The Action Mapping Project

Dr. Matthew Kelley is an Associate Professor in the School of Urban Studies at the University of Washington Tacoma where he is also the Director of the Action Mapping Project (AMP). His work centers on the use of participatory and geospatial methods to generate new forms of data about urban spaces. With a background in community development, he is keenly aware of the need to ensure that the voices, perspectives, and experiences of residents are included in planning and policy-making processes. Through AMP he involves university and high school students in action-oriented community-based projects throughout the South Puget Sound. Most recently his work has dealt with matters of equity and access, with a strong focus on the inclusion of youth voice.

Augustine is a project manager for the Action Mapping Project. He started working for AMP during his undergraduate program where he focused on a Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare and a certificate in Geographic Information Systems. Through his work, he was able to bring his background in social welfare to GIS to get a better understanding of both fields. He recently completed his Masters of Social Work and continues to utilize GIS to help analyze social problems with a different point of view. When he is not working or taking classes his main focus are his wife and 3 children.

At UWT Olivia majored in Sustainable Urban Development and completed the GIS certificate program. She has a background in hospitality management and spends her free time walking dogs, raising plants, and advocating for progressive systemic reform.

Matt Seto is the Technical Lead for the Action Mapping Project.

Marco Bachini finished his GIS Certificate Course at the University of Washington Tacoma. He also completed his Bachelor's Degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering in the Philippines and is planning to take up a master's degree soon. He loves traveling to different places and explore the wonders of nature. He also loves spending his spare time at home watching movies and doing gardening.

Alan Foote is a graduate of UW-Tacoma in Sustainable Urban Development with a Certificate in GIS. A musician in his 20's, he went back to school in his 30's to learn how to help the Puget Sound Region adapt to growth while experiencing climate change. He is a father and partner who enjoys non-fiction, abstract music, and a great cup of coffee.

Micah Gelber earned a BA in Sustainable Urban Development in 2020 and a GIS Certificate in 2021 from the UW - Tacoma. Their research interests include spatial theory, social ecology, and ethics. In the Summer of 2021, Micah will be working on a variety of projects for the City of Puyallup as an IT GIS Intern. Micah enjoys playing, writing, and recording music, reading philosophy, and cooking.

Queenie is a senior at UW Tacoma, majoring in Urban Design, and has a certificate in Geographic Information systems. Her passion lies in affordable housing, sustainability, and social justice, which transpire to the project and organizations she is dedicated to. She is currently working as an undergraduate researcher for the Parks and Civic Study at UWT to analyze how residents utilize parks in Central Tacoma to offer potential improvements. She is also serving as a Data Entry Intern for the City of Seattle, where the goal is to implement new codes to protect existing trees, especially in underserved communities. In her spare time, she enjoys baking and cooking where she is happy to share it with her family and friends.

Peter Kaljian Is a recent graduate of the GIS program at UW Tacoma with a degree in Sustainable Urban Development. GIS helps him see issues of equity in a different way and allows him to examine geographic patterns arising from policy. He is passionate about transit equity and interested in how people move through the city. He works with the UWS Student Transportation Services using GIS to analyze commute patterns and options. He likes to spend his free time watching baseball, woodworking, in his garden, or just enjoying a book on cities.

John is a graduating senior majoring in Sustainable Urban Development combined with a Certificate in Geographic Information Systems. Recently having joined the City of Kent GIS team as an intern, his aim is to gain experience in the real world GIS working environment and focus is currently on joining the MSGT program. In his free time, he likes listening to music, reading books and hanging out with friends.

As a recent UW Tacoma grad, I am looking forward to using my skills learned from the GIS certificate program to help local communities in need of mapping, analyzing, and interpreting geospatial information. I want to get involved with regional districts and begin to map the many uncharted trails in our area. In my free time I enjoy playing and listening to music, playing video games, and riding my mountain bike.

Justin is a graduate from the University of Washington with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies. He also holds certificates in Restoration Ecology and Geographic Information Systems. He currently also works as an intern for the US Forest Service organizing deeds and mapping mineral estates within the Eastern Region Forests. He would like to continue to develop his GIS skills to implement positive changes in both the natural and urban world. In his free time, he enjoys playing video games, drawing, skateboarding, bouldering, fishing, cooking, and trying new foods.

Mara Valdez is a senior at UW Tacoma, majoring in Environmental Science and certificate program in Geographic Information Systems. She also works part-time at Pierce College Puyallup as a Lab Assistant. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, hiking, playing video games, and spending time with friends and family.

Eva an udegraduate student at UWT majoring in Urban Studies Community Development Planning. By the end of her college career, she would like to get GIS certificate as well. Eva has always wanted to get involved in the city planning because she was raised in the big and busy city such as Moscow, Russia. In her spare time, Eva likes painting and taking picture on film camera.