Helping people with solutions for business using a multi-dimensional approach for managing and visualizing data.

Ellen West Nodwell, GISP, CEO

Ellen is a principal of IntegraShare Dimensions, along with partner and principal, Gus Nodwell. Ellen serves as the company’s CEO. 

Ellen’s Career History Highlights:

Ellen’s interests lie in working with business people, enabling them to make good decisions based on good data using appropriate, fit-for-purpose technologies and tools that bring different “data layers” together to facilitate the decision making process.

Ellen has worked with data of various types for many years – since the 1970’s from the time when most data was in paper form or stored in mainframe computers.  Ellen began mapping demographic data by hand for purposes of geospatial analysis when she was working for state government in human resources, looking at balancing the diversity of the workforce for the region where she worked.  Through the years she sought out better ways to represent information in the geographical context as her career changed, and she moved into private industry.  A business pattern that she noticed is that most people wanted to see information in a map context!

Ellen tried different ways to map using computers when she was supporting an engineering group in the early 1980’s.  As she continued to advance in her technical career, she sought out new software for generating maps.  She “broke” a lot of programs because the volume of data was always more than the software developers tested before release!  There were many discussions with a number of them.  The goal was to have mapped locations appear in the same places in every software mapping package – what she discovered is that the handling of the data in the software did not always produce the same results when compared side-by-side.  Ellen was seeking data integration and interoperability – two concepts that began to mature as time progressed. 

Ellen also became much more aware of geodetics, and how this was handled in software (or not) as she moved into mapping the sub-surface in her role supporting geoscientists and engineers.  She realized that setting the parameters correctly in mapping the sub-surface meant defining accuracy for decision-making – the difference in location of data on maps and any errors introduced by improper settings could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Location integrity was front and center, and data integrity was critical.

In 1995, Ellen was invited to move into the “IT” group, after displaying too often that her skills were a better fit to serve a greater number of people than just her business group, and that she seemed to have an affinity and talent for “wrangling data”.  She became the first corporate level technical data management analyst assigned to work with a specialized group who supported the company’s exploration and production mapping system.  She took the project lead role on a corporate-wide Y2K driven overhaul of the company’s data management framework and bring in a mapping technology that could integrate the various “layers” into a map view.

At that point, in 1999, Ellen presented to the IT leadership the Esri mapping technology and recommended that the company adopt it corporate-wide. Esri GIS became the platform in which Ellen has built a deep and broad background – having worked with its technology stack, through its evolution from the 1990’s through the present time.

She knows from experience that building a good geospatial technology and data framework is a shared responsibility requiring a true partnership between business and technology groups. Such a partnership requires effective leadership from the top of the organization, to champion the use of the technology and data – and broad participation with all stakeholders actively contributing in order for the implementation to be effective, well utilized and sustained over time.

  • Ellen has spent much of her career facilitating and building these relationships, which is an ongoing effort – people change – organizations change – and change management is critical.
  • Ellen believes that organizations need a strategy for integrating the components of data and information into the business value chain, such that people in all roles can find, trust, and utilize the right data to support their work and achieve the goals of the business.
  • She is a proponent of individual accountability and constant data validation, ensuring business is only using “good” data. She believes in implementing relevant, not fancy, cost-effective sustainable processes to assure data quality going forward.
  • Ellen has worked on many projects that required thoughtful design and implementation of straightforward processes to collect validate and maintain data.
  • She knows maintaining constant awareness of the importance of these activities is the cornerstone of data management success and this feeds directly into success in using GIS technology.
  • Her work with teams often involves changing data handling habits to bring longer term benefits to the business. Ellen constantly emphasizes that partnering is the key to enabling technology and data management success of any type — everyone has some “skin in the game”, and will ultimately benefit from making these efforts successful.
  • Ellen has rich matrix of experience across the full lifecycle of upstream and midstream businesses within the energy industry, which is one of the most complex and risk driven industries that exists, globally.  Ellen understands that these risks have drivers that are geospatially important to understand.  With the changes in today’s world, being able to evaluate risk matrices utilizing a geospatial framework can improve risk analyses in order to be better at risk management.
  • She can guide and enable businesses to make better decisions with greater confidence, based on high value, fit for purpose, and well-managed data using GIS and other technology toolsets – she understands that integration and interoperability are important in the day-to-day running of a successful business.
  • Ellen has also worked with non-profit organizations, advising on how to manage growth and combine leadership with technical and organizational goals in order to be successful, then facilitating efforts to achieve objectives.
  • Ellen also works with higher education organizations to help research and promote the curriculum that enables students in the geospatial sciences and technology areas to graduate as “work-ready”.

Current service includes:

  • Ellen serves on the Brookhaven GIS Advisory Board (Dallas College in Texas). In 2022, she was invited to be an external Advisor to Sam Houston State University’s GSS Program in their Department of Environmental and Geosciences. She continues to work within her discipline writing coursework for training, presenting on various topics related to geospatial technology and the use of it, as well as articles for publications.

Past Projects:

  • Ellen has previously worked with Texas A&M University – College Station, researching requirements for the development of programs for enabling students of GIST to be “work ready”; as well Ellen played a pivotal role in bringing on student chapters for the APSG, a professional organization for surveying and geomatics in the petroleum industry.  Texas A&M College Station hosted the first student chapter of APSG beginning around 2014. 

