Esri Electric GIS Heroes

Purple square with people’s pictures in it, award ribbon icon

Esri electric heroes inspire

GIS heroes are GIS champions. They have gained respect from electric industry colleagues who regard them as problem solvers. Their genuine love of GIS make them the people everyone wants to work with, and they inspire others to imagine how GIS can help them do their work better. Join Esri in celebrating these industry leaders who are making a difference every day at their organizations.

Colette Waters

Senior Product Manager at Duke Energy Corporation

Colette Waters helps lead Duke Energy’s enterprise GIS strategy and supports GIS technology used by more than 22,000 users. One of her key accomplishments has been helping lead Duke Energy’s transition from GE Smallworld to ArcGIS Utility Network, creating a more connected GIS environment across multiple business units.

Colette is passionate about using GIS to improve operations, empower others, and help people make better-informed decisions. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling the world, volunteering, and spending long days at the beach with her family.

Portrait of Colette Waters smiling in a navy blazer and blue collared shirt

Past GIS heroes

  • Portrait of Mary Torres smiling in a light blue collared shirt

    Mary Torres | CenterPoint Energy

    GIS Support Manager

    Mary Torres leads a team supporting all aspects of GIS operations for a electric and natural gas user community spanning four states.
  • Portrait of Lizzete de Leon Bocanegra smiling in a red blouse with a flat yellow background

    Lizzete De Leon Bocanegra | CPS Energy

    GIS Manager

    Lizzete’s team completed a major system upgrade and a proof of concept that led directly to a full Utility Network migration.
Previous
Next
  • Portrait of Ana Pelegrini smiling and wearing a houndstooth sweater with a flat yellow background

    Ana Pelegrini | PG&E

    Senior Programmer Analyst

    Ana Pelegrini develops and optimizes GIS solutions that enhance natural gas and electric operations.
  • Brandon smiling in a suit and tie overlaid on a yellow and purple background

    Brandon Keinath | ALLETE

    GIS Supervisor

    Brandon oversees ArcGIS Utility Network rollout and supports initiatives like wildfire planning, asset mapping, and lead line replacement.
  • Rami AlyGad wearing business attire and smiling overlaid on a yellow and purple background

    Rami AlyGad, GISP | Arizona Public Service

    GIS and Smart Grid Manager

    Rami leads GIS data management, solution delivery, and utility network transformation, driving improvements in system accuracy and efficiency.
  • Jeffrey Grussing smiling overlaid on a yellow and purple background

    Jeffrey Grussing | Great River Energy

    GIS Development Manager

    Jeff spearheaded GRE’s enterprise GIS deployment and focuses on maintaining the utility's business GIS solutions and backend infrastructure.
Previous
Next
  • Kristen Conrad smiling and wearing business casual clothing overlaid on a yellow and purple background

    Kristen Conrad | FirstEnergy

    GIS Application Supervisor

    Kristen focuses on keeping system data relevant and reliable for downstream systems and critical decision-making.
  • Patrick Gans smiling and wearing a black collared shirt overlaid on a yellow and purple background

    Patrick Gans | Lincoln Electric System (LES)

    Business Solutions Supervisor

    Patrick guides LES’s GIS vision, which includes migrating to ArcGIS Utility Network and replacing their outage management system.
  • Portrait of Lucas Rodrigo Halpern Rivera smiling in a brown suit with a flat yellow background

    Lucas Rodrigo Halphen Rivera | ETESA

    Engineering Director

    Lucas modernized field data collection at ETESA with ArcGIS QuickCapture and ArcGIS Survey123, boosting workflow efficiency.
  • Amanda Opp smiling overlaid on a yellow and purple graphic background

    Amanda Opp | Flathead Electric Cooperative

    Integrated Services Manager

    Amanda implemented ArcGIS Collector for field data collection, which replaced paper-based processes—a significant improvement for FEC.
Previous
Next
  • Chris Berryman smiling in a white sweater overlaid on a yellow and purple graphic background

    Chris Berryman | Santee Cooper

    GIS Architect

    Chris developed a GIS strategy to ensure long-term growth and creates solutions that keep crews and stakeholders informed during power outages.
  • Portrait of Jamie Chipps smiling in a dark sweater and blouse

    Jamie Chipps | FirstEnergy

    Applications Support for Distribution Manager

    Jamie has spent the last 5 years leading the team implementing a new Design tool and Esri’s ArcGIS Utility Network called the aDAPT project.
  • Portrait of Jonathan Blazs smiling in a light blue collared shirt with a flat yellow background in a circular border

    Jonathan Blazs | Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company

    GIS Manager

    Jonathan leads a team of 12 GIS professionals whose focus is on timely and accurate electric distribution data for operational and field use.
  • George Nadar smiling and wearing business attire overlaid on a circular yellow background

    George Nadar | Pacific Gas & Electric Company

    Principal GIS Technology Architect

    George led the transformation of PG&E’s ArcGIS platform into the cloud, allowing efficient management of a services with remotely sensed data.
Previous
Next
  • Hussam Al Jabri smiling and wearing a white tunic standing in front of lush greenery in soft focus

    Hussam Al Jabri | MEDC

    Senior GIS Analyst

    As acting head of GIS at Muscat Electricity Distribution Company (MEDC), Hussam digitally transformed maintenance inspection activities.
  • Holly Dewbre smiling and wearing a grey shirt in a brightly lit modern office

    Holly Dewbre | Oncor Electric Delivery

    Manager

    Holly develops GIS strategies that improve situational awareness for those who design, construct, and operate Oncor’s transmission lines.
  • Duane Holt smiling and wearing a grey dress shirt in a modern glass building

    Duane Holt | CORE Electric Cooperative

    GIS Manager

    In his 28-year career, Duane is most proud of the widespread acceptance of GIS technologies that he has generated at CORE.
  • Sephe Fox smiling and wearing a blue shirt in front of a corporate office building

    Sephe Fox | Clatskanie People’s Utility District

    GIS Analyst

    Sephe built a GIS system from the ground up and maintains and analyzes all GIS data, including an outage management system.
  • Mark Shibuta smiling and wearing business attire in a modern glass office

    Mark Shibuta | UEDCL

    Head of GIS

    In his six years at Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL), Mark moved the company from paper maps to a GIS-based ecosystem.
Previous
Next
  • Portrait of Keith Aubin in a royal blue suit standing outside in a lush green garden

    Keith Aubin | Enel Green Power North America

    Head of Digital Hub for Business Development

    Keith Aubin took GIS from being a tool for creating PDF maps to becoming a core business system that supports renewable energy projects.
  • Darris Friend wearing a white button up shirt and standing in the middle of a utility truck yard

    Darris Friend | Gainesville Regional Utilities

    Utility Project Team Leader

    With 20 years of GIS experience, Darris Friend leads energy delivery at Gainesville Regional Utilities by migrating electric and gas networks.
  • Melissa Maya smiling with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a blue blouse

    Melissa Mayo | Alabama Power

    Team Leader

    Melissa Mayo’s team produces cartographic products, mobile solutions, and apps to support transmission efforts in the company’s service areas.
  • Kurt Towler with glasses and a gray-white, short beard and a blue collared shirt

    Kurt Towler | SSVEC

    GIS Manager

    Kurt Towler manages the GIS network at Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative (SSVEC) and is fully migrating their GIS to the cloud.
Previous
Next

Nominate the next Esri electric GIS hero

If you know someone who uses GIS to create innovative solutions and inspire others, nominate them to be Esri’s next electric GIS hero.

Nominate an electric GIS hero