April 11, 2019
The Department of the Interior has appointed 12 individuals to serve as members of the National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC). The NGAC provides advice and recommendations on national geospatial policy and management issues, the development of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), and the implementation of the Geospatial Data Act of 2018. The NSDI promotes geospatial data sharing across all levels of government, the private and non-profit sectors, and the academic community.
Interior has also appointed a new NGAC Chair, Keith Masback, who currently serves on the board of directors and is the former Chief Executive Officer for the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation. Mr. Masback previously served as the NGAC Vice Chair. Interior appointed a new NGAC Vice-Chair, Mark Reichardt, who is the Director of Strategic Opportunities with the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). Mr. Reichardt formerly served as President and Chief Executive Officer for the OGC.
The NGAC includes up to 30 members, selected to achieve a balanced representation of the varied interests associated with geospatial programs and technology. NGAC members serve staggered three-year terms on the committee. The new appointees to the NGAC are:
- Frank Avila, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (reappointed to a second term)
- Sarah Battersby, Tableau Software (reappointed to a second term)
- Byron Bluehorse, University of Alaska Fairbanks
- Mike Hussey, State of Utah
- Xavier Irias, East Bay Municipal Utility District (reappointed to a second term)
- Sanjay Kumar, World Geospatial Industry Council
- Tony LaVoi, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Mark Reichardt, Open Geospatial Consortium
- Amber Reynolds, City of Lawrence, KS (reappointed to a second term)
- Christine Stinchcomb, Paulding County, GA
- Gary Thompson, State of North Carolina
- May Yuan, University of Texas – Dallas (reappointed to a second term)
The NGAC meets three to four times per year. The public is invited to comment and make suggestions at all committee meetings, which will be announced by publication in the Federal Register at least 15 days before the meeting date. The U.S. Geological Survey, a bureau of the Department of the Interior, provides support services for the NGAC.
The NGAC was authorized under the Geospatial Data Act of 2018. The NGAC operates under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, enacted by Congress in 1972 to ensure that advice rendered to the executive branch by advisory committees, task forces, boards, and commissions formed by Congress and the President, be objective and accessible to the public. The Act formalizes a process for establishing, operating, overseeing, and terminating these advisory bodies.
Additional information about the NGAC, including a complete list of the committee members, is available at www.fgdc.gov/ngac.
A PDF version of this release is available here.