VAWS: Powering Alaska’s Digital Atlas

Speaker: Leslie Jones, PhD, Geospatial Information Officer for the State of Alaska

About the webinar: Alaska’s scale demands collaboration. This VAWS webinar highlights how the Alaska Geospatial Office (AGO) is partnering with federal, local, and tribal organizations to close data gaps, modernize core layers, and deliver integrated, decision-ready map products at both community and statewide scales. We will discuss how governance and efficient pipelines power faster, more reliable delivery to the public—through the Alaska State Geoportal and interoperable services. We’ll also cover new efforts to improve access to historic and concurrent remote-sensing data, with opportunities to enable innovation and broaden partnerships across Alaska.

Bio: Leslie Jones, PhD, is the Geospatial Information Officer for the State of Alaska, leading statewide initiatives to expand access to—and use of—geospatial data through modern infrastructure and technology. In 2020, she founded the Alaska Geospatial Office and launched the state’s first integrated open-data geoportal. Appointed by the Secretary of the Interior, Dr. Jones serves on federal advisory committees—including the National Geospatial Advisory Committee—advancing strategies that align technology, policy, and partnerships to support Alaska’s priorities and national objectives.