Project Manager

MEGAN T. GOSCH

**** **** ******, *** ***** CA ***01

650-***-**** e-mail: *****@**********.***

QUALIFICATION HIGHLIGHTS:

• Innovative Professional with almost twenty years’ experience in GIS, Cartography and Web Design with

demonstrative expertise, creativity and success. Proactive project manager with refined tec hnical acumen and

strong people skills.

• Expertise in strategic oversight of large-scale complex projects, cartographic design and production, research

and evaluation of data/software, spatial reasoning/querying, analysis, interpreting geographic patterns, and

model creation.

• Skilled in needs assessment, quality assurance, integration with multi-disciplinary teams.

• Proficient knowledge utilities industry including design and build of new elect ric and gas transmission lines.

• Certifications:

Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) by the California Public Utilities Commission, Supplier Clearinghouse;

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) status by US Department of Transportation (San Francisco Bay Area

Rapid Transit District (BART), San Francisco International Airport, SamTrans, Santa Clara Valley Transportation

Authority (TVA); Small Business Enterprise (SBE) - California Department of General Services.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Geografika Consulting - Owner - San Mateo, CA 1/2006 - Present

Provide geographic information system, cartography and web application development services to environmental

landscape architecture and urban planning-related projects. Strategize with staff to design and implement

custom solutions to meet client needs in all service areas. Provide accurate scope of work and budgets on all

projects.

Representative Project Work:

Kingsburg-Midway 115kV Electric Transmission Line Reconstruction – Cardno ENTRIX (PG&E), California.

Create three environmental constraints map books covering the 80mile project located in four counties in

central California. Each map book was a stand-alone document, which presented the results of cultural and

biological survey work, as well as important farmlands, wetlands, conservation areas, and Williamson Act

lands.

Adapting to Rising Tides Transportation Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Pilot Project – AECOM (MTC, BCDC,

Caltrans), Alameda County, California. Provided all the mapping and analysis associated with a sub-regional

planning pilot project to test the conceptual Risk Assessment model developed by the Federal Highway

Administration (FHWA) to assess the climate change-related Sea Level Rise risks to transportation

infrastructure in a select portion of the San Francisco Bay Area (Alameda County). Was also responsible for

identifying and coordinating the receipt of all transportation and shoreline GIS-related data from the local

government agencies for use in the project, as well as developing the methodology for GIS analysis

techniques to be replicated throughout other counties in the Bay Area.

Brownfields Redevelopment – Iris Environmental, East Palo Alto, California.

Imported chemical survey results from an excel database with 43,973 unique entries into GIS geodatabase

for analysis and subsequent cartographic output. Soil samples were tested for 196 individual chemicals and,

of these, 29 chemicals were chosen for inclusion in the report. Complex queries were required as ther e

were 160 soil sample sites, with tests taken from different elevations of the core sample, and then

aggregated together for final graphic and tabular output.

East County Substation Project – Insignia Environmental (San Diego Gas & Electric), San Diego, California.

Provided GIS analysis, budgeting, and cartographic output support to present the results of the focused

drainage surveys for a 14.1-mile proposed transmission line and associated new substation. 574 individual

drainages were collected by GPS and imported into GIS for analysis of both California Department of Fish and

Game and US Fish and Wildlife Agency potential temporary and permanent impacts. Provided overall GIS

budgets and scopes of work as required for GIS tasks.

South Bay Water Recycling Program Distribution System Map Book – San Jose / Santa Clara Water Pollution

Control Plant, City of San Jose, California. Created a stand -alone 88-page map book for the recycled water

utility which consists of 135 miles of pipeline and over 800 isolation valves. MapLogic for ArcGIS was used to

create one .mxd which comprised the entire document including the title page, road and pipeline indexes,

and the 65 pages of maps.

Skylawn Cemetery Master Land Use Plan and Environmental Protection Zone – CirclePoint (Lifemark Group),

San Mateo, California. Worked with multi-disciplinary project team to create an environmental constraints

map to assist planners in updating a Master Land Use Plan encompassing 519 acres.

Proponent’s Environmental Assessment for the South Bay Substation Relocation Project – Insignia

Environmental (SDG&E), San Diego County, California. Provided GIS analysis and report mapping for an

application to construct the South Bay Substation Relocation Project. The Project included the con struction

of a new substation, a 230-kV loop-in, relocation of 69-kV transmission lines, extension of 138-kV

transmission lines, and demolition of the existing substation.

Stream Maintenance Program Renewal, CEQA, Permitting and Mitigation – Horizon Water and Environment

(Santa Clara Valley Water District), Santa Clara Valley, California. Provided GIS analysis and cartographic

output support to assist the team in developing a creative and flexible mitigation program, renewing the

District’s regulatory programmatic permits and conducting a new CEQA analysis of the updated program.

Coordinated receipt and interpretation of existing GIS datasets from the District.

