Gladiz Velez

Geospatial Analyst @Seminole Tribe of Florida

Hollywood, FL, US

Provide support for staff in areas including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), geophysical techniques, remote sensing, database management, spatial information, and archaeological sciences. Assist the Chief Data Analyst in the successful integration and management of spatial field data within the existing geodatabases, managing field and survey equipment. Utilize advanced GIS skills and mapping techniques to meet the needs of the office. Partnered with multiple sections of the Tribal Historic Preservation Office to design web-based workflows, streamline processes, and ensure adoption. Built cross-departmental collaborations (e.g, Environmental Protection Office) to align projects and provide technical insights. Cleaned and standardized artifact and object records for archaeological analysis. Developed metrics (depth, artifact type, time period) to transform raw data into usable insights for staff. Self-taught specialized GPS equipment (Bad Elf Flex) and integrated it into survey workflows. Regularly adapt workflows and dashboards to changing requirements in cultural resource management. Designed a custom Python tool that reduced a 4-hour process to 10 minutes, widely adopted throughout the organization. Authored StoryMaps integrating U.S. Army and Seminole perspectives, addressing gaps in historical documentation. Act as bridge between archaeologists, geographers, administrators, and community stakeholders. Trained staff in GIS best practices, GNSS use, and QA/QC procedures. Conducted participatory mapping with Tribal Elders, georeferencing historical maps while maintaining cultural sensitivity. Presented at 2024 and 2025 Tribal GIS Conferences, including a live demo of ArcGIS Field Maps and a presentation on custom Python tools.

University of Miami

🎓 Bachelor of Arts Degree in Ecosystem Science and Policy, 05/2023 GPA: 3.6/4.0