URISA Announces Young Professionals of the Year

Des Plaines, IL (October 13, 2020) URISA is very pleased to announce that both Alex Lopez-Rogina, GISP and Christina Brunsvold have been named URISA’s Young Professionals of the Year in recognition of their outstanding contributions as part of URISA’s Vanguard Cabinet.

Alex noted, “Serving on the Vanguard Cabinet has been an awesome experience. Working with driven Young Professionals that have such a vibrant passion for the GIS community is a constant reminder of how our industry is ever changing for the better. It was an honor being part of the first cohort to serve a three-year-term under the new Learn-Do-Teach model. The creativity and dedication of the first and second year members has been an inspiration even through the difficulties of 2020. I am grateful for the relationships I have made and the lessons I have learned on this whirlwind journey!”

Alex is the GIS Coordinator for Madison Utilities in Madison, AL. She is a one-woman GIS shop for the water and sanitary sewer Enterprise GIS. She recently completed her third year on the Vanguard Cabinet, currently serves on the URISA Marketing Committee, and is the President of the GIS Association of Alabama.

Christina shared, “URISA’s Vanguard Cabinet is an exciting and passionate committee within URISA. As a past third-year and GIS-Pro Subcommittee Chair, I am honored to win this award! Throughout my three-year term, I have strived to update and improve the Vanguard Cabinet with my follow cohort including extending the term from two to three years, aligning the term to match the URISA Board of Directors’ term, and provide a funnel system to increase the pathways to leadership within URISA. We have continued to foster excellence in GIS, expanding young professional leadership throughout URISA chapters by creating a Vanguard Cabinet subcommittee to partner with chapters to help grow these leaders. As I begin my chairmanship on the Chapter Development and Relations Council, I am looking forward to strengthening the relationship between chapters, the URISA Board, and increasing the opportunities for young professionals within URISA. The entire Vanguard Cabinet deserves praise for their hard work and dedication to the profession and their contributions within URISA.”

Christina is an Information Technology Specialist for the California Highway Patrol – CCSS, GIS Unit in Sacramento, California.

For more information about URISA’s Vanguard Cabinet, visit https://www.urisa.org/vanguardcabinet