Learning and Growing in Kelowna: Kelowna GoGeomatics Group Leader Profile

GoGeomatics free group networking events are open to everyone from all areas of geomatics, including business owners, professionals, students, and others. The purpose of the Socials is to build a thriving geospatial community through networking opportunities. Socials are held in pubs across Canada and are led by volunteer group leaders who share their time and knowledge. Please feel free to join our Kelowna Meetup Group here.

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This series is to introduce the community to those GoGeomatics Group Leaders.

Welcome to the GoGeomatics Kelowna Meetup Group

Diane Gray, GIS Analyst with GeoVerra

Diane Gray began writing articles for the GoGeomatics website in 2013. During this time she learned about the Vancouver Socials. She began the GoGeomatics Kelowna group in 2016 and took on the role of Group Leader.
Although born in Ontario, Diane has spent most of her life in British Columbia. She grew up in northern BC but has lived in Kelowna longer than anywhere else.

In 2010, Diane received her Bachelor of Science Honours in Earth and Environmental Science at UBC-Okanagan. She then worked as an undergraduate and geologist for two years before attending BCIT in 2012. The lifestyle of a geologist was fun but didn’t suit Diane. She signed up for the GIS program as a way to move out of mineral exploration.

At BCIT, she completed her GIS Advanced Diploma with Distinction in 2013. It was while she was at BCIT that she heard of GoGeomatics, and after finishing school she began attending socials. Diane returned to Kelowna in 2015.

Diane says, “I spent a while meeting GIS users across the city while looking for a job when I returned to Kelowna. I was looking for a GIS networking group in the area, but aside from the annual local Esri User conferences, no such group existed. I simply created what I wanted to see in my local community.”

Throughout her education, Diane enjoyed the mineralogy and psychology courses, as well as working with ArcGIS processing tools and AutoCAD. Her favourite quote is by Thomas Henry Huxley, “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.”

By being a Group Leader, Diane hopes to connect and engage people with local presenters and help them find work if needed. Currently, she is a GIS Analyst with GeoVerra.