A Collective Effort

Member feedback drives USGIF’s marketing and communications team

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USGIF CEO Keith Masback speaks at the National Geospatial Preparedness Summit in September 2016.

I recently had the opportunity to visit USGIF Strategic Partner IBM to learn more about the company’s Watson cognitive system and its applicability to broader national security missions and the GEOINT Community. I sincerely appreciated experiencing Watson in action, and it made clear the Intelligence Community is simply nipping at the edges of artificial intelligence (AI).

We are challenged to discover the most efficient and effective uses of AI technologies across the expanse of our collective mission sets. Longtime trajectory writer Melanie D. G. Kaplan does a wonderful job of helping our readers develop a baseline for understanding AI and machine learning. Also in this issue of trajectory, you’ll find an insightful piece by Jim Hodges regarding the work of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity.

The trajectory team takes pride in providing USGIF members and the GEOINT Community with unique views into myriad topics representing the breadth and depth of the tradecraft. We share these via our integrated print, web, and social media properties.

Your feedback and our analytics tell us you engage in highly individualized approaches to content consumption, and we strive to serve interesting, relevant information in a variety of formats. We are always looking for your input, and I hope you continue to share your thoughts with letters to the editor, survey responses, and via direct communication to the staff.

USGIF Vice President of Strategic Communications and Marketing Jordan Fuhr leads a team that manages all of this, providing tremendous value to our membership and the Community. Kristin Quinn is the Managing Editor of trajectory responsible for all editorial content, while Shameka Jordan manages the Foundation’s marketing, making sure we provide clear and consistent messaging about USGIF and its activities. Lindsay Mitchell plays an integral part, contributing to both the trajectory and marketing missions.

I want to acknowledge the marketing and communications department’s collective role as part of our larger USGIF team, which at any given time, including interns, numbers about 16 employees. I’m proud of them and the tireless effort they expend in the true spirit of the Foundation—that the proverbial rising of the GEOINT tide would indeed raise all boats. You, our members, continue to vote with your feet. Your investments in the Foundation are humbling, and we remain focused on delivering unquestionable return on that investment.

Now in our 13th year, USGIF leadership is working closely with our Board of Directors to develop a strategic plan to set the course for the organization’s next decade. The continued engagement with our members helps us remain true to your expectations, and we are poised to firmly remain the convening authority for the larger GEOINT Community.

Thanks for your ongoing support, and enjoy this issue of trajectory. We look forward to seeing you in our office and/or at one of our events soon.

Posted in: Vantage Point   Tagged in: 2016 Issue 3, Machine Learning & AI

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