Geospatial’s Brightest Minds: 142 Thought Leaders You Should Know

A few weeks ago, I posed a simple yet thought-provoking question to the geospatial community on LinkedIn, one that many found difficult to answer, including myself:

Who are the top 10 living geospatial thought leaders whose insights you prioritize, whose talks you never miss, and whose writings you always read?

The response was overwhelming. The comments flooded in, filled with passionate endorsements for individuals shaping our industry. What started as a personal challenge quickly became a celebration of geospatial leadership, highlighting an incredible range of experts across software, data science, policy, open-source, and more.

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The Numbers: A Telling Story

7,000 impressions
109 comments
55 likes, hearts, lightbulbs, and clapping hands
15+ countries and territories represented
59 women and many people of color recognized

Perhaps the most exciting takeaway? 142 unique names were mentioned, a testament to the depth of talent across our industry.

Additionally, several names surfaced multiple times, revealing a strong consensus around key figures driving the geospatial field forward.

And one name stood out above the rest: Paul Ramsey, mentioned six times, solidifying his position as one of the most recognized voices in geospatial today. He is and will forever be my favorite!

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The Most Recognized Voices in Geospatial

Beyond Paul Ramsey, other leaders emerged with multiple mentions:

Mentioned Four Times

• Chris Tucker

Mentioned Three Times

• Nicholas Brown

• Tee Barr

• Steven Pousty, Ph.D.

• Will Cadell

• Chris Holmes

• Keith Masback

Mentioned Twice

• Dee Jordan

• Lee Schwartz

• Patrick Cozzi

• Peter Rabley

• Anthony Calamito

• Linda Foster

• Cathrine Nakalembe

• Dawn Wright

• Narelle Underwood

• Kevin Pomfret

• Josh Campbell

• Nadine Alameh

• Ben Tuttle

• Greg Scott

These names reflect the collective admiration of the geospatial community, leaders whose work, vision, and contributions are shaping the future of our industry. Note: The complete list can be found at the conclusion of this post.

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The Takeaway: A Community of Influencers

This exercise reinforced something I’ve believed for a long time:

The geospatial industry is growing at an incredible pace. Thought leadership within it may feel rare and hard to find, but perhaps that’s because the people who truly lead aren’t the ones chasing trophies or recognition. Instead, they are givers, collaborators, and visionaries…..people who are about something bigger than themselves.

They are the ones who elevate the field through mentorship, innovation, and a commitment to shared success over individual accolades. They are the "connective tissue" of our industry, linking expertise, ideas, and opportunities in ways that impact every other sector.

Geospatial science, technology, and tradecraft are about more than just maps and data. They are about solving real-world problems, telling important stories, and informing critical decision-making.

The fact that so many people struggled to name ten thought leaders off the top of their heads speaks volumes. But the names that did emerge? They represent the voices guiding us forward.

The giants who built this field won’t lead us forever. It’s up to us to support and cultivate the next wave of visionaries.

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Let’s Keep the Conversation Going…….

This discussion has already introduced me to new voices, reminded me of colleagues I don’t see often enough, and sparked impactful new relationships. But it’s just the beginning.

Who else should we be paying attention to? Who’s missing from this list? Who want’s in on the action? Let’s keep this dialogue alive, and continue elevating the thought leaders who inspire and shape our industry every day.

The Complete List of Names as Nominated By Their Peers!

Paul Ramsey, Chris Tucker, Nicholas Brown, Tee Barr, Steven Pousty, Rhiannan Price, Olivia Powell, Barbara Ryan, Rebecca Firth, Paloma Merodio, Dr. Julia Wagemann, Cyhana Lena Williams, Ingrid Vanden Berghe, Krystal Azelton, Adina Gillespie FRAeS, Diane A Dumashie FRICS, CEDR, APM, PhD, BSc, Kate Fairlie, Catherine Ball, Timothy Burch, Craig Roberts, Craig Sandy LS GAICD, Lisa Bush GAICD, Vanessa Lawrence, Lawrie E. Jordan III, Drew Clark, Anousheh Ansari, Peter H. Diamandis, Barbara Belvisi, Emily Calandrelli, Kylie Ahern, Julie Inman-Grant, Louise Baxter, Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, Donna-Maree Vinci GAICD, FGIA, GCB.D, CEW, MACS (Snr), Katrina Konstas, Brent Jones, Gary Kent, Dave Doyle, Jacob Heck, Tim Murphy PLS, Michael Filipski, Chris Freeman, Norman Ellerbrock, Ben Shinabery, Sophia Parafina, Michele Tobias, Brian Maddox, Coleman McCormick, Ghermay Araya GISP, CSM, Abe Usher, Rob Painter, Patrick Biltgen, Jacqueline Kazil PhD, Chitra Sivanandam, Elizabeth Lyon, Sean Gorman, Sean Wohltman, Christina Monaco, Joe Governski, Melanie Corcoran, Renee Will Ph.D., Patty Mims, Aimee McGranahan, Phillip Bearden, Tony Frazier, Maggie Cawley, Mike Spaeth, Madison Condon, Sarah Kapnick, Susan Kalweit, Katharine Hayhoe, Dr. Nikki Markiel, Brian Monheiser, Lou Von Kahle, Eldrich Frazier, Donna Frazier, Frank Romo, Kevin Hope, Robert (Bob) Sharp, Deirdre Dalpiaz Bishop, Kevin O'Connell, Ananyaa Narain, Mark Reichardt, Sanjay Kumar, Marc Prioleau, Valrie Grant MSc, GISP, MBA, GCB.D, David Henderson, Christopher H. Barlow, Bryn Fosburgh, Marie Price, Denise McKenzie, Mike Botts, Clinton G. Johnson, Alexandre Robin, Scott Simmons, Budhendra Budhu Bhaduri, Meredith Gore, Brian McClendon, Todd Huffman, Jeffrey Harris, Ted Cope, Letitia Long, Dr. Silburn Clarke CLS, FRICS, DFJCS, DBA, Dr. Earl Edwards, Nadine Brown, Cecille Blake, Bheshem Ramlal, Simone Michelle Lloyd GISP, MSc, PG Dips GINF, GIS, ED, David McCollin, Michelle St. Clair, Jacob Opadeyi, Philip Hippolyte, Mark Codling, Tarik Dixon, Schuyler Erle, John Hanke, Ian Schuler, Sina Kashuk, Kyle Barron, Steve Coast, Ed Parsons, Tom MacWright.