Candlestick Point State Recreation Area General Plan - AECOM, San Francisco, California.

Providing GIS oversight, analysis and cartographic output for the development of the General Plan for the

newly redefined Candlestick Point State Recreation Area. Mapping will be used internally to determine

potential opportunity and constraint opportunities, as well as supporting the significant public outreach

program.

Skyline Area Parks and Open Space Preserves Map – Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District

Creating a wall-sized map depicting regional open space areas located along the Highway 35 corridor of the

Peninsula for display at Alice’s Restaurant in Woodside. The purpose of this map is to present in a visually

appealing, interpretive manner, all open space in the project area, along with recreational use information .

Software Application Architecture and Functional Requirements Document - EDAW, Inc.

Interpret client needs to develop architecture for web-based GIS application. Develop functional

requirements document illustrating work-flow, screen-shots and overall functionality of application to be

used as a blueprint for programmers. Manage, test and deliver final application.

Potential Vineyards Conversion Model, Baseline Data Report - Conservation, Development and Planning

Department - Napa County, California. Created GIS-model to determine lands suitable for potential vineyard

development within the County of Napa. Inputs included: 2004 SURGO soil data, slopes, hydrologic features,

roads, sensitive biological areas, urban areas, ownership, and existing agricultural lands. The end product

was imported into a complex hydrologic model (MIKE-SHE) for use in analyzing impacts for the County’s

General Plan Update process.

West Broadway Avenue Specific Plan EIR, GIS Lead – CirclePoint (City of Seaside), Seaside, California.

Utilizing a GIS database to determine potential environmental impacts to the proposed Specific Plan.

Working with planners and environmental analysts to answer a series of ‘what -if’ questions and development

scenarios.

DesertXpress Environmental Impact Analysis – CirclePoint

Created series of nine thematic maps including project description, environmental justice, prime farmland,

geologic hazards, hazardous materials, land use, ownership, noise and visual resources for a total of 55

maps. These maps were used by planners to analyze the potential environmental impacts due to the project

as required by NEPA.

Software Application Architecture and Functional Requirements Document - EDAW, Inc.

Interpret client needs to develop architecture for web-based GIS application. Develop functional

requirements document illustrating work-flow, screen-shots and overall functionality of application to be

used as a blueprint for programmers. Manage, test and deliver final application.

Viewshed Model, Population Density and Landscape Analyses - Impact Sciences

Acquire and compile GIS data required for the development of a viewshed model, population density and

landscape analyses in support of the Visual Assessment section of an Environmental Impact Report. Creation

of 3D GIS data layers to be used in the development of a three visual simulations to assist in the

determination of change detection.

Insignia Environmental – Senior Manager, GIS Services (part-time) – Palo Alto, CA 1/2011 – 6/2012

Under the general direction of the President and Director, oversees all aspects of the geographic information

system (GIS) services of the company, including staff’s technical capabilities and development, quality control,

marketing, and business development. Clients supported included San Diego Gas and Electric, Southern

California Gas Company, Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas and Electric, and Contra Costa County. Specific

duties included all data creation, analysis and cartographic output for Preliminary Environmental Assessments,

Mitigated Negative Declarations, Biological Assessments, and various wetland permits for the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game.

EDAW, Inc - Senior Associate - San Francisco, CA 6/1997 - 1/2006

Specialized in integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and other innovative technologies into the

environmental and urban planning processes. Experienced in cartography, GIS database design, web site

development, and graphical user interface creation. Applied these skills to a broad spectrum of planning

projects and studies related to natural resources management, land use planning and facilities siting. Created

and implemented a variety of web-based project management tools ranging from intranet team-based sites to

public participation internet sites. Mentored GIS staff in several California offices including Sacramento, Los

Angeles, Irvine and also Atlanta, Georgia. Helped promote GIS and sustainable environmental design in EDAW’s 5

offices in China by installing GIS software on-site, training staff in applications, presenting at two

internationally-attended Ecological Forum’s in Shanghai and Beijing, and providing custom model creation for

large-scale development projects. Assisted on all GIS-related scope of work and budget proposals.

Representative Project Work - EDAW, Inc.:

Baseline Data Report, Project / GIS Manager - Conservation, Development and Planning Department, Napa

County, California

To provide base data to be used for future p lanning and land use analysis, the Baseline Data Report

documents and describes the existing environmental characteristics of the county by providing a

comprehensive look at the variety of environmental, human, and public services resources. Specifically, the

Baseline Data Report provides the most current information for resource topics such as geology and soils;

mineral and rock resources; climate and air quality; surface hydrology; groundwater hydrology; surface

water quality; biological resources; energy consumption; noise; public health and safety; population and

housing; land use, agricultural resources; transportation and circulation; visual and aesthetic resources;

public facilities and services; and cultural resources, which includes historical and archeological resources.

