Kara Utter Named URISA Young Professional of the Year

"If I could summarize my experience on the Vanguard Cabinet in three words, they would be Whirlwind, Grateful and Springboard. I jumped in head first and tried to be a part of every possible facet to learn as much as I could during my term. The opportunities afforded me through the experiences and connections I made have opened my eyes to a much larger GIS community than I realized existed. I have made friends and acquaintances that I will continue to connect with and count on through the rest of my career. For that I am very grateful. I wouldn’t be sitting where I am without this experience and I am excited to continue working with various committees and colleagues that have now become a normal part of my everyday life."

Kara is a GIS Analyst for Valley County, Idaho. She has been an active participant on the planning committee for GIS-Pro, URISA’s annual conference, particularly with student outreach and young professional networking events. She is also the lead for the URISA Marketing Website Sub-Committee and is very active locally in the URISA Northern Rockies Chapter.

The Vanguard Cabinet (VC) is a URISA initiative which debuted in 2011 to engage young GIS practitioners (35 and under), increase their numbers in the organization, and better understand the concerns facing these future leaders of the GIS community. The Cabinet’s mission is to collaborate with URISA’s Board of Directors and Committees in creating and promoting programs and policies of benefit to young professionals. Comprised entirely of passionate young members selected from different geospatial disciplines, the Cabinet aims to position URISA as the center of opportunities for creative young professionals who are committed to improving URISA and the geospatial profession via innovation, collaboration, networking, and professional development.