Chris David

Vice President of Gis & Data Science @American Forests

Washington, DC, US

I serve as the programmatic technology lead for the organization, building GIS & Data Science program from scratch into a high-functioning collaborative team with expertise in analysis, cartography, and software development and a budget north of $2 million. Some highlights of my time here at American Forests include: Implementing a cloud-based analysis and GIS environment in AWS, while also instituting business rules around code and data management using Github. Conceptualizing the research, development, and deployment of American Forests flagship urban forestry platform, Tree Equity Score, from a vision to a methodology to a data product and finally to a dynamic and expanding web-based platform. Applications include the flagship Tree Equity Score National Explorer, the deep-dive Tree Equity Score Analyzer, an expansion to the United Kingdom, and more in the pipeline. Introducing data storytelling with maps and interactive data visualizations to translate American Forests leading science in urban forestry and wildfire resilience to effectively communicate with a broader audience and fundraise around our work. Initiating review of organizational IT systems from CRM and financial management software to communication and file management resulting in a holistic assessment of systems and processes. Leading the implementation of recommendations from the assessment and budgeting for a greater investment in operational IT. Taking charge of operational IT during a rapidly changing organizational landscape, deploying new resources to support efficient and effective technology, and augmenting managed IT services and consultants with the organization’s first Operations & Systems Analyst.

University of Maryland

Graduate Certificate, GIS

University of Maryland

Graduate Coursework, Agricultural Economics

University of Virginia

Master's degree, Urban and Environmental Planning

University of Stirling

English / Mathematics

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Mathematics, English Minor