South Bay Salt Ponds Restoration Project, GIS/Information Task Leader - California State Coastal

Conservancy, California Department of Fish and Game, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

EDAW, as a sub consultant to Philip Williams and Associates, is currently planning the restoration of 15,000

acres of salt ponds in the South San Francisco Bay as part of a large multi-disciplinary team. The goal of the

project is to restore and enhance wetlands in the South Bay while providing for flood management and

wildlife-oriented public access and recreation. I was responsible for overseeing and coordinating the initial

search for all information previously published for the project area; collecting and inventorying GIS layers

pertaining to the project and physical environment; creating a GIS-base map for use by the entire consultant

team; providing GIS and data standards and protocols for use throughout the project; GIS analysis and final

product maps.

Gaviota Coast Resource Study, Project / GIS Manager - Santa Barbara County

The Gaviota Coast encompasses approximately 100,000 acres of land located along the east -west facing

coastline of the County. The project involved completing a GIS-based inventory of resource and planning

information; a preliminary constraints analysis to identify priority areas for preservation; identification of

preservation techniques focusing on transfer of development credit programs; and a full-color resource

report summarizing all the aforementioned work. A GIS model was created to help prioritize areas for

conservation based on a dynamic and flexible set of criteria. The report was to serve as an informational

document for the public and County of Santa Barbara decision-makers and staff.

GIS Habitat Tracking Tool, Project Website Designer, GIS Analyst, Assistant Project Manager - San Diego

Association of Governments (SANDAG), San Diego, CA

The project was a coordinated effort between SANDAG, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, California

Department of Fish and Game and multiple local agencies in San Diego County. EDAW developed a GIS tool

that will track habitat losses and gains. The tool was designed as an easy -to-use ArcView application. The

tool allows local jurisdictions to report on an annual basis to the wildlife agencies in a standardized format.

In addition, the tool assists local agencies in project review and habitat conservation monitoring. This tool

will be utilized by 19 different local agencies in San Diego County. EDAW reprogrammed the tool to work

with ArcGIS 9.1.

San Francisco Watershed Management Plans, GIS Analyst/Project Planner - San Mateo, Alameda, and Santa

Clara Counties, California.

The San Francisco Water Department (SFWD) owns and manages 63,000 acres of watershed lands which store

and provide water for 2.3 million Bay Area customers. The Watershed Management Plans provide SFWD with

the tools to manage the watersheds for the protection of water quality, water supply, and ecological

resources while allowing controlled public access. The project included extensive GIS mapping and analysis;

over 50 one-on-one interviews with key agencies and members of the public; 15 public workshops and 5

agency workshops; and a statistically valid survey of SFWD customers identifying their preferenc es regarding

watershed activities. The plan includes goals, policies and management actions for water quality protection,

enhancement of the water supply, ecological and cultural resource protection, operations and maintenance

activities, recreation, revenue generation activities, and a public awareness program.

Midtown Milpitas Specific Plan and EIR, Public Participation Web Site, Web Site Developer - Milpitas,

California.

Midtown Milpitas was comprised of approximately 1000 acres of land strategically located within the

prosperous housing and job center of the Silicon Valley. The area was taking on a new role as a transit hub,

with the extension of the Tasman East LRT extension into the area and a future commuter rail extension

that would connect Union City BART with San Jose. The objective of the plan was to provide for its

transition to a pedestrian and transit oriented mixed-use district as well as a gathering place for the

community as a whole.

Falcon to Gonder Transmission Line Project, GIS Analyst / Web Site Developer – Sierra Pacific, Nevada

The assignment included the analysis and comparative evaluation of alternative corridors for 175 miles of

new line in eastern Nevada and preparation of NEPA documents per the Bureau of Land Management’s

requirements. Key environmental issues were visual, biological and cultural resources. A public

participation website was developed to assist in the extensive outreach program implemented for the Sierra

Pacific Power Company.

AWARDS + PRESENTATIONS + PUBLICATIONS

• Merit Award – Adapting to Rising Tides, Transportation Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Pilot Project, AEP and

APA (Northern California), 2012

• National Environmental Excellence Award in Planning Integration -

Napa County Baseline Data Report, NAEP, 2006

• Honor Award, Tuolumne River Park Master Plan and EIR -

ASLA (Northern California Chapter) 2005

• “Effective Use of GIS in Watershed Planning Efforts.”

China Ecological Forum, Shanghai and Beijing, China, 2005

• “The Development of a Habitat Tracking Tool to Monitor Habitat Gains and Losses Due to Development and

Mitigation in the San Diego Region.” ESRI User Conference, San Diego, CA, 1999

• “Current Status of the Mountain Plover in the Central Valley,” Central Valley Bird Club Bulletin, vol. 2, no. 2

(GIS map), April 1999

• “Saving the Source: Watershed Management Plans in the San Francisco Region Aim at Protecting the Public

Water Supply,” Landscape Architecture Magazine, December 1998

EDUCATION

B.A., Geography with emphasis on Planning, California State University, Chico, 1992

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