First GIO Named for the Department of the Interior

Karen Siderelis has been named the first geographic information officer (GIO) for the Department of the Interior:

“The appointment of Karen Siderelis to this new position underscores the importance of Interior’s role in guiding the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC),” said James Cason, associate deputy secretary of the Interior, in announcing the selection. “This committee coordinates the federal government’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) activities to provide information to the American people and the world,” said Cason, who chairs the FGDC steering committee.

Dirk Kempthorne (the Secretary of the Interior) first announced to the GIS community that a GIO would be appointed during his talk at the recent ESRI International User Conference.