Alister A. Fenix
Director of Geospatial Storytelling & Development @Vibrant Planet Data Commons
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WORK HISTORY
Director of Geospatial Storytelling & Development @Vibrant Planet Data Commons
Portland, OR, US
I lead geospatial development, data engineering, and interactive design to advance open, accessible science — making complex ecological and climate datasets usable for practitioners, communities, and decision-makers.I also guide user needs research and early product design for emerging applications—ensuring new tools and interfaces are grounded in real user workflows, clarity, and inclusivity.My work bridges science, design, and technology, helping partner organizations share their data and insights with impact and wide public reach.In partnership with the Kalispel Tribe of Indians, our work was awarded the Grand Prize in the Conservation X Labs Fire Challenge — recognition of the value of integrating Tribal stewardship and open data infrastructure for community-scale wildfire resilience.
EDUCATION
Environmental Leadership Program
Pacific Northwest Regional Fellowship
Epicodus
Coding Bootcamp (Six-Month Program & Internship)
Oregon State University
Anthropology, Sociology
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Capstone Certificate in Advanced Geographic Information Systems, Geography and Cartography
University of Oregon
Bachelor of Science - BS, Geography
SKILLS
ABOUT ALISTER A. FENIX
Hi, I\'m Alister. I build the data pipelines, maps, and narratives that help people understand living systems and make better decisions for the places and species they steward.My work spans forestry, wildfire and climate resilience, marine and terrestrial ecology, food systems, indigenous traditional ecological knowledge, wildlife conservation, and environmental equity. That breadth came largely from 13 years at Ecotrust, where I worked across disciplines connecting communities, watersheds, and landscapes. Today, through WayFind LLC — my independent consulting practice — I focus on geospatial data engineering and science communication, currently as Director of Geospatial Development & Design for VP Data Commons. In practice, that means I work across a wider stack than most: geospatial data engineering and pipeline architecture, interactive map and application design, front-end development, UX and user needs research, website design, and science communication. I write code, design interfaces, and craft narratives — often on the same project. That range is still growing. Systems thinking has a way of continuously revealing the next thing you need to understand. What drives all of it, honestly? I work through the heart as much as the head. I think about the landscapes our children will inherit, the species that have no seat at any table, the communities whose relationship to land runs deeper than any dataset can capture. That\'s not separate from the technical work — it\'s the reason for it. I\'ve found that the best maps, the most useful tools, the stories that actually shift decisions, come from that place. From care. Every difficult technical problem, every layer of scientific complexity — for me, that\'s the path. Each one brings me closer to understanding where we are hurting, and where we might find the salve to start healing these wounds.
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