Esri Telecommunications GIS Heroes

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Esri telecom GIS heroes inspire

These heroes are leaders within the GIS community and true GIS champions. As proven problem solvers, they have gained deep respect from colleagues, and their genuine love of this technology inspires others to imagine how GIS can help them achieve their own ambitious goals. Join Esri in celebrating these industry leaders who are making a difference in the telecom community every day.

Alyssa Wood | Direct Communications

Inspired by the hidden infrastructure that powers communities, Alyssa Wood is helping transform how telecommunications networks are managed. By leading the deployment of ArcGIS Enterprise at Direct Communications, she centralized fiber network data, connected field crews with mobile GIS tools, and improved communication between office and field teams. 

Portrait of Alyssa Wood smiling in a magenta sweater with a flat purple background

Joshua Johnson I Sunrise Telecom

Joshua, a GIS coordinator, was introduced to GIS by his father early on in his career. He now manages a team that uses geospatial solutions to optimize network build outs and more. 

He actively blends spatial data science with operational knowledge to plan smarter builds, boost reliability, and elevate the customer experience. He holds a master’s degree in spatial data science from Pennsylvania State University.

Joshua wearing a blue collared shirt overlaid on a purple background

Ayush Joshi I ECC Technologies

Ayush is a GIS developer who built a comprehensive project-management ecosystem that integrates data from multiple departments into a single, cohesive platform with GIS at its core. 

At ECC Technologies, he developed custom widgets using a combination of ArcGIS JavaScript SDK and Arcade, significantly improving organizational visibility and collaboration. He holds a master’s degree in geospatial technologies from the University of Washington. 

Ayush smiling in a black and navy blue shirt overlaid on a purple background

Past GIS heroes

  • Amy smiling in a black turtleneck overlaid on a purple background
    Fall 2025

    Amy Stuyvesant I Merit Network

    Amy transformed Merit Network’s GIS by leading data analysis for digital equity and supporting grant applications.
  • Andreas wearing a suit and glasses overlaid on a purple background
    Fall 2025

    Andreas Kramer I 1&1 Versatel

    Andreas created a modern enterprise and client solution that supports the full telecommunications process chain at 1&1 Versatel.
  • Adam smiling in a shirt and tie overlaid on a purple background
    Fall 2025

    Adam Trimble I Vantage Point

    Adam supported organizations in AutoCAD mapping, fiberoptic planning, and database management.
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  • Natalie May smiling overlaid on a purple background with graphic elements
    Summer 2024

    Natalie May I Windstream Wholesale

    Natalie revolutionized the way Windstream Wholesale’s customers interact with its network by launching an effective interactive map.
  • Adam Barrs smiling overlaid on a purple background with graphic elements
    Summer 2024

    Adam Barrs I HTC

    Adam transformed site selection through innovative automation scripts that maximize construction investments.
  • Mohammed Al-Maktoumi smiling overlaid on a purple background with graphic elements
    Summer 2024

    Mohammed Al-Maktoumi | Oman Broadband

    Mohammed was instrumental to Oman Broadband's GIS implementation by revolutionizing network deployment processes.
  • Varun Sehgal wearing a white collared shirt overlaid on a purple background
    Spring 2024

    Varun Sehgal | Pearce Services

    In just four years, Varun transformed the GIS division, growing it from a single contributor to a team of 17 with plans to expand further.
  • Caleb Melies wearing a patterned collared shirt and smiling overlaid on a purple background
    Spring 2024

    Caleb Melies | Pearce Services

    Caleb is revolutionizing Pearce's GIS use by expanding implementation from a per-job basis to a comprehensive database for analytics.
  • Brett Lessner wearing a collared shirt overlaid on a purple background
    Spring 2024

    Brett Lessner | Nsight

    Brett uses GIS to help Nsight take advantage of funding to grow their network and bridge the digital divide.
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  • Scott Johnson smiling and wearing a plaid red and yellow dress shirt overlaid on a purple background
    Winter 2023

    Scott Johnson | Norvado

    Scott created a robust ArcGIS Enterprise-based system that helps the Norvado team stay ahead of their competition.
  • Sierra Alcantra wearing glasses and smiling overlaid on a purple background
    Winter 2023

    Sierra Alcantra | MTA

    Sierra has worked on several MTA plant facility software and database migrations, the newest of which leverages Esri products.
  • Inez Beszterda smiling overlaid on a purple background
    Winter 2023

