News
Meet Gavin Jaravata, GIS Technician
Where are you from and where do you live now? I grew up in a small unincorporated area called Silverdale in Washington State. I crossed the Puget Sound to go to college in Seattle and decided to stay after graduating. What do you do at FLO? I’m a GIS technician working in the local government…
Ruth McColly, GISPWhat You Need to Know About Student Enrollment Forecasting
Student enrollment forecasts are critically important to all long-term planning efforts. They inform everything from staffing to school capacity planning. But how much do you really know about the forecasts you’re using? Here are the four things you need to know about student enrollment forecasting (no demography degree required!) to be the most strategic school…
Alex BraschSpatial Data Management Best Practices While Working Remote: What Local Governments Need to Know
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced an unprecedented number of local government employees to work from home. While very little is known about when they will be able to return to a physical workplace on a consistent basis, one thing is certain: the health of our communities depends on the vital services local governments provide. To…
Grant Herbert, GISPFLO’s Statement Against Racism
We must work to resist and reverse systemic racism in the communities where we live, work, and serve. We acknowledge that our society is built on systems and institutions that oppress Black people and Black communities. We have had the privilege of remaining silent, and now we commit to using our privilege to speak up…
Tyler VickResults for "2019"
Where are you from and where do you live now? I am from Michigan (huge metropolis of Dimondale) by way of North Carolina (Asheville and Chapel Hill). I currently live in southeast Portland and love it! What do you do at FLO? I serve...
Jenny AxelrodGet to know the six new professionals who have joined the FLO team! Are you interested in working with us? For current job openings, please visit our online application...
Leora WernerWith the opening of FLO’s new office near Boston, Massachusetts, East Coast local governments, utilities, school districts, businesses, and nonprofits seeking bold and innovative solutions that will improve their communities now have greater...
Leora WernerThe Association of Washington Cities (AWC) GIS Consortium continues to gain members from all corners of Washington State, representing the diverse GIS and data needs of Washington communities large and small. Read on to learn about how FLO,...
Ruth McColly, GISPI've got some important questions for you: Do you rely on employees with the most experience and expertise to provide context for projects and historical knowledge about key assets? Are these employees your go-to resource for records and...
Grant Herbert, GISPWhere are you from and where do you live now? I was born and raised in the Tri-Cities (Richland, Washington). I had a few stints in New York and Texas in my younger years and traveled around and worked on the West Coast after graduate...
Grant Herbert, GISPWhere are you from and where do you live now? I grew up in Iowa along the Mississippi River. I remember that there were a lot of cornfields, but I don’t like corn! So perhaps that wasn’t the ideal setting for me. My family moved to the...
Tyler VickJoin us for a presentation on the fundamentals of successful school district planning activities, focusing on enrollment forecasting, school siting, and boundary reviews. We will cover how to plan for these activities, how to do them, and why...
Jerry OelerichGet to know the newest members of the FLO team! Alison Guse, GIS technician, has a diverse background in GIS, environmental science, and environmental engineering. She has served as project manager for several air- and water-related...
Leora WernerAfter working with land trusts across the Northwest and with nonprofit land trust advocates Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts and Land Trust Alliance, senior GIS analyst Jenny Axelrod has some thoughts on how conservation organizations can use...
Jenny AxelrodTwo experienced GIS professionals have joined the FLO team—McKay Larrabee, senior GIS analyst, and Jenna Putnam, GIS technician. Both will lend their skills and experience primarily to our growing school district work. McKay is a North...
Leora WernerA version of this article was originally shared in the Washington State Chapter of the Urban and Regional information Systems Association (WAURISA) newsletter in fall 2018. Building the Data Pillager by Grant Herbert GIS are an...
Grant Herbert, GISP