Update: California Announces GIO Appointment

Update: GovTech reports that one of Byrne’s first goals is to consolidate best available public domain data of the state (6 inches in the urban footprint and a minimum of 1 meter for the rest of California, roads and landmarks) and make it available via thin and thick client. The current Cal-ATLAS provides for upload/download but not viewing. A federal Homeland Security grant has funded the project.

—- original post 3/25/09———
Government Technology reports that California state CIO Teri Takai today announced the appointment of Michael Byrne, 39, as the state’s first geospatial information officer.

Byrne’s bio:
- currently serving as the chair of the California GIS Council
- member of the National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC)
- serves on the Board of Directors for both GreenInfo Networks and the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC)
- has a Masters in Geography from the University of California at Davis
- GISP
- current job: eServices Policy Manager with the California Department of Public Health

GT offers this description of GIS:

Similar to commercially available applications such as Google Maps or Microsoft Virtual Earth, geographic information systems (GIS) allow users to access mapping resources, layered with data, to navigate in an environment where they can visualize scenarios in innovative ways. The technology provides an interface that has the potential to greatly advance government services, security and emergency response.