Welcome to your home base for the 2022 NSGIC Annual Conference!
As information becomes available, it will be posted here to include agenda updates, details on sessions, speakers and other conference related activities.
The NSGIC Board of Directors, Conference Committee, and staff are looking forward to heading to Portland, OR for the 2022 NSGIC Annual Conference, Where Geospatial Collaboration Works to be held September 18-23 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Portland Downtown. This year's theme was inspired by the Portland City Government slogan, "The City that Works".
The NSGIC Annual Conference is the place to enhance geospatial excellence and collaboration for state, local, tribal, and federal GIS policymakers and coordinators, private sector partners and other leaders in the geospatial ecosystem. Providing critical and timely networking opportunities, the conference also offers the chance to connect, collaborate, and share with colleagues and partners.
Agenda will consist of:
Roll Call of States - where state representatives share a snapshot of achievements, challenges, and upcoming activities
Plenary Sessions - presentations by and for the NSGIC community exploring challenges, successes, and new approaches for collaboration in the geospatial ecosystem
State Caucus - a roundtable discussion with state and local government representatives to talk frankly about current pressing issues
GIO Academy - leadership sessions and networking for GIOs, Deputy GIOs, NSGIC State Representatives and by GIO or State Representative invitation only. (separate registration is complimentary but required)
Speed Networking - the fun and fast-paced activity where sponsors, who have allocated points, will rotate to complete the circuit of visiting with state reps
Annual Business Meeting - including the election of new board members and leadership transition
Awards Reception - Recognizing exceptional work through the Geospatial Excellence Awards & NSGIC Service Awards
FOR THE BEST EXPERIENCE Download the Conference Mobile App per the instructions below!
First: Search for the MemberClicks Conference app (gray icon) in your iPhone App Store or on Google Play
Once downloaded, open the app and it will ask you which event you are attending - simply type in the event code: #093550.
NOTE: If you already have the MemberClicks Conference App downloaded on your device from a previous event, go into the app and scroll to the bottom where it says "Conferences" and then select the 2022 Annual Conference. The event code is #093550, which will give you access to the 2022 Annual Conference details to include:
List of attendees (name, title, org only)
Venue details
Full speaker lineup with bios and headshots
Detailed agenda with session descriptions
NSGIC Sponsors & more!
On-Demand Content
In addition to the live conference sessions, there will also be some great pre-recorded, on-demand content available for registered attendees to view at their leisure prior to, during and after the conference. Topics to include:
The Digital Twin Revolution
Why a GIO Needs a Strategic Plan
How Emergency Management and 911 Identify Risk Using Geospatial Demographic Data
Advanced Aerial Data Innovations Drive Statewide Imagery Programs to New Heights
Making Sure It's a Cloud and Not a Fog: North Carolina's path to GIS in AWS
Enhancing Public Safety Using High-Resolution Aerial Imagery
and more!
WORKSHOP: Taking Stock of 3DEP FTN
Monday | Sept 19 | 8:30am - 12:00pm
This workshop will focus on achievements to date, project and individual state objectives for the remaining project period (~7 months), and visioning state engagement in 3DEP beyond the current project period.
The workshop is open to all and is in-person only. Note: those that responded to the workshop 'call for interest' should complete a registration.
Sunday | Sept 18 | 8:30am - 12:00pm PT
This year’s GIO Academy at the NSGIC Annual Conference in Portland will be a hybrid format, to include as many State leaders as possible. The GIO Academy is intended to bring GIOs and state leaders together to discuss common challenges and opportunities as leaders. The GIO Academy Work Group has put together a fabulous agenda! We plan to unveil the recently completed Strategic Planning Playbook. This resource is an outcome from last year’s GIO Academy session at the Annual Conference on Strategic Planning.
The Playbook discussion will be followed by seasoned GIOs sharing their insights relating to the 10 Lessons for a GIO document produced by the GIO Academy four years ago and facilitate discussion around each topic. This is an excellent opportunity to network and connect with your peers in states across the country, learning about their successes and challenges and potentially using those insights to effect change in your state.
Participation in the GIO Academy is limited to GIOs, Deputy GIOs, NSGIC State Representatives and by GIO or State Representative invitation only. Invitations should be communicated to Emily Ruetz at [email protected] for registration.
A full meeting registration includes access to live plenary sessions and other programming, on-demand content, conference mobile app and all networking events. Meals provided with your registration fee include breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday. The Awards Reception and Spatial Social will have heavy hors d'oeuvres, but will not be a proper sit down dinner. The evening Dine Arounds and Dinner with the Board will be "pay your own way".
This year's Annual Conference will be an in-person event with no hybrid or virtual registration option as we heard the feedback from membership and feel the best value for all attendees is provided in the face-to-face experience of being present and on-site. To register, you will need to be a NSGIC member and logged in to your account. Please note that all corporate attendees must be sponsors in good standing in order to attend NSGIC conferences. (see sponsorship section below)
Cancellation of your registration must be received in writing by Friday, August 19 to qualify for a full refund of registration fees paid. Cancellations received in writing between August 20 and September 9 will result in a $50 administrative fee. Fees cannot be refunded for registrations canceled after September 9.
Conference Grants
For NSGIC state representatives faced with funding challenges, NSGIC offers limited conference grants to fully or partially cover reasonable travel expenses, hotel accommodations, and/or conference registration fees. For more information, please refer to the conference grant policy and travel policy. We are no longer accepting grant applications.
