu_order":0,"post_type":"blog","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":1981242,"post_author":"7221","post_date":"2023-07-05 10:28:47","post_date_gmt":"2023-07-05 17:28:47","post_content":"","post_title":"Introducing StoryScape \u2014 a new way to enjoy ArcGIS StoryMaps","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"introducing-storyscape","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-07-05 14:22:50","post_modified_gmt":"2023-07-05 21:22:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=1981242","menu_order":0,"post_type":"blog","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":942851,"post_author":"7221","post_date":"2020-07-22 09:56:50","post_date_gmt":"2020-07-22 16:56:50","post_content":"","post_title":"Out of Eden: walking, mapping, and learning with Paul Salopek","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"walking-across-the-world-with-paul-salopek","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-10-26 09:56:55","post_modified_gmt":"2020-10-26 16:56:55","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=942851","menu_order":0,"post_type":"blog","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}]},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Looking Back, Moving Forward: A Conversation with Allen Carroll<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Read an interview with Allen Carroll about his career, his craft, and the future of geospatial storytelling.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/looking-back-moving-forward-a-conversation-with-allen-carroll\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Looking Back, Moving Forward: A Conversation with Allen Carroll\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Read an interview with Allen Carroll about his career, his craft, and the future of geospatial storytelling.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/looking-back-moving-forward-a-conversation-with-allen-carroll\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ArcGIS Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/esrigis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-02T19:36:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Desktop-continents-scaled.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1440\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ESRI\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":[\"Article\",\"BlogPosting\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/looking-back-moving-forward-a-conversation-with-allen-carroll#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/looking-back-moving-forward-a-conversation-with-allen-carroll\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Ross Donihue\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/5564dbeae252995d27f4b333d22e89e8\"},\"headline\":\"Looking Back, Moving Forward: A 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