The OpenStreetMap US team proudly announces the OSM US Advisory Council, designed to complement the Board of Directors and help shape the organization’s long-term strategy and sustainability. The Advisory Council convenes to offer advice, support fundraising efforts, and supplement the organization’s core knowledge on important issues related to finance, law, politics, geospatial technology, and engagement. This group differs from the Board in that the Council has no official decision-making or fiduciary responsibility for the organization.
Advisory Council members are nominated by the Executive Director and approved by the Board of Directors on a rolling basis. Members are chosen based on their professional experience, roles, or expertise in the OSM & geospatial communities. Members are asked to serve a minimum of a 2-year term, with a limit of 4 years of service before a 1-year break.
Help OSM US welcome our inaugural members: Bill Dollins, Brandon Liu, Carrie Stokes, Diane Fritz, Kevin Pomfret, and Lee Schwartz. Each member brings unique experience and expertise to the council:
Bill Dollins, an experienced technology executive with a strong background in the design, implementation, and management of geospatial systems, is the founder and President at Cercana Systems — a boutique consultancy providing strategic and technical geospatial expertise to organizations in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
Brandon Liu is a cartographic technologist and open-source developer, founder of Protomaps, and creator of PMTiles and SliceOSM, who brings expertise in cloud-native map infrastructure and innovative approaches to delivering and visualizing OpenStreetMap data.
Carrie Stokes has worked in international development, geospatial technology, and the environment for thirty years. Most recently, she served as the Chief Geographer at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) headquarters in Washington, DC.
Dr. Diane Fritz is an associate scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) in Boulder, Colorado and teaches remote sensing at the University of Colorado. Her broad scientific background, ranging from a biochemistry undergraduate degree in genetics to a PhD in geological sciences, enables her to communicate effectively about geospatial applications across academic disciplines.
Kevin Pomfret, a seasoned attorney based in Washington, D.C., navigates the complex legal and policy intricacies surrounding geospatial information and other types of data, including AI, data privacy, cybersecurity, and intellectual property, as well as national security.
Dr. Lee Schwartz is the former Geographer of the Department of State and Director of its Office of the Geographer and Global Issues in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research.
The OSM US team is excited to work with this new council to strengthen the organization as we strive to advance geospatial data democracy through OpenStreetMap.