Ellen’s specific areas of expertise include:

Data Architecture. GIS and Geospatial Systems Architecture including the Esri ArcGIS Platform – ArcGIS Enterprise (ArcGIS Server and ArcGIS Portal deployments) – Information Management and Spatial Data Standards Development for Spatial Data Integrity – Business Solutions Engineering and Product Delivery – Advising on GIS Team Development and People Management – Strategy Consulting for Data Governance – Strategy Development for the Organizational Use of GIS and Location Intelligence – GIS Professional Development Research – Strategic Planning for GIS – GIS Organizational Planning and Development – As well as Integration of Spatial and non-spatial Data Utilizing Microsoft, Esri, Q-GIS, Leaflet, and other technologies.  Managing Development Environments in Azure (Microsoft).

GIS in Business Experience:

Over 20 years experience using, and managing geospatial technology and data, including integration of data and building digital maps and geo-databases from legacy or antique maps.

  • Global GIS Manager for Hess Corporation for over six-and-a-half years, including management of information architecture and business intelligence integration projects – including deployment of a globally federated geospatial information system, and individual projects that delivered GIS solutions for individual business groups and regional offices.
  • Spatial data coordinator and project manager for Anadarko Petroleum for six years; including projects to up-version ArcGIS applications, upgrade enterprise server environment (including geodatabase (SDE)), and other enterprise GIS metadata implementation projects.
  • Technical Data Analyst, Corporate Data Management and Mapping Systems:  Spearheaded Esri GIS software and geodatabase SDE implementation at Burlington Resources. Data Management Lead for Customized Integrated Data Management System for Technical Subsurface Data including a Shared Database Model.

Areas of Capability:

  • Business analysis and requirements gathering – Definition of key requirements for building solutions with data, interfaces, and integration using data automation.
  • Planning and managing enterprise GIS – multi-location, multi-team organizations; architecture design, global deployment of ArcGIS Server, ArcGIS Online and Portal, Enabling utilization of the ArcGIS Platform by business users
  • Database – Data Modeling – Data Transformation and Migration Planning and Execution
  • Business analysis and strategy development
  • Business life-cycle data governance and management – strategy development
  • Geospatial data and GIS subject matter expert
  • Geospatial data governance strategy development and the development of geospatial governance policies and processes
  • Esri GIS “in the cloud” – ArcGIS Online and Portal – Azure and AWS
  • Geospatial data management
  • Geospatial data modeling
  • ROI analysis pre-and-post- GIS implementation
  • Business workflow focused geospatial solutions design
  • Building and managing effective global teams
  • Leadership within global business and non-profit organizations

Support for Education of Geospatial Professionals:

  • Research and assessment for program development strategies
  • Young professional mentoring and internship assistance
  • Consulting to educational organizations for building GIS job-readiness into program curriculum
  • Competency and capability analysis
  • Training development and delivery of geospatial and standards content

Data Management and GIS:

  • Project development for GIS – implementations and sub-implementations (for business segments).
  • Land Management GIS planning and implementations (with partners)
  • Esri ArcGIS, and Business Intelligence implementations
  • GIS Data Modeling – Generic (Type Categories) or Specific (Business Model Related)
  • Business life cycle-Design & delivery of solutions for solving business problems by managing and integrating subsurface, and surface: well, geological, seismic, field and midstream data, GIS/geospatial, Health and Safety, Environment Impact Assessments, and related information asset management.
  • Asset monitoring and emergency response portal designs
  • Petroleum – Well data SME (subject matter expert), Well and midstream data architecture and modeling; PPDM and PODS – industry standard model implementations

Since 2013, as a consultant and service provider:

Ellen has worked on projects with client companies and organizations: The PODS Association, British Petroleum (BP), Baker-Hughes, Trans-Canada Pipeline, Texas A&M University, Alta Mesa Holdings, LP (Alta Mesa Resources), Pioneer Natural Resources, TC Energy, IntegraShare Solutioneering, and The City of Austin…

Ellen also concurrently serves as a Systems and Geospatial Architect to advise on location analytics in products developed by IntegraShare Soutioneering, Inc.

Volunteerism:

Ellen has worked as a volunteer for several professional organizations throughout her career, often taking leadership roles. 

She has previously been a volunteer fundraiser and team captain for the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s annual Race for the Cure, in Houston, Texas, being a top fundraiser two years in a row.  She has served on Komen’s advisory board.  She also has run half-marathons to raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation multiple years running.  She worked with Gus Nodwell for two years, to help organize a charity walk and  run event for the CASA of Montgomery County, Texas (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for Children, also serving in their Advisory Group for three years. Ellen served as the Chair, Treasurer and interim Vice-Chair, on the Board of Directors of the APSG Education Foundation – a non-profit organization that supported the development of career-ready geospatial professionals from early-childhood through the university phases of education. The Foundation was set up in late 2015 and reached end of life in 2024.

She is an active member of URISA, AAPG, and the APSG professional organization.

Visit Ellen's career story-map

Ellen is certified as a GISP (GIS Professional) through the GIS Certification Institute (GISCI).

GISCI has made efforts to standardize the skills required for competency in GIS across verticals to insure that people who are certified are capable of performing work using the wide array of skills that a GIS professional must gain. Experience and leadership are also considered as integral in being a successful GIS Professional.