The Mappyist Hour - The Key to Geolife is to Keep Showing Up

In this episode of The Mappiest Hour, Tee and Silas are joined by Jeff Monevich from BayGeo and Rachael Stevenson from URISA's Vanguard Cabinet to explore the transformative power of showing up. The group discusses the critical role of networking for young geospatial professionals, moving beyond the transactional "give and take" to building genuine, long-term relationships. Jeff shares his journey from computer science burnout to becoming a board member at BayGeo simply by attending a holiday party, while Rachael recounts her "trial by fire" introduction to GIS during a family road trip that eventually led her to criminal analysis and community leadership. They delve into the democratization of data, the rise of "geo-beers" and informal meetups, and the future of professional gatherings in a post-Twitter world. Tune in to hear why networking doesn't have to be scary, how volunteering can jumpstart your career, and why sometimes just being in the room—or the Zoom chat—is half the battle.