    Inez Beszterda | Orange Polska

    Inez conducts advanced spatial analysis that supports decision-making and is responsible for the unit’s GIS strategy and development.
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  • Gülnur Özbaş smiling and wearing a white blazer overlaid on a purple background
    GIS Hero Fall 2022

    Gülnur Özbaş | Turkcell

    Gülnur authored a study that revealed Turkcell’s opportunities for fiber investment and predicted future annual rates of return for sales.
  • Eric Carroll smiling and wearing a black collared shirt overlaid on a purple background
    GIS Hero Fall 2022

    Eric Carroll | University of Kentucky

    Eric and his team built an intelligent utilities and telecommunications network to design, organize and field collect large datasets.
  • Portrait of Derek Rieckmann smiling in a blue striped shirt with a purple background
    GIS HERO FALL 2022

    Derek Rieckmann | Midco

    As the director of GIS at Midco, Derek is a respected leader who has successfully demonstrated the value of GIS to C-level executives.
  • Portrait of Letizia Guadalupi smiling in a pale purple shirt with a purple background
    GIS HERO FALL 2022

    Letizia Guadalupi | G.Network

    Letizia has over 20 years of experience working with GIS and is a growth-oriented GIS manager.
  • Portrait of Vanessa Greul-Smidt smiling in a white shirt and black blazer with a purple background
    GIS HERO FALL 2022

    Vanessa Greul-Smidt | Vattenfall Eurofiber

    As a senior network planning engineer for Vattenfall Eurofiber, Vanessa and her team are working on an open-access fiber network in Berlin.
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  • A portrait of Sarah Rose
    GIS Hero fall 2021

    Sarah Rose | City of Loveland

    Sarah leverages 15 years of expertise and a solution-oriented mindset to deliver enterprise-wide capabilities and simplified workflows.
  • A portrait of Jason Koonce
    GIS Hero fall 2021

    Jason Koonce | Metro Communications Company

    Jason designs FTTH networks for underserviced communities and helps create efficient methods for teams to share data throughout the organization.
  • A portrait of Terri-Ann Grant
    GIS Hero fall 2021

    Terri-Ann Grant | Jurassic Fibre Limited

    In her current role as a director of network design and GIS operations, Terri-Ann has successfully deployed GIS solutions in eight countries.
  • A portrait of Amerley Ampofo
    GIS Hero Summer 2021

    Amerley Ampofo | MTN

    Amerley leverages her passion for GIS to transform organizations throughout West Africa, create best practices, and mentor women in the field.
  • A portrait of Javier Isaac González
    GIS Hero Summer 2021

    Javier Isaac González | Cable & Wireless Panama

    Since 2007, Javier Isaac has led projects focused on the networking, education, social, and security fields as well as low-income communities.
  • A portrait of Boris Pitchforth
    GIS Hero Summer 2021

    Boris Pitchforth | Vodafone UK

    Boris continues to evolve Vodafone’s enterprise GIS system, creating a long-term strategy to transform the business using location intelligence.
  • A portrait of Quinton Maximoff
    GIS Hero Spring 2021

    Quinton Maximoff | TDS Telecom

    Quinton uses his passion for GIS to deliver innovative problem-solving solutions that support business operations at TDS Telecom.
  • A portrait of Edward Gause
    GIS Hero Spring 2021

    Edward Gause | HTC

    Edward has developed and deployed numerous applications, resources, and machine learning tools, empowering the HTC team to achieve their mission.
  • A portrait of Shawn Bowers
    GIS Hero Spring 2021

    Shawn Bowers | Windstream

    Shawn implemented ArcGIS Enterprise to share OSP data across Windstream and grew its user base from a few groups to more than 5,000 employees.
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  • A portrait of Maryam Sanieian
    GIS HERO FALL 2020

    Maryam Sanieian | Comcast

    Maryam joined Comcast in 2015. She works with teams throughout the organization to understand their needs and solve problems using GIS.
  • A portrait of Danielle Conner
    GIS HERO FALL 2020

    Danielle Conner | Charter Communications

    Danielle works with the teams at Charter Communications to provide insights that improve customer experience and aid network expansion.
  • A portrait of Jhann Burke
    GIS HERO FALL 2020

    Jhann Burke | Comcast

    Jhann utilized the Spectrum tool created by Comcast’s GIS team to identify and manage $55 million in capital for proactive builds.
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Nominate the next Esri telecom GIS hero

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

Nominate a telecom GIS hero