Presentation Abstracts
For the 2022 Annual Conference we are soliciting abstracts for live in-person Plenary content, which will be selected on a competitive basis. In addition, pre-recorded On-Demand presentations can be submitted. Full details and instructions for submitting abstracts can be found on the2022 Annual Conference Abstracts Page. We are no long accepting abstracts.
All NSGIC members in good standing may submit a nomination for the Geospatial Excellence Awards per the categories below.
SERVICE AWARDS Lifetime | Outstanding | Distinguished | Dedicated
Nominations for Service Awards are handled by the NSGIC Board of Directors and presented at the Annual Conference. For a list of past award winners please visit theNSGIC Awards page.
Sponsorship
For more information about ourcurrent sponsorship opportunities, or for current sponsors who would like to register additional colleagues for the conference, please contact Amy Holmes at [email protected].
Hotel Info
NSGIC has secured a group block of rooms for our attendees at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Portland Downtown (319 SW Pine Street, Portland, OR, 97204), where the conference will be held.
Due to the high demand for hotel rooms and uptick in registration numbers, the NSGIC Conference Hotel Block rate may no longer be available for all nights and/or room types. If you still need to book your hotel reservation and have any issues or questions, please reach out to Ashley at [email protected] or Mary Kirchner at [email protected] rather than calling the hotel directly.
Group rates are based on room type starting at $182 (government per diem) plus tax.
Hotel Parking
For those of you who will be driving and parking a car at the Embassy Suites in Portland, NSGIC has negotiated a discounted parking rate of $25 per night for self-parking for conference attendees. No voucher or chaser ticket needed, but it is very important to make sure you let the front desk know at check-in if you will be using self-parking to ensure the discounted rate is applied to your room.
The hotel does not have an airport shuttle, however, the airport has many options forground transportation to include taxis, shuttles, rental cars and app-based ride share.
From the airport, follow the signs in the terminal to the light rail (Max) at the far end of the building on the baggage claim level. You can buy a ticket inside the terminal near the exit or outside near the platform. There are two trains, but they are both the Red line leaving the airport at staggered times. You'll stay on the same line until you get downtown near the hotel. There are announcements and signs in the train for each stop. You'll want to exit at the Oak St. stop. Turn right when you exit the train and walk 1.5 blocks to Pine St., turn left on Pine and walk 2 blocks to the hotel at 3rd and Pine.
The transit system includes the Max train, the street cars and the buses. The ticket you buy for the Max works for all of it. Once you buy a ticket, you should keep it with you as long as it's valid, but you don't have to show it to anyone on the Max or street cars. You do swipe it on the buses. There's a good mobility app on the TriMet website for trip planning around the city that you can access from any device: https://trimet.org/home/planner
Train
If you prefer to take the train, Amtrakhas a stop right downtown less than a mile from the hotel.
About the Area
Portland, Oregon, named the “Best American City of 2013,” is known for its beautiful scenery, delicious food, craft beverages, and friendly people, the “City of Roses” has something for everyone. The downtown area is full of sculptures, fountains, and other public art, and short blocks make it easy to walk. Outdoor enthusiasts appreciate Portland’s many green spaces and parks, including Forest Park, the largest urban forest in the United States. Indoor enthusiasts love Powell's Books, the world’s largest independent bookstore, as well as Portland’s many fantastic neighborhood coffee shops and restaurants. Whether you’re a hiker or a biker, a book lover or a beer lover, you’ll find something to love about Portland.
Weather
Portland's pleasant summer weather continues into September with relatively sunny and dry conditions along with moderate temperatures. September's highs average in the mid to high 60s and low temperatures average in the mid 40s to low 50s. In September and October, days tend to be mild and partly sunny as the weather begins to cool. Rain showers become more common and the leaves start changing color (making hikes and outdoor strolls more beautiful than ever). For a trip to Portland in the fall, it is recommended to pack several layers and a rain-proof jacket. "Old-school Portlanders" tend to shun umbrellas, but they can come in handy to shield you from heavier showers if needed.
Things to Do
Visit the Travel Portland website for a full calendar of events scheduled for September 2022.
Events at Moda Center - 1 Mile / 4 minute drive from hotel (1 N Center Ct St)
Sticker Swap!
Don't forget about the always popular, Sticker Swap! Bring some stickers from your organization to share with others. There will be an area setup near registration to drop off and pick up.
Take a few, leave a few!
COVID Safety
The health, safety, and comfort of our attendees are of utmost importance to us as we continue to plan for this in-person event. We will be following all guidance in place at the time of the conference and working closely with venues to ensure full care is given. As much as possible, we will set meeting rooms to provide attendees with extra space to support social distancing.
NSGIC will continue to evaluate the situation and work with the hotel to implement safety practices recommended by local, state, and federal government agencies at the time of the event. Conference attendees with special needs will be accommodated as best as possible; please contact Amy Holmes ([email protected]) with questions or to request accommodation.
The Travel Portland website also has resources to help better understand the current environment and to help answer the most common questions about visiting Portland during the COVID-19 pandemic.
General Questions?
For all registration, sponsorship and/or membership inquiries, please contact Operations Manager, Amy Holmes, at [email protected].
