Profile
I am a GIS practioner, educator, and champion. I use enterprise scale systems to perform powerful geospatial analyses, enable beautiful data visualizations, and empower users to share their insights.
Skills
- Software: ArcGIS Enterprise, ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro
- GIS Methods: Service optimization, Portal administration, Data engineering, Spatial analysis, Cartography
- ArcGIS App Builders Experience Builder, Dashboards, StoryMaps, Instant Apps
- Automation Languages: Python, Arcade, PowerShell, Bash, YAML
- Automation Tools: Jupyter Notebooks, VS Code, Git, GitHub Actions
- Environments: Windows, Linux, Virtualized, Azure Cloud, Docker, Kubernetes
Experience
Esri
Senior Product Engineer (2025 - Current)Principal Technical Lead (2022 - 2025)
Senior Instructor (2022)
Instructor (2020 - 2022)
- Collaborated with colleagues across Esri to update and improve ArcGIS Enterprise documentation
- Coordinated customer training priorities with ArcGIS Enterprise product management team
- Ensured technical accuracy, supported product messaging, and led troubleshooting efforts for ArcGIS Enterprise training courses
- Reduced cloud costs 70% for Kubernetes training by leading a migration to new cloud infrastructure
- Mentored Esri colleagues to help them stay current on changing ArcGIS technologies
- Rated 4.8/5.0 by over 1,300 students in courses for ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Enterprise, and Python scripting
- Engaged underrepresented students in GIS by co-leading the Esri mentoring initiative
- Developed and delivered live training seminars to over 10,000 participants
U-Spatial
Research Assistant (2019 - 2020)- Created the Transportation Happiness web app for the Humphrey School of Public Affairs
- Created the Heat Vulnerability web app for the Minnesota Department of Health
- Managed users, groups, and content as an administrator for the University of Minnesota's ArcGIS Online organization
- Served as a GIS expert to support spatial research at the University of Minnesota
- Awarded Esri Development Center Student of the Year
- Twice awarded the U-Spatial Mapping Prize for best cartography
South St. Paul Public Schools
Teacher (2017 - 2018)- Increased enrollment in advanced classes for underrepresented students
- Trained students to use ArcGIS Online to map human population and migration patterns
Minnesota Urban Debate League
Program Director (2015 - 2017)Program Associate (2015)
- Planned and executed over 50 events, each involving over 100 participants
- Increased program participation by 20% using a data-driven approach
- Coordinated with a diverse group of stakeholders across Minnesota to overhaul curriculum
- Mentored a cohort of 12 coaches
St. Paul Public Schools
Teacher (2006 - 2015)Debate Coach (2014 - 2015 & 2017 - 2019)
- Taught classes in Human Geography, History, Economics, and Government to a diverse student body
- Trained students to use spatial analysis across multiple disciplines to understand immigration, trade, and urbanization
- Twice recognized as MN Urban Debate League Teacher-Coach of the year
Education
Master of Geographic Information Science
University of Minnesota (MN)Master of Arts in Secondary Education
University of St. Thomas (MN)Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology
Grinnell College (IA)Certifications
Community Involvement
- Chair, Minnesota GIS/LIS Consortium K-12 Education Committee
- Minnesota GIS/LIS Consortium Workshop Committee member
- Mapping Justice Volunteer
- Code Switch Civic Hackathon
- Treasurer, University of Minnesota GIS Student Organization
- Girl Scout Troop Leader
Publications, Presentations, Workshops, and Seminars
- Travis Ormsby and Grace Doherty. "Python Tips and Tricks". Presented at the Minnesota GIS/LIS Workshops (Spring 2025)
- Derek Nelson and Travis Ormsby. "Python 101 for ArcGIS" . Esri Live Training Seminar (2024)
- Travis Ormsby. "Use AI Models To Write Python Code, Even Though They Are Bad At It". Presented at the Minnesota GIS/LIS Workshops (Fall 2024)
- Derek Nelson and Travis Ormsby. "Python Tips and Tricks for ArcGIS" . Esri Live Training Seminar (2024)
- Travis Ormsby and Kevin Priestley. "ArcGIS Arcade Essentials" . Esri Live Training Seminar (2024)
- Travis Ormsby. "I Got 968,039 Problems but a Dashboard Ain't One". Presented at the Minnesota GIS/LIS Workshops (Fall 2023)
- Travis Ormsby. "OK, but like, what's a web service?". Presented at the Minnesota GIS/LIS Workshops (Spring & Fall 2023, Fall 2024, Spring 2025)
- Travis Ormsby. "Introduction to Arcade Expressions". Presented at the Minnesota GIS/LIS Workshops (Spring & Fall 2022)
- Travis Ormsby. "Introduction to Python for Geospatial Professionals". Presented at the Minnesota GIS/LIS Workshops (Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023)
- Travis Ormsby and Zachary Vavra. "Notebooks! An Introduction to ArcGIS Notebooks". Presented at the Minnesota GIS/LIS Workshops (Spring 2021)
- Brittany Krzyzanowski and Travis Ormsby. "Thinking Spatially" Presented at the Annual University of Minnesota Day of Data. (2020)
- Travis Ormsby. "Choosing Fairness: Promoting Service Equity Analysis in Transit Planning". Presented at the Annual Center for Transportation Studies meeting, Minneapolis. (2019)
- Bradley W. Russell and Travis Ormsby. "Settlement Patterns Outside of the City Wall of Mayapán, Yucatan, Mexico." Paper presented at the 69th Annual Meetings of the Society for American Archaeology, Montreal, Canada. (2004)
- Travis Ormsby and Timothy S. Hare. "Within the Walls: Exploring Settlement Structure at Mayapan". Presented at the Annual Midwest Mesoamericanist Meeting, Ann Arbor. (2003)
- Timothy S. Hare, Travis Ormsby, and C. Scott Speal. "GPS Mapping of Features within the Muralla" In Foundations of Economic Power of Mayapan: Mayapan Project—2002 Season, edited by Marilyn A. Masson, Carlos Peraza Lope and Timothy S. Hare. Institute of Mesoamerican Studies, SUNY-University at Albany. (2002)